QUESTION:

• There is a question concerning UB matting for an XCEL BRONZE gymnast.  There are (2) two questions.

  • Scenario #1) The gymnast is too short to reach the low bar at its lowest setting.  Can they stand on two (2) 8" mats for the mount? Can they stand on two (2) 8" mats plus a mounting apparatus?

  • Scenario #2) Another XCEL Bronze gymnast and coaches did not want to lower the low bar, so they put a mounting apparatus on top of two (2) 8" mats for the mount. Is this allowable?  

ANSWER SCENARIO #1: 

• Scenario #1: Yes, In the 2024-2025 Rules and Policies, page 92 III.11.b, it states as follows:

  • APPARATUS SPECIFICATIONS, Springboard/Mounting Specifications, XCEL BRONZE, SILVER & GOLD: "Any combination of manufactured mats, skill cushions or padded spotting blocks or panel mats may be used for mounting purposes on the LOW BAR." 

  • It continues with III.11.c. for XCEL BRONZE, SILVER & GOLD: "Any manufactured mounting apparatus may be placed on top of the mats."

  • Note: There are different matting and mounting regulations for different programs and levels.  Please check Rules and Policies for specifics on each program and level.

ANSWER SCENARIO #2:

• Scenario #2: Yes. The same regulations apply for this XCEL BRONZE gymnast as Scenario #1.

  • Note: Rules and Policies has different matting and mounting specifications for different programs and levels.  Always refer to Rules and Policies.

QUESTION:

• A coach was informed by an official that her gymnast needed to wear nude colored tiger paws (wrist brace) and that the gymnast couldn't wear her blue ones. Is it ok to wear a colored wrist and/or ankle brace?  

ANSWER:

• In the Development Program Optional Code of Points, Page GENERAL-8, there are restrictions on attire.  There is no mention of restrictions on the color of wrist braces and/or ankle braces.  Since there is nothing prohibiting it, I would assume that it is ok to wear a colored brace.  If I was advising the coach, I would suggest that an athlete wear a color that is not distracting to the performance, but there does not appear to be a rule stating that nude is the only acceptable color. 

QUESTION:

• A coach wanted to know if they block time on beam, can two (2) gymnasts be on the beam at the same time?  

ANSWER:

• Yes.  In Rules and Policies, page 58, V.9. BLOCK TIME (Bars & Beam only), it indicates that Block Time is permitted."  Page 58, V.9.d continues with "Individual time per gymnast is allowed."  There is nothing referenced in this section that precludes two athletes from being on the beam during blocked warm ups. However, Rules and Policies, page 57, V.8.e, clearly states as follows:"At all sanctioned events, only one gymnast at a time can be on the Bars for any part of the warm-up period (this would include timed warm-ups and 30-second touch)."  They are never allowed to have two people on the bars at the same time, blocked or individual.

QUESTION:

• This regards awarding Bonus and VP credit when an athlete performs a Pak Salto in either level 9/10. Please clarify. 

• Scenario #1) Athlete performs a Pak Salto, catches / touches the low bar but hits her feet in between the low bar and high bar and then falls under the low bar - She would receive VP & SR Credit but NO Bonus, fall is on the Pak Salto?

• Scenario #2) Athlete performs a Pak Salto, catches the low bar but hits her feet past the low bar and then falls: She would receive VP & SR Credit and Bonus for the Pak Salto but would receive a -.50 deduction for a fall on the glide?  

ANSWER Clarification for Scenario #1: 

• Scenario #1 is described in the Development Program Optional Code of Points, Page BARS - 16, I.9.c.  It states as follows: "#4.406 - Pak salto from HB - Salto backward stretched - to - LB clear support.

  • c. Full support on feet on mat between the bars after catching LB - Award VP credit for          Pak salto (D).  Deduct 0.50 for a fall.  No Bonus awarded."

ANSWER Clarification for Scenario #2:

• Scenario #2 is described in the Development Program Optional Code of Points, Page BARS - 16, I.9.d.  It states as follows:

• "Full support on the mat in front of LB (past vertical line of LB) - fall is considered on glide, NOT Pak salto."

