Publisher's Note: The National Federation of State High School Associations is the only source of official high school interpretations. They do not set aside nor modify any rule. They are made and published by the NFHS in response to situations presented.
Robert F. Kanaby, Publisher, NFHS Publications 2009

SITUATION 1: A judge deducts 0.30 in execution and amplitude when a gymnast falls forward and touches her hands on the mat (no support) on the landing of a vault. RULING: Correct procedure. COMMENT:  General execution and amplitude deductions for all events are listed in Rule 4-1-2D.

SITUATION 2: A judge deducts 0.05 in execution and amplitude for flexed feet on a kip to the high bar during an uneven bar routine. RULING: Correct procedure. COMMENT: General execution and amplitude deductions for all events are listed in Rule 4-1-2D.

SITUATION 3: The timer on balance beam waves a flag at 1 minute and 20 seconds to signal a hearing-impaired gymnast that she has only 10 seconds remaining of the maximum 1 minute and 30 seconds. RULING: Correct procedure. COMMENT: Although a whistle or bell is used most frequently as a warning signal on beam, the use of a flag for a hearing-impaired gymnast is an acceptable warning signal.  (8-2-1b)

SITUATION 4: A gymnast performs a front aerial/salto to long sit (valdez position) in her floor exercise routine.  The judge voids the skill and takes a deduction for a fall. RULING: Incorrect procedure. COMMENT: A front aerial/salto to long sit (valdez position) is a skill intended to land in a sitting position and is not considered a fall.  (9-5-8 (1))

SITUATION 5: On floor, a gymnast performs a switch leg leap with a 180-degree split between the legs with a ¼ twist to side split and an additional ½ twist to a 2-foot landing. The judge awards Bonus High Superior credit for this skill. RULING: Correct procedure. COMMENT: A 180-degree switch leg leap with a ¼ twist to side split leap with an additional ½ twist to a 2-foot landing is a Bonus High Superior.  (9-5-1)

SITUATION 6: A gymnast calls a handspring vault, but her head touches and remains on the table throughout the repulsion phase. The judge scores the vault as a handspring. RULING: Incorrect procedure. COMMENT: If the head remains on the table throughout the repulsion phase, the vault would be considered a headspring. A headspring is not a listed vault; therefore, the vault would be void. If the head momentarily touches the table, a deduction up to 0.50 would be taken for bent arms and a deduction up to 0.20 for brush or hit of the body on the table.  (6-2-7)

SITUATION 7: A gymnast performs two switch wolfs and two wolf jumps in her floor routine. The judge does not take a repetition deduction or void one of the wolf jumps. RULING: Correct procedure. COMMENT: A switch wolf is a different skill from a wolf jump.  (9-5-1)

SITUATION 8: A judge does not award series credit for two back handsprings on beam that are slow but continuous. RULING: Incorrect procedure. COMMENT: If a series is slow but continuous it should receive credit for being directly connected and a deduction for rhythm may be taken. There are six possible ways to break a series: stop, loss of balance between skills, extra step/hop/jump between skills, repositioning of the feet, land in plie/straighten/plie (down, up, down), and/or extra arm swings.  (Rule 1)

SITUATION 9: A judge does not award direction change credit for a giant with a full turn. RULING: Correct procedure. COMMENT: A direction change is defined as the body turning/twisting and moves in the opposite direction from a skill of difficulty. It does not matter the method (technique) used to turn, half in/half out, hop full, etc., the skill must move in the opposite direction.  (Rule 1)

SITUATION 10: A judge deducts 0.30 for an extra swing when a gymnast swings forward, then backward, then swings forward again to do a flyaway dismount. RULING: Correct procedure. COMMENT: On skills where a forward swing is required first, but the difficult portion of the skill is performed on the backward swing following (such as a straddle back, long uprise or an inward salto), the forward swing performed prior to the backward swing is considered part of the skill.  (Rule 1)

SITUATION 11: On beam, a judge awards high superior credit for a series of 90-degree pike jumps. RULING: Incorrect procedure. COMMENT: A series of superior leaps/jumps on the beam is no longer given credit for one high superior.  Therefore, no more than two of the same leaps/jumps may be given difficulty credit.  (8-5-4)

SITUATION 12: A judge awards superior credit for a bail that started from a cast that reached 45 degrees. RULING: Correct procedure. COMMENT: If a bail starts from a handstand (within 20 degrees of vertical), BHS credit is given. If a bail starts from a long hang or a cast that does not reach 20 degrees, superior credit is given.  (7-4 Fig. 1 and 7-5-2 #22, 23 & 24)