Gymnastics scoring can seem like an impenetrable mystery. Fans new to the sport, finding college gymnastics after being an elite fan, and longtime college fans can all benefit from a refresher on the basics. We broke down everything from start values to common deductions to make the enigma that is the judges’ table seem more approachable as the season begins.
The Perfect 10 vs. Open-Ended Scoring
Women’s collegiate gymnastics maintains the quintessential image of gymnastics: the perfect 10.0. It remains an iconic symbol of the sport. College fans are likely to chant “10!” for very good routines repeatedly, and some colleges hand out “10” signs for fans to hold when they think a routine is worthy of the score. A panel of judges evaluates each routine based on how well-executed, or close to “perfection,” while meeting set requirements regarding difficulty and the composition of the routine. If a gymnast does not meet the minimum difficulty requirements, her maximum score (or start value) will be lowered.
There are many discussions in the college gymnastics community about score inflation, and almost every time a gymnast scores a 10.0 there are people who point out minor flaws in the routine that could…
