Girls Gymnastics Rules Interpretations - 2025
Publisher’s Note: The National Federation of State High School Associations is the only source of official high school interpretations. They do not set aside nor modify any rule. They are made and published by the NFHS in response to situations presented.
Dr. Karissa L. Niehoff, Publisher, NFHS Publications © 2025
SITUATION 1: The meet director instructs the recorder of scores to deduct 0.3 from the score of a gymnast for wearing multiple earrings in each ear. RULING: Incorrect procedure. COMMENT: Only the chief judge is permitted to deduct 0.2 from the average score of a gymnast for an improper uniform. Before that deduction is taken, the gymnast must be given a warning regarding the improper uniform to provide time for the uniform infraction to be corrected. The deduction is taken only once during a meet and is taken on the next event after the warning. (3-3-4b, 6-5-2e, 7-3-7f, 8-3-7g, 9-3-7h)
SITUATION 2: A coach files an inquiry regarding the deductions in the composition category. The meet referee does not accept the inquiry. RULING: Correct procedure. COMMENT: Inquiries shall concern only: difficult/value, event requirements, bonus, neutral deductions or mathematical error. (5-1-4)
SITUATION 3: On vault, a gymnast performs a handspring vault that lands with the hips lower than the knees and then falls. The judges deduct 0.3 for landing in a squat position and 0.5 for the fall. RULING: Correct procedure. COMMENT: Both the fall and the cause of the fall are deducted. (6-4-4g)
SITUATION 4: On vault, a gymnast starts the vault prior to the signal from the chief judge. The chief judge tells the coach that the gymnast should repeat the vault. The gymnast repeats the vault and the score is flashed. RULING: Incorrect procedure. COMMENT: The chief judge was correct in explaining to the coach that the gymnast should repeat the vault. However, a 0.5 deduction should have been taken from the average score on the next vault by the chief judge for vaulting before the signal was given to begin the vault. (6-5-2k)
SITUATION 5: On bars, a gymnast performs a clear hip which ends in the handstand position. The judges give credit for the clear hip circle event requirement. RULING: Correct procedure. COMMENT: Credit is given whether the clear hip circle ends in a clear support or handstand. Credit is not given if the clear hip circle does not end in a clear support. (7-2-4b)
SITUATION 6: On bars, a gymnast does not perform a direction change. The judges do not take a deduction of 0.1 for no direction change in composition. RULING: Incorrect procedure. COMMENT: The direction change deduction was moved from event requirements to composition and the lack of a direction change should have been deducted. [7-3-3 (5)]
SITUATION 7: On beam, a gymnast performs a body wave directly connected to a back handspring to receive credit for the mixed series (acro and dance) in event requirements. The judges do not give credit for a mixed series in event requirements. RULING: Correct procedure. COMMENT: Dance balances and body waves may not be used to fulfill the mixed series event requirement on beam. (8-2-3e)
SITUATION 8: On beam, a gymnast performs a pike jump. The judges decide that the pike jump had a hip angle of 35 degrees, better than 45 degrees for high superior credit. The judges decide to give advanced high superior credit. RULING: Incorrect procedure. COMMENT: To receive advanced high superior credit, a pike jump at 45-degrees should have a ½ twist. [8-5 a, b, c & 8-6-2 (2.404c)]
SITUATION 9: On floor exercise, a gymnast performs a switch leg leap, run, run, to switch leg leap at 180 degrees with ½ twist as a dance passage. The coach files an inquiry and states that the combination performed should have received back-to-back superior credit in Bonus. The judges deny the inquiry. RULING: Correct procedure. COMMENT: To receive back-to-back superior credit in Bonus, the two elements must be directly connected without a pause, step or run. In this example, credit is given for a dance passage of two different Group 1 elements indirectly connected. Back-to-back superior credit is awarded in Bonus whereas the combination performed was for event requirement credit. [Rule 1, 9-2-3b (2)]
SITUATION 10: On floor exercise, the gymnast continues to tumble during her last pass after the music stopped playing. The judges take a 0.5 deduction for failure to end with the music. RULING: Incorrect procedure. COMMENT: Each judge should have taken a 0.1 deduction for failure to end with the music. [9-3-4c (7b)]