Sit down – we’re about to get technical with you. For most fans who exclusively follow the world of elite gymnastics, NCAA gymnastics can seem like a foreign concept. But once you get past the temporary tattoos, light show intros, and the screaming – oh, the screaming! – you’ll find you’re watching the same sport you already know and love.

Except the scoring is way different.

It’s a 10.0 system, right? So how is difficulty rewarded? Why are former elites downgrading their old routines? What is the code like? What are the requirements?

Don’t worry – The Gymternet is here to help you understand exactly what’s going on.

You should understand that NCAA gymnastics is highly diverse as far as abilities go, as it features everyone from level 9 gymnasts to former international elites and even world champions spread out over three divisions of competition. Regardless of these ability levels and divisions, all of NCAA gymnastics follows the same rules.

The NCAA code of points is essentially a modified version of the USA Gymnastics J.O. level 10 rules (the differences are mostly minor, like a LOSO is a C in J.O. but valued as a D at the NCAA level). The goal is to score as close to a 10 as possible, and solid technique is valued much more than difficulty. As long as the gymnasts fulfill basic requirements, there is no need for excessive difficulty, which is why you might see a former elite competing about half the routine she may have performed in an international arena.

Vault is pretty simple and straightforward. Each vault is given a start value, and deductions for execution are taken accordingly. The FTY, valued out of a 10.0, is incredibly popular among collegiate gymnasts.

Things can get a little tricky when it comes to bars, beam, and floor. On these three events, the gymnasts have two sets of requirements to fulfill. One set is called the “special requirements” (SR) and the other is the “value part” requirement (VP). When the gymnast has fulfilled all of their VP and SR requirements on bars, beam, and floor, their start value is already locked and loaded at a 9.5. (We’ll get to the last five tenths in just a bit.)

Value Part

The VP requirements are the same across bars, beam, and floor: the gymnast is required to perform at minimum three A elements, three B elements, and two C elements on each event. A D or E element can replace a C, a C can replace a B…and, you guessed it, a B can replace an A (you probably guessed that a lower-valued skill can’t replace a higher-valued skill).

Here are two examples of beam routines that fulfill all VP requirements.

• Ex. 1 – Full turn (A), back handspring (B) + back tuck (C), split leap (A) + split jump (B) + beat jump (A), roundoff (B) + double full dismount (C)

This is a pretty straightforward exercise, with three clear A elements, three B elements, and two C elements. Now let’s mix things up a bit.

• Ex. 2 – Full turn (A), front aerial (D) + back handspring (B), switch side leap (D), split jump (B) + tuck jump 3/4 (C), side aerial (D), roundoff (B) + double tuck dismount (D)

In this routine, you can count one A element, three B elements, 1 C element, and 4 D elements. For the purposes of counting VP elements, two B’s replace the missing A’s, the C and one of the D’s replace the two B’s, of the remaining D elements, two will replace the C’s.

Special Requirement

There are four special requirements on each event. Each is worth 0.2, which is different from the J.O. level 10 code where each SR is worth 0.5. If a gymnast is missing an SR (whether due to deliberate omission, a broken connection, or the failure to land feet first), the 0.2 is deducted from her start value.

The special requirements for each event:

Uneven Bars

• One flight element (minimum of a C). Ex- Jaeger (D) or pak salto (D).
• A second and different flight element (minimum of a B). Ex- straddle back (B) or toe shoot (C).
• One LA turn (minimum of a C). Ex- giant full (D) or half pirouette (C).
• Dismount (minimum of a C). Ex- double tuck (C) or double layout (E).

Balance Beam

• One acro series with two flight elements (one must be a C element). Can include skills with or without hand support. Ex- back handspring (B) + LOSO (D), front aerial (D) + back handspring (B), back handspring (B) + one-armed back handspring (C).
• Minimum of a full turn on one foot (pretty self-explanatory).
• One leap or jump with a 180 degree split. Ex- split jump (B), switch leap (C).
• Dismount (minimum of a C). Ex- 1.5 (C), piked gainer off the end (C), double tuck (D).

