PSAL

Rules And Regulations for Boys Gymnastics
Updated for the 2009-2010 Season

DATES OF SEASON NOVEMBER 1, 2009 - MARCH 15, 2010

All schools may begin team practice with their coach as of November 1, 2009.

All student-athletes must have a signed Parental Consent Form, as well as a current (within one calendar year) Medical Form on file before the first day of try-outs, practice or participation.

All schools must electronically submit a Team Roster Form to the PSAL prior to the first scheduled match. 

On days of normal school attendance, a student athlete must be present in school in order to participate in any team activity including try-outs, practice, scrimmage, game, meet or contest.

Meets that are arranged with non-PSAL teams are permitted with the approval of the Gymnastics Commissioner and the PSAL Gymnastics Coordinator.

Meets can be rescheduled and sites can be changed in cases where emergency situations occur, provided there is agreement of both coaches involved. Coaches must contact the commissioner to get approval. The commissioner will then inform the PSAL in order to officially amend the web page information.

The selection of judges for all approved rescheduled meets is the responsibility of the Assignor and names of judges will be posted to the web page.

If there is an approved change of site, it is the responsibility of the teacher-coaches to confer with the Assignor, and confirm with the newly assigned officials.

All meets will begin at 5:00PM unless otherwise indicated on the PSAL web page and/or individual team schedule.

All teams are required to complete their schedule by the season terminal date.  Meets not completed by February 25, 2010 will be counted as losses by forfeit for both teams involved.

TEACHER/COACHES

A PSAL authorized teacher-coach with current First Aid and CPR/AED certifications must be present at every practice, scrimmage and meet. An AED unit must be on site at each event.

A meet cannot proceed unless both teacher-coaches are present. Teacher-coaches must be present at the meet site before athletes can begin their warm-ups.

A forfeit may be declared if the time limit for starting time is passed unless there is a verifiable and unforeseeable cause for the delay.  It is therefore recommended that teacher- coaches anticipate such problems and exchange contact information.

Teacher-coaches must actively supervise all student-athletes until they are dressed and safely away from the site of competition at "away" meets.

TEAM COMPETITION

Boys Order of Events:

1)  Floor Exercise
2)  Pommel Horse
3)  Rings
4)  Vault
5)  Parallel Bars
6)  Horizontal Bars

Only optional routines are to be performed. 
Only the manufacturers pads may be used at vault.

One vault will be performed for a score. If the gymnast elects to perform a second vault it will be permitted but only in the case of a balk as per NFHS rules.

Boys Order of Competition: 
1)  The visiting team shall compete last in the first, third and fifth events.  
2)  The home team shall compete last in the second, fourth and sixth events.
3)  Gymnasts shall alternate from each team.  

Block style competition may be used only by mutual consent of both teacher-coaches.

All student-athletes must sit with their team at all times during the meet. 

Spotting at meets may only be done by student-athletes who are in uniform and/or the teacher-coach or his/her designee. 

Spotting at the still rings, vault and horizontal bar must  be done by the teacher-coach.  

As per Rule 7.3.1 in the NFHS Boys Gymnastics 2009-2011 Rule Book:

"A gymnast shall not be judged unless a teacher-coach, acting as a spotter, is present before the gymnast begins his routine.  If in the judgment of the Head Judge, coach moves out of proper position to spot during his gymnast's routine, a warning shall be given to the coach ONCE during the meet before taking a 2.0 team deduction.  If a coach moves completely away from the apparatus during his gymnast's routine, a 2.0 deduction shall be taken."

A Suspended Meet will continue from the point of suspension on the earliest available date after consultation with the Commissioner by both teacher-coaches.

TOURNAMENT PARTICIPATION

Tournament participation is a required part of the season. Coaches who do not attend will lose four hours pay.

During any awards ceremonies, athletes must remain in uniform in order to stand on the podium and receive trophies or medals.

PRACTICE CONSIDERATIONS   

No student-athlete may participate in a scheduled meet unless he has participated in at least 13 practice sessions.  Please refer to "PSAL Sports Standards for Interscholastic Competition".

WARM UPS

All gymnasts must be warmed up and ready to compete at the start of the meet.   

After the meet commences, gymnasts may stretch-out in between events under the supervision of the teacher-coach and at the discretion of the judges.

If all the apparatus is not available for the pre-meet warm-up, a second warm-up period should be limited to those events and should not exceed a total of 15 minutes

SCORING

The cumulative scoring system will be used at all PSAL meets.

