Rulebook Roundup
As the newly appointed Rules Liaison for NAWGJ – NYN, my role is designed to serve as a central point for rule-related questions and feedback. This position has two key functions:
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Rules Clarification: I will provide a platform for judges to submit questions about rules from various governing bodies (USAG, NGA, USAIGC, AAU, etc.). You can submit questions using the FORM on our website, and I will research and publish the answers so that all judges are informed of any rule-related discussions and updates.
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Feedback on Special Circumstances: After meets, I will collect feedback about "unusual or special" situations from judges, meet directors, and club staff. Please use the FORM available on the website for you to share how these situations were handled and I will post the results to ensure all judges are aware of any unique occurrences.​
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Please note, I am not a rules interpreter—each organization has its own official rules interpreters—but I will serve as the conduit for information sharing among our judging community. I look forward to supporting the NAWGJ – NYN membership in this important role!
~Alicia Goode / NAWGJ-NYN Rules Liaison
ANSWERS / FEEDBACK FROM FORM SUBMISSIONS
Xcel- Beam
Diamond
2-17-26
QUESTION:
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For Diamond Balance Beam, the Special Requirement states that an acro series is needed AND a flight element. Does that mean that it is two separate things; where an acro series occurs on top of a flight element? Or does it mean that the flight element can be within the required acro series?
ANSWER:​​
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On page BALANCE BEAM 1, on the chart titled BALANCE BEAM RULES, Special Requirement 3 under DIAMOND states “AND one (1) Acro Flight element (Isolated or Series)”. This means that the required Acro Flight element may be performed as an isolated element, or the required Acro Flight element may be contained within the series.
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Routine 3 on page BALANCE BEAM – 8 shows an example of the acro flight element “Isolated”, not contained in the required series. The series is Back Walkover + Back Extension Roll and the isolated acro flight is the Back Handspring step out. Note that Special Requirement 3 is shown as fulfilled with BOTH the non-flight series and the isolated acro flight element.
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Routine 1 on page BALANCE BEAM – 8 shows an example of the Acro Flight element “Series”, with the acro flight element contained within the series. The Back Walkover + Flic-flac step out is shown to fulfill both parts of SR 3 within the series.
Compulsory
Level 4 - Beam
12-14-25
QUESTION:
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For Level 4 Balance Beam, while performing the cross handstand the gymnast attains vertical then falls without touching her feet on the beam.
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What deductions are taken?
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Does the gymnast receive the full .60 deduction for not completing the skill?
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Should the athlete repeat the skill?
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When does judging begin if the gymnast gets back on the beam and repeats the skill?
ANSWER:​​
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In the Development Program Compulsory Exercises book, page PEN -10, second paragraph, it states, “Deduct all execution and/or amplitude errors leading to a fall; however, do not deduct for BALANCE errors leading to a fall”. Therefore, execution errors will receive a deduction, such as failure to close legs, incorrect hand placement, failure to hold one second, bent knees, shoulder angle, bent arms, etc.
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On page PEN -10 in the chart titled CHANGES IN PRESCRIBED TEXT at the bottom of the page, the deduction is listed for “Incomplete major element = Up to the value of the element”. Each judge is responsible for determining the “up to” deduction. In this case, the entire value of the element would not be deducted, since the scenario indicated that the athlete attained vertical. The portion of that “Up to .60” for the cross handstand is individually evaluated.
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The decision to repeat the skill is a coaching decision. If the athlete repeats the handstand, she will receive the deduction for the fall and execution errors on that first attempt. If the athlete successfully repeats the skill, the “up to” deduction for non-completion of the first attempt will not be taken.
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On page PEN -10 in the chart titled CHANGE IN PRESCRIBED TEXT at the bottom of the page, in the deduction for repetition of a missed element, it indicates that judging resumes “at the point of interruption”.
Compulsory -
Level 2 - Beam
12-14-25
QUESTION:
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What is the deduction if a Level 2 gymnast performs the cartwheel to handstand dismount and in their attempt to attain vertical, they overbalance the handstand and land on the incorrect/opposite side of the beam?
ANSWER:​​
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On page PEN - 10, there are rules for GENERAL FAULTS & PENALTIES for Uneven Bars, Balance Beam & Floor Exercise.
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The rule/deduction that would apply in this case would be at the bottom of the page in the chart titled CHANGES IN PRESCRIBED TEXT. The deduction would be as follows:
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"Value of the Element - *Changing a major element", with the definition as listed of Changing = "performing a variation of the element prescribed". As described in the question, the athlete has initiated the entry into the prescribed dismount and then performed a variation of the prescribed exit from the handstand.
Xcel Bars
Silver
10-27-25
QUESTION:
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Does a cast straddle on into a sole circle dismount count as one skill or two skills? For example, is the following Silver UB routine four (4) skills or five (5) skills?
