On vault, the changes are minimal (the ability to start the run before the runway without a deduction) and should have little impact on the competition. Also, on UB, there are no changes from the NCAA.
On balance beam, there are a series of changes that appear to be put in place to encourage the use of more difficult dismounts. Several dismounts have been upgraded for NCAA competition:
- Front 3/2 twist from two foot takeoff (tuck or layout): D
- Front 2/1 twist from two foot takeoff (layout): E
- Gainer 3/2 twist off side, in layout: D
- Gainer 2/1 twist or 5/2 twist, off side, in layout: E
- Back 5/2 twist: E
In addition to those value upgrades, several other related requirements have been changed.
First off, to avoid an "up to the level deduction" for the difficulty of the routine, a gymnast without a bonus connection in her acro series (for example, only a bhs to back layout) must perform a D or higher acrobatic skill either on the beam or as the mount or dismount. The bonus earned when the dismount is combined with the connective acro series cannot satisfy this requirement alone. Thus, a bhs to layout to layout full dismount no longer satisfies this requirement.
Second, B dismounts may not longer offer connective bonus during a connective acro series. Thus, the bhs to back layout stepout to back layout full dismount combination no longer offers an additional 0.1 in connective bonus. (A 0.1 bonus is still granted for the layout stepout as long as it is the only one in the routine). Similarly, an aerial cartwheel to layout full dismount will no longer earn bonus. To earn bonus, both dismounts would need to be upgraded to a C value or higher skill (e.g., back layout 3/2 twist).
On the floor exercise, the changes are much more subtle. A connective bonus of 0.1 points can now be earned for combining acro/dance/acro in a directly connected three skill series. The series must contain two acro skills and one must be C or higher. The dance skill must be of A value or higher and be followed by at least an A level "salto" skill. Thus, a gymnast could perform a back layout 3/2 twist (one and a half twist) to sissone to punch front and gain an extra 0.1 in bonus.
This is just a summary of the NCAA code modifications. However, the underlying rules, the Level 10 Junior Olympic code, can (and often do) experience additional changes from year to year. These can ripple down to the NCAA in the form of skill values, execution deduction evaluation standards, and other items not explicitly addressed in the NCAA code modifications. For example, last spring the USAG Women's Technical Committee added a deduction for landing of two-foot jumps with the feet apart on FX (and when landing sideways on BB). Any changes published up through November 1st can still impact the coming season.
Read the full document at the National Association of Women's Gymnastics Judges (NAWGJ) website.