2008-10 Girls Gymnastics Rules Changes

1: Added Angle of Lowest Body Part, Bonus High Superior, and Direction Change to list of definitions.

Rationale: These definitions will assist when evaluating skills and judging along with awarding credit.

1: Added Hand Placement Mat to definitions.

Rationale: Defines a mat used for cushioning of the hands on round-off entry vault.

1: Landing mats will now include a +/- allowance of ½ inch on the minimum and maximum thickness.

Rationale: Clarifies the dimensions for landing mats so dimensions will be uniform throughout the rules book.

4-1-2A: Allows a gymnast who is lacking the minimum number of skills of any value to have skills of a higher value replace the skills of a lesser value on a one-for-one basis providing the requirement of three superiors is fulfilled.

Rationale: Description of awarding difficulty clarifies that when counting difficulties, one skill of higher value may be substituted for one skill of lower value.

4-1-2E, 2 & 3: A Bonus High Superior that does not earn 0.2 credit in the Bonus category due to
execution errors may still be awarded 0.1 credit in Bonus.

Rationale: Clarifies that a Bonus High Superior may be awarded 0.1 in bonus as an extra Bonus High Superior even if it did not qualify for .2 in bonus because it was performed with 0.3 or more in execution deductions.

6-1-1, 6-1-3d, 6-2-5b: Stipulates the padding requirements for the vaulting apparatus in regard to pistons/pedastals and clarifies that a hand placement mat may be used on the runway for any vault but prohibits a sting mat on the runway.

Rationale: Specifies that the pistons/pedestal of the vaulting apparatus must be padded for risk minimization and includes a penalty if not padded. Specifies that a hand placement mat is the only acceptable piece of equipment that may be placed on the runway and a sting mat is designed for landing and not for hand placement.

6-2-5b(5) & c1: Allows a gymnast to perform a round-off entry vault with both a salto and a twist during any phase of the vault.

Rationale: Allowing round-off entry vaults with a salto and twist reflects current trends in high school gymnastics.

6-3-1 thru 4, 6-3-4, 6-4-1 thru 4, 6-4-4: Replaces Articles 1-4 with new terminology and key components of the vault to observe when determining execution errors and deductions during performance of flight and vertical vaults during the first flight phase, repulsion phase, second flight phase and landing. A diagram is included to illustrate insufficient extension and opening.

Rationale: Re-codifies vaulting deductions to reflect current trends and updated language. The diagram provides visual assistance for understanding of opening.

6-5-1a & b, Add New 6-4-4: Eliminates Section 5-1a and b as Rule 6-4-4, Landing, covers these areas.

Rationale: Re-codifies vaulting deductions to reflect current trends and updated language.

7-1-5, 8-1-5, 8-1-6: Increases the thickness of legal matting upon which the vaulting board may be placed when executing a mount on beam or bars using the board to not exceed 12 inches and increases thickness to 16 inches for mounting without the aid of board.

Rationale: The maximum thickness of matting which may be used when mounting the apparatus with a board was increased to not exceed 12 inches and mounts without a board to maximum of 16 inches to accommodate the newer eight-inch landing mats.

7-2-2f: Adjusts the angle to 20-degrees of vertical for attaining or passing through a handstand.

Rationale: Specifies a more logical angle for event requirement of a handstand.

7-3-3c: For clarification "within a skill of difficulty" is included in description for deduction for lack of direction change in bars and specifies a 0.1 penalty.

Rationale: Specifies the penalty for lack of direction and explains when the penalty
is taken.

7-3-4i: Clarifies how to deduct for execution errors or incomplete twists on bars.

Rationale: Clarifies how to deduct for execution errors.

7-new 4: Adds a new section for amplitude deductions and diagrams, including reference to the angle of the lowest body part to determine deductions.

Rationale: Added illustrations to make amplitude deductions objective.

7-4-1(5), 7-4-1(1)b: Adds hip pullover and single-leg cut forward or backward (cutting leg simultaneously as hand moves) respectively to the medium skills for bars.

Rationale: Increases the number of choices of skills to fulfill the requirement of having eight skills in a routine.