The highest three (3) scores count toward the team score. A "0" counts as a score.

The all-around event is not an event for a separate score.

In the case where a team declines to compete in any event, the opposing team will perform and their scores will count in the total team score.

The all-around competitors must perform in six events for the purposes of qualifying for the All-Around Finals.

In keeping with National and International trends a team does not have to enter any all around competitors and may use an Unlimited competitor or specialist in their place. 
An Unlimited competitor may compete in any of one to six events.

Teams may enter up to nine competitors in any event with a maximum number of 33 routines per team per meet.

Only the top three scores will count towards the team event totals.

Inquiries regarding scores must be received by the officials prior to the start of the following event or within 5 minutes of the posting of the score of that event. The appropriate form should be utilized. When a fourth inquiry is denied during the course of a meet, the team will be penalized with a deduction of 0.3 points taken from the final team score.

In the event of a tie, each team will take the highest individual event score from each of the six events and add that total to the final team score.

All team scores must be electronically reported to the PSAL website within 24 hours after each contest or risk a forfeit and individual scores may be disavowed unless the Commissioner is notified regarding unusual or extraordinary circumstances.
Teacher-coaches are required to report forfeits directly to the Commissioner within 24-hours of the scheduled game.  NO box score is entered for forfeits.

EQUIPMENT/MEET SAFETY/UNIFORMS

Teacher-coaches must have an A.E.D. unit present at all try-outs, practices, scrimmages and meets as per PSAL regulations. 

First aid equipment, including ice or ice packs must be provided by the home/host school.             

If a home/host team does not have any of the required apparatus available and in good usable condition, the teacher-coach must contact the opposing teacher-coach to make other arrangements prior to the meet.

If the equipment rule is disregarded, the visiting team is awarded a forfeit score of twenty (20) points for each event where the above items cannot be safely used.

If a school possesses a floor exercise mat it may be used. Should a school not have a floor exercise mat, a strip of 60' of mats shall be used. The gymnasts must exhibit corner work to reverse direction and move continuously without interruption. The home team must inform the visiting team of this condition at least two weeks in advance of the scheduled meet date.

MEET SAFETY

The landing area for the horizontal bar, long horse, parallel bars and rings shall be padded according to National Federation specifications.

A clean and safe environment must be provided at all times.

An outside phone line or pay phone must be available for use in an emergency.

Adequate lighting and heating must be provided.

UNIFORMS 

Uniforms, as per Rule 2.3.1, of the NFHS Boys Gymnastics 2005-2007 Rule Book,  must be worn by all competitors.  No student-athlete may compete unless he is wearing a school-issued uniform.

A student-athlete who competes in an improper uniform will receive a 0.3 point deduction from his individual score. This deduction will be assessed only once during a meet.

HOME TEAM/VISITING TEAM

It is suggested that a physician be available for emergencies.

The home team is responsible for the safe and efficient conduct of the meet. Proper decorum must be maintained during the conduct of all meets.

Scorers' tables and chairs must be provided by the home team.

Both teams must have student assistants available for home and away meets.  Each school should train a clerk (scorer) and a runner.

SPECTATORS

Spectators will be allowed at the meet site provided that there is adequate space and supervision.  The visiting school must advise the home school in advance regarding arrangements for spectators.  For each 20 spectators, the teacher-coach of the school having spectators must provide one other teacher/chaperone for the purpose of supervision.  If at any time during the meet spectators become disorderly, the official can require all spectators to leave.

OFFICIALS

The Gymnastics Assignor will assign all officials.

Officials will be selected from the approved PSAL list of gymnastics officials.

Names of officials assigned to each meet will be posted on the web site prior to the competition.

Officials are expected to arrive with sufficient time to check the safety of equipment and apparatus specifications.

Officials must advise each coach of the 0.3 deduction for violation of the improper uniform rule prior to commencement of each meet and prior to each exercise. A student who competes in improper uniform will receive a 0.3 deduction from his individual score. This deduction will be assessed only once during the competition.

Officials must make it clear to all, that once competition begins they are controlling all aspects of the meet.

Officials are expected to wear proper attire at all meets i.e., jacket and tie.

Officials must sign each team's scoresheet (to validate the meet record).  This sheet must be mailed to the Commissioner at LaGuardia H.S. (AFTER  it is used by the teacher-coach as the basis for electronically entering the team's boxscore).

All fees for officials will be paid by the PSAL.