QUESTION:

• Page 1  Balance Beam. For Diamond, Special Requirement #3 "Acro Series - with or without flight and one (1) Acro element with flight (isolated or series). Can the "And one (1) Acro flight element" be part of the Acro series, or does it need to be above and beyond the series, regardless of whether the series had a flight element or not?

ANSWER: 

• BALANCE BEAM - 1. For Diamond, Special Requirement 3 reads, "Acro Series - with or without flight - Minimum of one (1) skill must achieve or pass through vertical (excluding mount or dismount); AND one (1) Acro Flight element (Isolated or Series)"

• The special requirement has two (2) parts to it. 1. = a series, and 2. = an acro flight element.  If either of these is missing, SR 3 is not fulfilled.  The SR can be fulfilled with a series that contains two (2) elements without flight and then an additional acro skill somewhere else in the routine, (Isolated), or it can be fulfilled with a series that contains the acro flight element, (Series).  

• For clarification, BALANCE BEAM - 8 has examples of routines that fulfill SR 3.  Routine 2 on the bottom portion of the page, indicates that SR 3 is fulfilled with Back Walkover + Flic-flac step out, with no additional acro flight elements in the routine.  This is an example of fulfilling both parts of SR 3 with the acro flight requirement within the series, (Series). 

• (Note: There are other SR problems in that routine. SR 2 is missing!)

QUESTION:

• If a gymnast does kip, cast, back hip circle, cast away to fly away (gold & platinum)--- do they get a deduction for the stop/change of direction after the back hip circle?  

ANSWER: 

• On page UNEVEN BARS - 1, the chart has a column for "Extra Swing Deduction Taken".  In the GOLD section, it states that the extra swing deduction is not taken.  In the PLATINUM section, it states that the extra swing deduction is taken.  In the text of the Code of Points, page UNEVEN BARS - 22, Chapter 3: IV., and continuing on page 23, you will find the full text relating to INTERMEDIATE (EXTRA) SWING. At the top of page 23, it states "Deduction: This deduction is only applied at Platinum, Diamond, and Sapphire Divisions - 0.30.

QUESTION:

• Part A: Does this bar routine have a 10.0 start value for platinum: kip, cast above horiz, free hip to kip, squat on, HB kip, cast away to fly away?

• Part B: Also, if she doesn't hit her cast requirement, but comes out of her free hip above horizontal, does that meet the SR?    

ANSWER: 

• Part A: Yes, the routine you described does have a 10.00 start value at Platinum.  It has a minimum of six (6) "A" value parts and one (1) "B" value part.  It meets all four (4) special requirements. 

• Part B: If the cast does not meet the requirement, but the free hip finishes above horizontal, does this meet the requirement of a skill finishing in a clear support above horizontal?  Page UNEVEN BARS - 3, III. A. 2. states "Any cast/ clear support element that is within 10 degrees of the Division angle requirement will receive Value Part and Special Requirement."  Since a "free hip" is a clear support element, it will meet the special requirement.

QUESTION:

• Gold beam- for 2 acro moves can they do 2 back walkovers if one of them is connected to a jump afterward? For a 10.0 SV.        

ANSWER: 

• Special Requirement 3 on Gold Beam, states the two (2) acro elements may be isolated or in series.  There appears to be no ruling that requires the acro elements to be isolated from other "dance" value parts.  Therefore, it would be acceptable to connect a back walkover to a jump.  

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QUESTION:

For Xcel Vault, is the .30 deduction for “too long in support” only for the Silver level?

Is the Gold –Diamond for the same error .50?       ​

ANSWER: 

On page VAULT – 12, for Silver Vault, “Too long in support” is listed as “Up to .30”.

On page VAULT – 14, for Gold, Platinum, Diamond and Sapphire, “Too long in support” is listed as “Up to .50”. Note that at these levels, the deduction states, “(Applies to Non-Salto Vaults only)”.​​​