The ultimate guide to gymnastics meets

Your gymnast just got their first meet invitation, and now you have questions. What happens on meet day? How does scoring work? Why does the session start at 7:30 in the morning? You're not alone. Every gymnastics family has been new to meets once.

This guide walks through everything you need to know, from the kinds of meets and levels to scoring, schedules, packing lists, and spectator etiquette. Each part links to a deeper guide when you want more, from what a meet costs to the meets in your region. Bookmark it, and come back the night before your first meet.

What is a gymnastics meet?

A gymnastics meet is a competition where gymnasts perform routines on each event for a panel of judges, who score every routine. Gymnasts compete against others at the same level and, usually, in the same age group. At the end of the session, awards go out for each event and for the all-around, which is the total of a gymnast's event scores.

Most club meets are hosted by a local gym, which invites teams from other gyms. A single meet often runs over a full weekend, split into sessions by level and age so that each group competes for a few hours rather than all day.

Types of meets

Over a season, a competitive gymnast will usually see a few different kinds of meets:

• Invitationals. The bread and butter of the season. A host gym invites other teams to compete, often with a theme, a big venue, or a holiday twist. Most of a gymnast's meets are invitationals.
• Qualifying meets. Scores at these meets can count toward qualifying for championships. The rules for which meets count vary by state and program, so ask your coach.
• State championships. The end-of-season meet for each state, open to gymnasts who reached the qualifying score during the season.
• Regional and national championships. For gymnasts who qualify out of state, the season continues at regionals, and the highest levels go on to national championships.

Your gym's coaches choose which meets the team attends. Many gyms publish a season calendar in the fall, and you can browse upcoming meets near you on Vault's meet calendar. For a closer look at each kind, read types of gymnastics meets.

USA Gymnastics groups states into eight regions, and your region shapes your season. Find the meets near you in our region guides: Region 1, Region 2, Region 3, Region 4, Region 5, Region 6, Region 7, and Region 8.

Levels and programs

In the United States, most club gymnasts compete in programs run by USA Gymnastics. The two biggest for girls are the Development Program and Xcel.

The Development Program (Levels 1 to 10)

• Levels 1 to 5. USA Gymnastics groups these as developmental (1 to 3) and compulsory (4 and 5), and every gymnast at a level performs the same set routines, to the same music on floor. Judges compare each gymnast to the same standard, which makes these levels a great place to build clean basics.
• Optional levels (6 to 10). Gymnasts perform routines built for them by their coaches, with their own floor music. Routines must include certain required elements, and difficulty climbs with each level. Level 10 is the top of the program and the usual path to college gymnastics.

Xcel

Xcel is a flexible program with its own divisions: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, and Sapphire, the newest. Routines are built by coaches around a list of requirements, and the program often asks fewer training hours than the Development Program. It's a great fit for gymnasts who love competing but also want room for school, other sports, and life.

Other programs

Some gyms compete in other organizations, such as AAU, NGA, or the YMCA, and many high schools field teams too. The basics in this guide apply to nearly all of them, though rules and level names differ. Boys compete in their own USA Gymnastics men's program on six events.

New to the sport altogether? Start with Gymnastics 101 for a step-by-step introduction. Wondering whether your gymnast is ready to compete? Read when is my child ready for a gymnastics meet.

The events

Women's events

Women's gymnastics has four events, competed in what's called Olympic order:

• Vault. A sprint down the runway, a push off the springboard, and a flight over the vaulting table.
• Uneven bars. Swings, casts, circles, and releases between a high bar and a low bar.
• Balance beam. Leaps, turns, jumps, and acrobatics on a beam four inches wide.
• Floor exercise. A routine set to music that combines tumbling passes with dance.

Men's events

Men compete on six events: floor exercise, pommel horse, still rings, vault, parallel bars, and high bar.

At a meet, teams rotate through the events in groups. Each group starts on a different event, so not every gymnast begins on vault.