Floor Exercise

• One acro series with two saltos. Ex- 1.5 (C) + front layout (B), front tuck (A) through to double tuck (D).
• Minimum of three different saltos within the exercise. Ex- a routine with a double tuck (D), front layout (B) + front full (C), and a double full (C).
• Minimum of a C salto in the last acro series. Ex- double tuck (D), front full (C), double full (C).
• Dance series with two directly or indirectly connected ‘group one’ elements (i.e. leaps, jumps, and hops). One must be a leap with a 180 degree split. Ex- switch side (C) + Popa (C), switch leap (B) + tour jete half (C)

Bonus

Remember when we said that the value of an NCAA routine that includes all of the VP and SR requirements starts only from a 9.5? To get to the full 10.0 start value, gymnasts must build the remaining 0.5 in bonus.

The bonus can be added in two ways: “connection value” (CV) and “difficulty value” (DV). CV comes from directly connecting elements together, while DV comes from the performance of a D element (+0.1) or E element (+0.2). The gymnast can’t earn more than 0.4 in either category, regardless of how much they actually include. For example, if a gymnast has 0.6 total CV in their routine, the judge can only credit them 0.4.

There are a variety of ways to earn CV, but they vary on each event. In a nutshell, connecting Cs, Ds, and Es on bars, and Bs, Cs, Ds, and Es on beam or floor will typically earn CV.

Example Routines

Here are examples of uneven bars, balance beam, and floor exercise routines featuring one gymnast from each of the three divisions so you can see how it all comes together.

1. Alicia Asturias (Cal) – Uneven Bars

Long hang kip (A), cast handstand (B), Bhardwaj (E), kip (A), cast handstand half pirouette (C) + toe shoot (C), long hang kip (A), cast handstand (B), free hip handstand (C) + giant full (D) + double tuck dismount (C)

VP: 3 A elements, 2 B, 3 C, 1 D, 1 E

SR: Minimum C flight element (Bhardwaj), minimum B flight element (toe shoot), LA turn minimum C (pirouette OR giant full), minimum C dismount (double tuck)

Bonus: Bhardwaj (+0.2 DV), half pirouette + toe shoot (0.1 CV), free hip hand + giant full + double tuck (0.2 CV)

After fulfilling all VP and SR requirements and then earning that additional 0.5 in bonus elements, Alicia’s start value is a 10.0.

2. Valeri Ingui (Lindenwood) – Balance Beam

Back handspring (B) + LOSO (D), switch leap (C) + straddle 3/4 (D), full turn (A), side aerial (D), roundoff (B) + double full (C)

VP: 1 A element, 2 B, 2 C, 3 D

SR: Acro series (back handspring + LOSO), 180 degree split leap or jump (either the switch leap or the straddle 3/4 counts here), full turn, C dismount (double full)

Bonus: LOSO (+0.1 DV), switch leap + straddle 3/4 (+0.2 CV, +0.1 DV), side aerial (+0.1 DV)

Again, with all required elements and 0.5 in bonus value, Valeri’s start value is a 10.0.

3. Courtney Benson (Hamline) – Floor Exercise

Round off (A) + back handspring (A) + double pike (D), round off (A) +back handspring (A) + double full (C), switch side (C) + popa (C), wolf full (C) + popa (C), roundoff (A) + whip half (B) + front layout full (C)

VP: 4 A elements (the last roundoff doesn’t receive VP credit), 1 B, 6 C, 1 D

SR: 3 different saltos within the exercise (double pike, double full, whip half, front full), a series with two saltos (whip half + front full), last salto minimum C (front full), dance series (switch side + popa)

Bonus: Double pike (+0.1 DV), switch side + popa (+0.1 DV), wolf full + popa (+0.1 CV), whip half + front full (+0.2 CV)

Once again, it all adds up – the requirements and bonus elements are all there, so Courtney gets her 10.0 start value.

Make sense? Comment below if you have any questions and we’ll do our best to make everything clear!

Article by Sarah Chrane