If you didn’t grow up doing gymnastics in the United States, a lot of the rules and formatting surrounding the USA Gymnastics Developmental Program can be pretty confusing. With the club season now underway and Nastia Liukin Cup qualifying in full swing, we sat down to answer some frequently asked questions to give you all the information you need to understand as you follow along.
How does level 10 nationals work?
The top level 10 athletes from across the country have to qualify to nationals by performing well at their state and regional championships. Athletes are divided into roughly equal-sized age groups and must finish in a top percentage or reach a qualifying score (for example, 35.000 in the all-around) at their state meet to qualify for the regional championships. Each region sets their own criteria for qualify to regionals.
To qualify for level 10 nationals, the top seven all-arounders in each region in each age group are automatically named to their region’s national team, with the eighth and ninth place finishers named as alternates. All athletes must reach a minimum score of 35.000 in the all-around to make the team. If a region cannot fill a full team in each age group with the minimum score, athletes from other larger or more competitive regions can…
