The Red and Black

Issue date: 1/30/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: COLIN M. SMITH Gymdog Head Coach Suzanne Yoculan talks to Abby Stack before her beam exercise at this past weekend's meet with Florida.

Typically in sports, the No. 1 and No. 2 teams have to duke it out during the regular season - Saturday night's tie between the the Georgia Gym Dogs and Florida Gators was no exception.

At the conclusion of the competition, both teams ended up with 197.25 points, leaving many spectators wondering how the scoring occurred.

It is easy to see when a gymnast steps out of bounds or falls, but the difference between a 9.85 and a 9.9 may not be noticeable to a novice eye.

In order to fully understand how a gymnastics routine is scored, first look at the starting score, which is calculated by each judge before the gymnast starts her routine.

Every time a gymnast adds skills and combinations to the routine, bonus points are added to the total score with the highest mark a 10.0. Gymnasts can start lower than 10.0 but not higher.

For the No. 2 Gym Dogs, almost every routine has a 10.0 start value but it is possible to start off with a 9.95 or lower value.

After the start value designations, it is all pretty simple to see where tenths were deducted.

"It is about the execution," Yoculan said.

Senior Ashley Kupets said the little things are what count.

Each different skill and combination of flips and moves carries a grade level of difficulty. The higher the level, the more bonus points possible.

However, gymnasts can be penalized even on a bonus skill.

On the uneven bars Tiffany Tolnay cited major deductions, aside from the dismount, coming from handstands, turns and release moves.

If the gymnast is not in a perfect handstand or completely straight during turns, tenths of points can be deducted.

In other routines throughout the meet it is more about the execution and the skills.

On the floor, an automatic .10 is deducted for stepping outside the white lines.

Yoculan said points are commonly taken off for the landings, especially when a gymnast is upright.

After Saturday night's meet against Florida, Heenan said the scoring was subjective. The same routine may get a different score each night.

In regular competitions there are two judges while three are used in post-season meets.

This multiplicity in judges creates a more fair scoring because each judge will see differences. All the scores are averaged.

But that does not mean the score will count for the overall team score. In regular competitions, the top five scores on each event are added together for a maximum score of 50.0 points.

If a tie occurs at the top in post-season competition then the sixth score is counted for each team as a tie breaker.

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