PROTESTS: Protests will only be acknowledged for incorrect, or non-application of a rule. No protest of judgment calls will be entertained. The teacher-coach must verbally notify the official(s) before play begins or resumes. The protesting teacher-coach must provide a written statement citing all pertinent information and the exact rule from the rule book. The protest must be signed by the Athletic Director and Principal, then postmarked, emailed or faxed within TWO school days to the Commissioner. The Commissioner will make a decision within THREE school days. The protesting school may appeal to the PSAL with a written statement within TWO school days after receipt of the Commissioner's decision. The PSAL will render a FINAL  decision within TWO school days after the receipt of the appeal.

EJECTED STUDENT-ATHLETES

The minimum penalty imposed upon any student-athlete ejected from a PSAL contest by an official will be a suspension from the next scheduled league contest.  The official will notify the Commissioner immediately after the contest. The Commissioner may impose further sanctions if he has evidence that such sanctions are justified.

The teacher-coach of the suspended student-athlete may appeal to the PSAL.

The Commissioner will notify the teacher-coach of the decision of the PSAL prior to the   next scheduled league contest.

EJECTED TEACHER/COACHES

All teacher-coaches must be currently certified in First Aid, CPR and AED.

Any teacher-coach ejected from the contest must leave the playing area.  If a replacement teacher-coach (Dept. of Education licensed teacher with current First Aid, CPR and AED certifications) is not available, the ejected teacher-coach's team will forfeit the contest.  The Commissioner will notify the PSAL of the ejection immediately after the game.  Any teacher-coach ejected from a match may be subject to further disciplinary measures.

JEWELRY RULE

In accordance to State Regulations, NO JEWELRY may be worn during athletic contests.  
If a religious medal or emergency medical alert tag is worn, it must be taped to the gymnast's body.

ADDITIONAL RULES AND REGULATIONS

N.F.H.S. - Boys Gymnastics Rules and PSAL Rules and Regulations are in effect.

TEAM FINALS 

Championships will be held over two days. Competition on day one will consist of the PSAL Team Championship, Individual All-Around Championship and the PSAL Individual Event Preliminary round.
There shall be six rotations, Rotations one - two - three - and -four shall be filled by the four teams with the highest dual meet records.

Individual All-Around qualifiers not on the top 4 teams shall be placed among the rotations in an equitable manner by the Commissioner.

Individual Event qualifiers not on the top four teams shall compete in rotations five (5) and six (6)  filling in the lineup for that rotation when the event they have qualified in is judged.
Gymnasts in rotation five (5) will begin on the Parallel Bars.

Gymnasts in rotation six (6)Shall begin at the High Bar.
In the event that there are more than ten gymnasts on an event in rotations five (5) and six (6),  additional gymnasts shall be added to rotations one-two-three-and-four in an equitable manner, decision to be made by the Commissioner.

In all rotations the team competing in the team championship shall compete first in their rotation.
The team must complete their performances before the Individual All-Around or Individual competitors begin.

Ties for the fourth place team shall be broken in the usual PSAL manner handling ties.  If the tie continues past the second level of tie breaker, both teams shall be entered in the Team Finals competition.

At the conclusion of the meet, the top ten (10)scoring gymnasts on each event will move forward to the finals competition on that event.

INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONSHIPS 

A gymnast must compete in at least 50% of his team's meets or if the eligibility is regained with less than 50% of the season left, 100% of those meets left prior to Championship rounds.

The final order of finish in the Individual Event and All-Around Finals will be determined by the score received that day.

The All-Around and Individual Event Finals will be condensed into a one-day meet with three events being run simultaneously.

All athletes who have posted qualifying scores in the All-Around and Individual events will be seeded according to their best score.

No student-athlete in the final competition will be required to compete first in an event more than once during the meet.

INDIVIDUAL QUALIFYING STANDARDS

 

All Around	34.0 points
Floor Exercise	7.5   "
Pommel Horse	5.5   "
Rings	5.0   "
Vault	7.8   "
Parallel Bars	5.5   "
Horizontal Bar	4.5   "

 

DEVELOPMENTAL TEAMS 

First year teams new to the program are unofficial.  They are not included in the final team standings nor are eligible to compete in the Team Gymnastics Championship meets.  A full schedule of competition must be submitted to the PSAL office and the Gymnastics Commissioner prior to the season, listing the dates, opponents, sites and the teacher-coach/es.  Individual gymnasts may compete in the Individual Championship provided they meet the qualifying standards.