7-4-2, 3, 4, 7-4-5(2): Deletes the following skills as they are no longer used: Cast Wrap, Eagle Wrap, pop 1/1, Double Leg Overshoot, from long hang on HB, facing away...invert and shoot over LB, LB beat uprise, 1/2-giant swing on LB to pullover HB, front lie on LB - uprise backward to clear support on HB.

Rationale: Deleted the following skills from the rules book because they are no longer performed due to the increased width between the rails: Cast wrap, Eagle, Wrap pop 1/1, Double-leg overshoot, from long hang on HB, facing away...invert and shoot over LB, LB beat uprise, 1/2-giant swing on LB to pullover HB, front lie on LB - uprise backward to clear support on HB.

7-4-2(7): Adds toe hecht to the skills listed as high superior on bars.

Rationale: Adds a skill to the rules book that is commonly performed.

7-4-2(22): Adds to listed skills "from handstand on HB to handstand on LB" as Bonus High Superior.

Rationale: Specifies that the following skills are listed as Bonus High Superiors: overshoot 1/2-twist to suspension under LB which starts from a handstand on HB and on HB cast to clear hip circle through the handstand, or giant circle backward to back salto from the hands.

7-4-2(37) NOTE: The description in the note more accurately reflects the performance of the skill regarding leg positioning at the bottom of the circle and at the completion of circle for a full giant on LB.

Rationale: Specifies that a full giant on the LB must end in a stretched handstand to receive credit.

7-4-2(45): Changes to more accepted language to describe skill to "Front clear straddle circle - with reverse grip, pass legs straddle over bar, circle forward to clear straddle hold."

Rationale: Provides a better description of the illustrated skill.

7-4-4(1)(a) & (b): Adds to medium skill on bars, "cast to squat on LB, continue to catch HB: cast to squat on, stoop, or straddle on bar which will increase choices of skills to meet eight-skill requirement in routine."

Rationale: Increases the number of choices of skills to fulfill the requirement of having eight skills in a routine.

7-4-5(2): Corrects the description of a back uprise to front support. Illustration corrected to describe skill.

Rationale: The description accurately reflects what skill is being performed and a skill no longer performed due to width between bars is deleted. The illustration is corrected to reflect described skill.

7-4-6(3): Removed "long beat of LB" and replaced with "cast or" to accurately describe skill being performed.

Rationale: Corrected illustration and description accurately reflect what is performed.

7-4-6(10), 7-4-2(19), 7-4-2(44), 7-4-7(4), 8-4-3(2), (3) & (4), 9-4-3(2), (3) & (4): Changes within the description of the skills were made to better reflect the skills being illustrated.

Rationale: Provides a better description of the illustrated skill.

7-4-8(35): Moved "On HB, from cast to clear-hip circle, clear-hip circle through handstand, or giant circle backward to back salto from the hands" to Bonus High Superior.

Rationale: Specifies that the following skills are listed as Bonus High Superiors: overshoot 1/2-twist to suspension under LB which starts from a handstand on HB and on HB cast to clear-hip circle through the handstand, or giant circle backward to back salto from the hands.

8-1-3a: Changes wording to be consistent with vault and bars to provide for nonslip matting at least five inches thick as part of the matting requirements.

Rationale: Clarifies the description of a landing mat so dimensions are uniform throughout the rules book.

8-4-4, 9-4-1: Replaces the beam and floor exercise leap/jump charts to simplify the charts and provide greater consistency in judging skills.

Rationale: Re-codifies the leap and jump charts to simplify their use and make judgments in awarding difficulty more consistent.

9-2-4, 9-3-7 new r: Requires the lines to be marked on top of matting when a sting mat or skill cushion covers boundary lines in floor exercise and adds to the list of superior judge deduction the failure to mark sting mat or skill cushion that covers boundary lines as 0.1 deduction.

Rationale: Specifies that the boundary line that is covered by a sting mat or skill cushion shall be marked and adds failure to mark the mat to list of superior judge deduction.

9-2-5: Clarifies when credit is awarded when a skill of difficulty is almost completed.

Rationale: Specifies when difficulty credit shall be given on floor exercise.

9-4-6(1): Adds to medium skills in floor exercise "Floor-Forward and backward rolls."

Rationale: Increases the number of choices of skills to fulfill the requirement of having eight skills in a routine.