As we get closer to the start of the 2024 NCAA gymnastics season, we opened up our social media channels to answer your questions about gymnastics judging. There are some really great questions here, some of which I’ve linked to other articles to give you a more in-depth answer if you need it. Read below for my thoughts on overscoring, fixing NCAA gymnastics, and my favorite competition from the judge’s seat.
How long does it take to become an NCAA judge?
For most people, a minimum of three years. For former NCAA gymnasts, only one year. In practice, most NCAA judges have 10-plus years of experience. When you sign up to judge NCAA, you are asked about your judging experience, and I imagine that is considered during the assigning process. I go into this in much more detail in my article about how to become a NCAA judge.
Are judges rated or graded throughout the season?
The short answer is no. Coaches fill out an evaluation of the judges that is submitted and received by the national assigner for NCAA gymnastics. Judges can receive their feedback at the end of the season if there are enough coach evaluations to protect the coach’s anonymity. Judges also complete a self-evaluation that asks if they believe they were prepared, professional, and fair at…