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Pullover mount
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Cast
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Back Hip Circle
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Cast straddle on
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Sole Circle Dismount
ANSWER:​​
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On page UNEVEN BAR - 1, at the bottom of the page under Element Clarifications, reads as follows:
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"Skill preceded by a Cast: When a skill is preceded by a cast, both the cast & skill may receive separate VP/skill credit, if the cast achieves the Division's angle requirement with the following exceptions: Exceptions: Cast squat, stoop, or straddle on - also with or without jump to HB, cast shoot through, & cast off to stand dismount (bronze only) receive 1 "A" VP in all Divisions. These skills may not be used to fulfill the cast SR."
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(Page UNEVEN BARS - 13, I, G, 3, contains the same language indicating that the cast straddle on is one (1) "A" VP.)
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According to this clarification, the cast to straddle on is one (1) "A" VP/skill followed by the sole circle dismount as another separate skill, totaling two (2) VP/skills.
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Additionally, on page UNEVEN BARS - 6, in Routine Example 3, the ending sequence is Cast straddle on = 2.102, to Sole Circle dismount = 8.006, indicating two (2) separate VP/skills.
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Therefore, the Silver UB routine listed above is composed of five (5) VP/skills.
GENERAL
05-13-25
QUESTION:
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If a gymnast lands with feet apart, (farther than she can join her heels), then takes a step-close to join the feet, is there a deduction?
ANSWER:​​
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Yes. The landing deduction will be applied as follows:
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Per page GENERAL - 21, C. General Deductions (UB, BB, FX); LANDS WITH FEET APART:
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"No deduction for feet a maximum of hip-width apart, provided heels join (slide) together in controlled extension.
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Lands with feet hip-width apart or closer, but never joins the feet (heels) = 0.05
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Lands with feet further than hip-width apart = 0.10. If upon landing with feet apart/staggered, gymnast takes a step(s), deduct only for the step(s).
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If entire foot/feet are sliding or lifting off the floor to join, it is considered a small step = 0.10." (Emphasis added.)
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Page VAULT - 14, lists the vault landing deductions and they are identical to the deductions listed for the other apparatus.
DP
Level 7 - Floor
4-30-25
QUESTION:
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A Level 7 gymnast performs two passes in her floor exercise routine.
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1. Round off, back handspring, layout salto with 1/2 twist, and
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2. Front salto piked.
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Has she fulfilled the Special Requirements for the two (2) acro passes?
ANSWER:​​
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No.
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On page FLOOR - 19, LEVEL 7 FLOOR EXERCISE SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS, it states as follows:
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"1, 2. Minimum of two Acro passes
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a. TWO Acro passes
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b. One pass containing a Salto backward with a minimum of two directly connected flight elements.
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c. One pass containing a Salto forward (additional elements allowed)
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d. One Salto must be stretched (Backward or forward), without twist, landing on two feet. "
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The answer continues on page FLOOR - 19, and states as follows:
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"1, 2. SR #1 & SR #2: Minimum of two Acro passes;
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A deduction of 0.50 each is applied for any of the four specifications that are missing, up to a maximum of 1.00. "
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Therefore, this Level 7 athlete has not completed both Special Requirements. This gymnast would have a 0.50 special requirement deduction, since she met three of the four requirements listed above. (She met requirements a, b, and c.) She did not meet the fourth requirement of "One salto stretched, (backward or forward), without twist, landing on two feet".
Xcel - Bars
3-19-25
QUESTION:
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ANSWER:​​
GENERAL
03-19-25
QUESTION:
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​At a YMCA meet, one judge judged two events for one session due to the absence of one judge. Is there extra compensation for the judge who judged two events during that session?
ANSWER:​​
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No. The compensation for YMCA meets follows the USAG compensation package, which is hourly compensation. YMCA compensation is not per judgement/per gymnast. Therefore, hourly compensation is how the judge at the YMCA competition would be paid.
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This answer has been confirmed by a YMCA representative in the national governance structure.
LEVEL 10
BARS / 03-18-25
QUESTION:
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ANSWER:​​
XCEL - Beam
Diamond
3-14-25
QUESTION:
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Page 1 Balance Beam. For Diamond, Special Requirement #3 "Acro Series - with or without flight and 1 Acro element with flight (isolated or series). Can the "And one 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:​​
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Balance Beam - 1. For Diamond, Special Requirement 3 reads, "Acro Series - with or without flight - Minimum of one skill must achieve or pass through vertical (excluding mount or dismount); AND one (1) Acro Flight element (Isolated or Series)"
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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 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).
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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).
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(Note: There are other SR problems in that routine. SR 2 is missing!)
XCEL
3-04-25
QUESTION:
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ANSWER:​​
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Xcel - Beam
Gold
3-04-25
QUESTION:
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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:​​
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Special Requirement 3 on Gold Beam, states the two 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.
Xcel - Bars
Platinum
3-04-25
QUESTION:
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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? (Also, if she doesn't hit her cast requirement, but comes out of her free hip above horizontal, does that meet the SR?)
ANSWER #1:​​
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Yes, the routine you described does have a 10.00 start value at Platinum. It has a minimum of 6 "A" value parts and 1 "B" value part. It meets all 4 special requirements.
​ANSWER #2:
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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.
Xcel - Bars
Gold
1-25-25
QUESTION:
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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:​​
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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.