GYMNASTICS - GIRLS

GENERAL INFORMATION:

1. Girls gymnastics is a state championship event open to schools in all classifications. There will be two championship divisions: A-4A and 5A-6A.
   
   1. Competition in all meets will be held in the following events:
      
      1. Balance Beam
      2. Uneven Parallel Bars
      3. Vault
      4. Floor Exercise
      5. All-Around (competition in preceding four events)
   2. The order of competition will be determined by block style.
   3. Open scoring will be used. (Note: the Capital Cup warm-up format is allowed, but schools will be expected to pay an extra $10.00 per judge if using this format.)
   4. Beginning and ending dates for practice and competition can be found at the front of this publication.
2. The GHSA gymnastics meets will be played according to the rules published by the National Federation of State High School Associations with such GHSA modifications as may be found in this section.
3. Each school desiring to participate in gymnastics must file its intent by March 1 of the preceding year by filing the form found on the GHSA web site.
4. The number of regular-season gymnastics meets allowed is 10, including any invitational tournaments.
   
   1. The state elimination series does not count in these meets.
   2. An invitational tournament is defined as a competition involving more than three teams.
   3. All invitational tournaments must be approved by the GHSA Executive Director.
   4. Only two meets per week may be scheduled.
   5. All teams and gymnasts (except when prevented by injury) must participate in a minimum of three (3) GHSA sanctioned varsity meets during the regular season to be eligible to participate in the state Preliminary Meet. If an injury occurs, a doctor’s statement with the date and type of injury and the release date to participate must be presented prior to the Preliminary Meet. Scan and email the doctor’s statement to the penny@ghsa.net.
   6. Schools may organize and conduct invitational tournaments to assist in meeting the three (3) meet requirement.
      
      1. These tournaments may be held outside the school, but must be run by school personnel and must be sanctioned by the GHSA. (Note: schools hosting a meet are responsible for paying the judges.)
      2. Scores should be submitted to Penny Mitchell by the tournament director as soon as possible to determine rankings to be posted on the GHSA web site.
5. There will be no interscholastic practice and/or scrimmages.
6. No exhibitions are permitted during seasonal or invitational meets.
7. In accordance with NFHS rules, the GHSA limits the number of participants a school may enter in a meet as follows:
   
   1. For regular season meets, the limit is five (5) participants per event.
   2. For invitational meets during the regular season, the limit is four (4) participants per event, unless approved by the tournament director.
   3. For post-season meets, the limit is four (4) participants per event (including the All-Around competition).
8. All gymnastics coaches are required to complete an online GHSA rules clinic as specified in the GHSA By-Laws.
9. Tiebreaker Procedure when using three (3) or more judges.
   
   1. Gymnast’s scores are determined by dropping the high and low scores and averaging the two middle scores when 4 judges are used. When 2 or 3 judges are used, all scores will be averaged. All scores shall fall within the range determined by the Chief Judge's score. 
   2. In the event of a tie, an average of all three (3) or four (4) judges’ scores will be used.
   3. If a tie still remains, the score of the Chief Judge will be used.
   4. If, after the above steps, a tie still remains, the tie stands.

PRELIMINARY MEET:

1. A Preliminary (qualifying) Meet will be held at a site to be determined.
2. Qualifying Information:
   
   1. A total of eight (8) teams will qualify from the A-4A division and eight (8) from the 5A-6A division for the Preliminary Meet by averaging the top three (3) scores during the season. A team’s minimum score is determined by compiling the top three (3) individual event scores. In case of a tie for 8th place, the teams tied will qualify for the Preliminary Meet.
   2. A gymnast may qualify for an individual event even if her team does not qualify by meeting the following standards - An all-around score of 34.0 or better in three (3) regular-season meets and/or an individual score of 8.50 or better on Beam and Bars and 9.00 or better on Vault and Floor Exercise in three (3) regular-season meets.
   3. There will be a limit of four (4) qualifying gymnasts per individual event who can represent a school that did not qualify as a team.
   4. If a gymnast qualifies at the Preliminary Meet, but can’t advance because of illness or injury, the next individual will move up to take that spot at State Finals.
3. The general information, entry form and roster form may be found on the GHSA website. Coaches must submit rosters online on the GHSA MIS site by March 15. Changes after this date can be sent to the GHSA office for approval. No changes will be made the week of the Preliminary Meet.
4. Schools that do not meet the entry form deadline will not be able to enter the Preliminary Meet.
5. All individual competitors must qualify in the Preliminary Meet to advance to the State Finals.
6. Substitutions made after the Preliminary Meet for team competitors must be on the current submitted roster.
7. Schools that qualify for the Preliminary Meet, but do not attend, will be fined by the GHSA.
8. The top four (4) teams in each division, and the top eight (8) individuals in each event and All Around at the Preliminary Meet will advance to the State Finals.

STATE MEET

1. The “Dr. Lucia B. Norwood GHSA State Championship” Finals will be held on Friday, April 25, 2025, at Buford High School. The GHSA Coordinator is Penny Pitts Mitchell in the GHSA office (e-mail: penny@ghsa.net).
2. In all Preliminary and State Meets, expenses are paid from the gross gate receipts, including the cost of officials, and the balance is sent to the GHSA Office.
3. In all Preliminary and State Meets, a maximum of 10 athletes and two coaches will be given free admission.