This month, we saw a significant uptick in perfect 10s, with 10 awarded—up from just two in January but still far below the 24 handed out in February 2024. Notably, six of those came on floor, while vault saw its first perfect score of the season. This is particularly interesting given that floor has arguably the most opportunities for deductions, with leaps, jumps, dance elements, and multiple tumbling passes, whereas vault consists of just one skill.
Perhaps the artistry and choreography on floor captivate judges, making them less inclined to take deductions. Or maybe the nature of vault—where judges are positioned so close to the table and hyper-focused for just a few seconds—makes deductions easier to spot. Either way, I’ll be reviewing all of this season’s 10.0 routines based on what I observed in real time, ranking each from one to five stars.
Since my viewing angles aren’t always identical to those of the judging panel, we may see different things, but I’ll focus on deductions that should have been apparent from a standard judge’s perspective. As a reminder, here’s my rating scale:
⭐ This was clearly not a 10.0 routine (but still very good!)
⭐⭐ There was definitely a deduction there, but maybe the judges blinked?
⭐⭐⭐ 10.0 vibes, but not actually perfect
⭐⭐⭐⭐ It was a “college 10”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 100% a perfect routine
Vault
Selena Harris-Miranda, Florida (Feb. 28)
Deductions
Leg separation (0.05)
Early turn (0.05)
Leg form (0.05)
Distance (0.05)
This was a great vault by Harris-Miranda and a textbook landing. I have noticed that some vault judging panels are often only taking landing deductions this season, so I’m not surprised this got a 10.0 under those circumstances. However, she did have some loose knees in her flip, and you can see her initiating the twist while she’s still blocking off the table, which cuts down on her potential distance. On vault, judges look for a balance of height and distance, and although it’s hard to tell from this angle, both her technique and landing location make me think a distance deduction could be appropriate.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Bars
Morgan Price, Fisk (Feb. 8)
Deductions
Arm bend (0.05)
Leg separation (0.05)
Arm bend (0.05)
Leg bend (0.05)
Failure to hold finishing position (0.05)
Yes, most of these deductions are very minor and easily overlooked or missed by a judge. But having both judges miss all of them? It doesn’t feel right to me, especially when some of the most consistent top scorers are getting deducted for the small things more often this season. The leg separation on the Maloney and the bent knees on the tap both seem to be large enough that they should have been seen by at least one member of the panel. Additionally, Price has to hold the one-second finish position without moving; she starts celebrating after about half a second.
Rating: ⭐⭐
Grace McCallum, Utah (Feb. 14)
I watched this routine three times and could not find any deductions. I know McCallum has developed a reputation for having poor foot form, but this routine was clean and efficient with great amplitude, huge difficulty (two E and one D release plus an E dismount), great execution, and pointed toes. This routine definitely deserved a 10.0 in my opinion.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Beam
Leanne Wong, Florida (Feb. 14)
Deductions
Arm bend (0.05)
Leg bend (0.05)
Flexed feet (0.05)
Small step on landing (0.05)
I’m pretty sure everyone except the two judges sitting and watching this routine did not think this was a 10.0. Although Wong is certainly capable of perfect or near-perfect scores on every event, even the commentator mentions the small step on the landing. Additionally, the arm bend on the back handspring may be hard to see from the side, but the knee bend on the front aerial would have been easier to catch from the judge’s point of view than the camera angle.
Rating: ⭐
Floor
Jordan Chiles, UCLA (Feb. 1)
Deductions
Leg separation (0.05)
Foot form (0.05)
Pike down (0.05)
This was a great routine by Chiles with huge tumbling, show-stopping choreography, and a beautiful dance pass. She makes gymnastics look easy with this routine. If I’m being very picky, she had a bit of a form break on her double layout and pikes down. I’ve seen her do it with a straight body in other routines, but she does have that error in this instance.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Mya Lauzon, California (Feb. 7)
Deductions
Incomplete twist (0.05)
Body position (0.05
As others have said, Lauzon is capable of perfection on floor, but this was not her best routine of the season. Her front tuck travels noticeably sideways, which I don’t think is a deduction on its own, but she’s not completely square out of her double full, which is a deduction and what causes her to be crooked. It may have been hard for the judges to see the completion of the twist, but the directional issue should have been a giveaway. Her heel also isn’t quite head height on her ring, which should have also incurred a deduction.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Lilly Hudson, Alabama (Feb. 14)
This routine deserved a 10.0 just for Hudson’s beautiful back two and a half. She could teach a master class on maintaining form while twisting, as her front double full is also flawless. Additionally, Hudson’s jumps are pristine, and although we don’t have bonus points, the “Sweet Home Alabama” excerpt in her floor music is a fitting tribute to her team and school.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Kennedy Griffin, Missouri (Feb. 14)
Deductions
Leg form (0.05)
Foot form (0.05)
This was a great routine from Griffin with impressive amplitude on all her skills and good precision on her difficult dance pass. She had a little leg form in her switch full and some flexed feet in her double pike; however, both are pretty minor deductions and could have been difficult to see from the judges’ angles. I’d like to see a little more control on her lunges in her tumbling, but it’s not noticeable enough to consistently incur a deduction.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Sloane Blakely, Florida (Feb. 14)
Deductions
Leg separation (0.05)
Foot form (0.05)
This fun, dynamic routine definitely pulls you in, and you can’t help but celebrate right alongside Blakely and her teammates. The only issue I saw was a bit of staggered legs and foot form in her full-in, but her landings were great and her amplitude, position, and precision in her dance pass were stellar.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Faith Torrez, Oklahoma (Feb. 21)
Deductions
Pike down (0.05)
Foot adjustment/control on landing (0.05)
Leg position (0.05)
Torrez’s gymnastics is always exciting to watch, as she has both the amplitude and the rotation in her tumbling needed to make it so dynamic. In this routine, she does have a very small slide of the front foot on her double layout, which may be barely perceptible from across the floor. However, her large step back into the lunge was a clue that she was a bit overpowered and uncontrolled in her landing.
As for her hop full, this skill requires that the leg finish at or above horizontal at the full turn mark; her leg is clearly below that as she finishes the turn facing the corner. This skill has been a deduction trap for many U.S. elites the past several years. I’m surprised she has it in her routine when there are several other skills she could choose to perform perfectly that would fulfill the requirement of a B or higher value part in her routine.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
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Article by Rhiannon Franck
Rhiannon Franck is a former national-rated NAWGJ women’s gymnastics judge with over 15 years of USAG judging experience and nine seasons judging NCAA gymnastics. Outside of gymnastics, Franck works at a university as a nursing professor and loves to travel.
