Acrobatics & Tumbling

INTRO

Information source:  https://thencata.org/

Acrobatics & Tumbling is an NCAA Emerging Sport. Beginning in August 2020, NCAA Division II and Division III institutions will be playing under all NCAA rules. Once there are 40 institutions with the sport, Acrobatics & Tumbling would be eligible to be an NCAA Championship sport. Teams compete under either NCAA or NAIA rules depending on the athletic affiliation of the institution.

Acrobatics & Tumbling combines skills sets currently practiced in artistic, acrobatic, trampoline, and power tumbling, all internationally recognized and competed disciplines of gymnastics.  These skills sets are also utilized to create the athletic aspects of cheerleading.

Student-athletes competing in Acrobatics & Tumbling have a wide variety of training backgrounds prior to competing at the collegiate level.  In addition to the various disciplines of gymnastics, student-athletes have also trained in wide range of sports and activities, most notably track & field, swimming & diving, dance, or competitive cheer.
Acrobatics & Tumbling meets are exciting, fast paced, and fan friendly.  Each meet is held as a contest between 2-3 teams.  Each team has up to 28 competitors on their game-day roster and compete in six events throughout the meet, including: Compulsory, Acro, Pyramid, Toss, Tumbling and Team.

In total, teams compete head to head in 20 heats during a competition.  Teams are evaluated in each heat by a panel of officials, receiving a score based on starting difficulty values and execution of declared skills. In a meet, a team can score up to 300 points. The team with the highest overall score is declared the winner.

EVENT DESCRIPTIONS

Event 1 – Compulsory - Each team competes identical pre-determined set of skills with a pre-determined starting value of 10.0.  There are four heats that include acro, pyramid, toss and tumbling.   Each heat can score up to a perfect 10, with the total combined event score of 40 points.  Compulsory skills are considered to be the building blocks of Acrobatics & Tumbling and reviewed by committee every three years.

Event 2 – Acro – In the Acro Event, teams compete in three different heats of 5, 6, and 7 elements.  Groups of 2-4 athletes will compete acrobatic lifts and tosses demonstrating strength, balance, and technique from both the bases and tops. Each heat may score up to a perfect 10 with a total combined score in this event up to 30 points.

Event 3 – Pyramid – In Pyramid Event, teams compete in three individual heats building pyramids of three layers.  Teams combine an entry, structure and dismount to create a pyramid.  Each heat has a different requirement: inverted body position for the top, synchronized, and open.  Each heat may score up to a perfect 10 with a total combined score in this event up to 30 points.

Halftime - After the completion of the first three events, there is a 15-minute half time.

Event 4 – Toss – The Toss Event is an aerial event with a group of bases tossing one top in the air.  The top completes a flipping and/or twisting skill forward or backward. Two of the three heats are solo tosses with one synchronized heat. Each heat may score up to a perfect 10 with a total combined score in this event up to 30 points.

Event 5 – Tumbling – The Tumbling Event features powerful synchronized and individual tumbling passes. Athletes may compete in one synchronized pass and in one solo pass. Passes feature a variety of salto and twisting elements and are valued for the difficulty of and the connection of those skills.  Three synchronized and three individual heats construct the Tumbling Event with 10 points each for a maximum of 60 points for the event.

Event 6 – Team – In Team Event, teams perform synchronized choreographed skills in a routine set to music. Each team competes up to 24 athletes. Routines are composed to showcase all skill sets that have been competed in the previous five events.  This event has a maximum of 110 points.

RECRUITING STANDARDS

The recruiting base for Acrobatics and Tumbling is broad pulling from any discipline of gymnastics (most often - artistic gymnastics, trampoline and tumbling, acrobatic gymnastics) and high level competitive cheer. The majority of athletes are artistic gymnasts or competitive cheerleaders. College coaches are looking for athletes who have excellent basic tumbling (round off, back handspring, layout or full), can hold a handstand, and excel when being a part of a team. In USA gymnasts are recruited from the Xcel platinum & diamond levels, or USAG level 8 and above.