Xcel Girls Rules (new changes for 2011-12 are listed in red in these rule sheets)
Xcel Rules By Events- For Judges Click Event Below:
Vault
Bars
Beam
Floor
All events

Here are some common skills seen at each level (to give you an idea of which level to put your kids)
Here is a comparison of J.O. vs. Xcel for girls (to help educate the parents on what this program is all about)

Read national guidelines for the Xcel program put forth by USAG here including age minimums.

USAG'S Xcel programs across the United States

Past Questions/Clarifications

• A pullover is not a circling element. A long hang pullover starting from the low bar jump to high bar pullover is not a circling element. A cast long hang pullover (baby giant) is a circling element and of course a mill circle, front hip circle, back hip circle etc are all circling elements.

• If an athlete gets a spot on a skill they don’t get the special requirement or bonus and receives a .5 deduction for the spot.
• Even though they are doing skills for the compulsory book, those skills should just be judged with general and execution deductions, not the harsher, specific deductions listed on each element in the compulsory book.  Like the mill circle should not get the level 4 .2 deduction for not showing clear support before and after, but bent knees would of course get that deduction.

• On Silver beam- judges need to make sure they pay attention to handstands if they to vertical or not, because that is bonus if they are.  So make sure that the start panel judge is writing down how high handstand is.
• For the levels that can do level 1-5 dismount on bars, a cast push away is a dismount, just to make sure the judges know that and don’t take a "no dismount" special req. deduction
• On gold bars a kip to immediate cast of any height is bonus, so make sure that judges note that the kip cast was connected.
• Remember that Bronze floor has the restriction of no more than 2 flight elements (round off is a flight element) so a gymnast in this level, if she did round off back handspring and front handspring, she would get 1.0 off for performing a restricted element.
• The Silver vault – there was a question on the deduction for handstand fall flat with no repulsion vs. having some repulsion – I think that you should definitely differentiate and judge a vault that sticks a handstand and falls slowly to flat back vs a vault that has speed power repulsion and quickness to the flat back.   Again we’re scoring on the lenient side but it would be similar to level 4 vault (although with a table)
• There is currently no mobility requirements within our Xcel program. New entrants to the Xcel program may begin at any level. Movement to the J.O. program from Xcel must be done through achieving the mobility score in J.O. listed under the guidelines of the J.O. program.