The NGL Championship Structure

Hundreds of National Piece Champions by Category. One National Piece Champion by Age.

The National Gymnastics League (NGL) is designed to recognise excellence at scale. Across the season, gymnasts compete within age categories, training-hour bands, levels and apparatus, across thirteen regions. This structure intentionally produces a large number of National Champions, reflecting the breadth of participation and achievement within the league. By the end of each season, there may be over three thousand gymnasts who hold the title of National Champion within a specific category. This is not an unintended outcome, but a core feature of the NGL, ensuring that success is recognised wherever it is earned.

Because of this scale, it is neither practical nor necessary to bring every National Champion together into a single live National Final. Instead, the NGL separates the determination of champions from the live competitive showcase. National Champion titles within sub-categories are confirmed through the league’s standardised scoring, consistent judging and national ranking system, and these titles are final regardless of whether a gymnast attends a live finals event. Each National Champion’s achievement is therefore valid, recognised and recorded within the NGL system.

To create a clear and meaningful pathway to a live national event, each region identifies a single standout gymnast per age category and apparatus. This gymnast is the highest-scoring athlete across all training bands and levels within that age group for that apparatus. These gymnasts become their region’s Champions Champion, representing the very best performance for that age category on that piece within the region. This approach reduces volume while preserving fairness, ensuring that progression is based purely on performance rather than structural filtering.

These Regional Champions then progress to the National Gymnastics League Champions Final. This event is a focused, high-quality competition designed to determine the NGL National Apparatus Champions. With thirteen regions, four age bands and ten apparatus across boys’ and girls’ gymnastics, the Champions Final has a maximum of 520 qualifying gymnasts. For any single apparatus, this equates to fifty-two competitors, allowing the event to be structured by piece, judged by specialist panels and delivered within a realistic and professional competition format. Gymnasts may compete on more than one apparatus where qualified, and boys and girls compete alongside one another where appropriate.

The Champions Final determines the ultimate National Champion for each apparatus within each age category, such as the NGL National Vault Champion or NGL National Floor Champion. These titles sit at the pinnacle of the league’s competitive pathway, while existing alongside the many National Champion titles earned throughout the season. One does not replace the other; they represent different stages of achievement within a unified system.

Following the Champions Final, the NGL will host National Champions Awards Ceremonies within each region. These events provide an opportunity for all National Champions from that region to be formally recognised and celebrated in front of their peers, clubs and families. Medals, trophies and certificates are presented in a celebratory, inclusive environment, without the pressure of live competition. Importantly, the location or format of the presentation does not affect the status of the title. Every gymnast recognised at these events is a National Champion by merit of their performance within the league.

This structure allows the NGL to remain inclusive, scalable and fair, while still delivering a prestigious live national final. It ensures that achievement is recognised at every level, that competition remains logistically realistic, and that the league culminates in a clear and exciting championship event that reflects the very best of the sport.