There are rules. And the “real rules”.
William2004 on the College Gymnastics Board started a discussion:
Does anyone else think that there are some unwritten truths and rules in NCAA gymnastics? …1. Juding is easier in the beginning of the season than at the end.
2. At NCAA nationals, how a team or individual did at their Regional meet affects their score at nationals.
3. Where you are in the lineup really does make a difference. especially in NCAAs.
4. If there are two gymnasts with identical start values, and both have the same deductions, the routine with the higher difficulty will score higher.
5. An NCAA gymnast gets minimal, if any deduction, for her physical shape and size; unlike elites where having “the skinny gymnast look” is critical.
6. There is home team advantage in the scoring.
7. Scores creep up higher at the end of the meet especially the floor and vault scores.
8. …
9. 9.8 seems to be the top score for many gymnasts
10. A perfect 10 is nearly impossible at nationals, and is rarer than ever in regular meets.
…
A good example of #5 is the Floor Exercise routine of Courtney McCool from Georgia.
She’s certainly not the “skinny gymnast” yet dominated that apparatus last season, winning Championship, without even a double somersault.
I really admire NCAA judges for that. (Her winning Floor routine is liked below.)
Courtney McCool is injured right now, unfortunately.
… a stress fracture in the navicular bone of her left foot. She will be on crutches for the next eight weeks and will wear a walking boot.
Gymnastics Coaching.com 