How gymnastics scoring works

In most club programs, each routine is scored out of 10.0. Think of it this way: a routine starts from its start value, and judges take deductions for anything that falls short, such as bent knees, flexed feet, steps on landings, falls, or missing requirements. What's left is the score.

• Event scores. Each event gets its own score. When more than one judge scores an event, their scores are averaged.
• All-around score. The total of a gymnast's scores across all events. In women's gymnastics, the highest possible all-around is 40.0.
• Team score. Many meets also award team placings, usually by adding up the top few scores on each event from each team.

A fall costs a deduction, but it doesn't end a routine. Gymnasts get back up and finish, and that grit is a big part of what the sport teaches.

Elite and international gymnastics use a different, open-ended system that adds a difficulty score and an execution score, which is why Olympic scores can go above 10. College gymnastics uses the 10.0 scale, just like most club meets.

Many meets now post live scores online so families at home can follow along. Find results for meets on Vault at Scores, and see how gymnasts and teams stack up across the season in Rankings.

What happens on meet day

Before meet day comes signing up, which your gym handles for you. Our guide to how to sign up for a gymnastics meet walks through it. Once you're entered, every meet runs a little differently, but most sessions follow the same rhythm.

• Arrival and check-in. Gymnasts usually arrive 15 to 30 minutes before stretch begins. Your coach will tell you the exact time. Check in at the registration table if your team asks you to.
• Stretch and warm-up. The team warms up together on the competition floor. Some meets hold timed warm-ups on every event first; others use a format where each group warms up on an event right before competing on it.
• March-in. Many meets open with a march-in, where every team parades out, gymnasts are introduced, and the national anthem plays.
• Competition. Groups rotate through the events. Expect waiting between turns; that's normal.
• Awards. After the final rotation, scores are tallied and awards are presented by level and age group, usually for each event and the all-around.

From stretch to the last medal, a session usually takes about three to four hours. Plan your day, and your parking meter, around that.

What to pack for your gymnast

• Competition leotard (and a backup if your gym has one)
• Team warm-up jacket and pants, plus socks and slides for walking around
• Grips, wrist supports, and tape, if your gymnast uses them
• Hair supplies: hair ties, bobby pins, gel or hairspray, and any team bows
• A water bottle and easy snacks, like fruit, crackers, or granola bars
• Any medications, inhalers, or braces they need

Most teams compete with hair pulled back tight and jewelry removed. Check your gym's rules before the meet, since some programs are strict about what's allowed.

Tips for parents in the stands

What to bring

• A way to pay for admission, since many meets charge spectators. See what a gymnastics meet costs.
• Layers, because gyms and arenas can run hot or cold
• A seat cushion if you'll be on bleachers for a few hours
• A phone charger, snacks, and water
• Patience. Your gymnast may compete four routines in three hours, with long waits in between.

Meet etiquette

• No flash photography. Flash can startle a gymnast mid-skill. Many meets also limit video, so check the meet's rules.
• Stay in the stands. Only gymnasts, coaches, and officials belong on the competition floor.
• Cheer for everyone. Clap for every gymnast, not just your own. It makes the gym a better place for everybody.
• Leave the judging to the judges. If you have questions about a score, ask your coach after the meet.
• Watch for rotations. Move between sections between rotations, not during a routine.

Helping your gymnast through first-meet nerves

Nerves are normal, even for gymnasts who've competed for years. A few things help:

• Keep the night before ordinary. A normal dinner, an early bedtime, and a packed bag by the door.
• Focus on effort, not scores. Ask what they're proud of, not what they scored.
• Celebrate the brave parts. Getting back on the beam after a fall is worth a hug, whatever the scoreboard says.
• Let the coaches coach. On meet day, your job is the easiest one: be their biggest fan.

Following meets on Vault

Vault builds tools to make every meet easier for families. Every meet on Vault has its own page with dates, the venue, session schedules, and live scores once the meet begins. Browse the season on the meet calendar, look up any gymnast's results on Scores, and explore the meet hub at Meets.

Run a meet yourself? MeetHub gives meet directors one place to run their inbox, marketing, and meet page.