Prize Money

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I was looking at the website for one of the meets that someone I met at camp is going to compete at... and I saw that they were giving out prize money. My question is if you were to take the prize money that they were offering, would you lose your NCAA eligibility? I heard that if you accept money for anything related to gymnastics you lose your eligibility. Or is that only at like elite; like if you take money from winning metals. What are the exact rules for accepting money?
 
When the meet refers to "prize money" , it is usually for Team prizes ...i.e.the top 3 level 10 teams at a meet win prize money, and not for individuals so yes, they are able to retain their NCAA eligibility. Whenever my daughter was on a team that "won" said prize money, the owner of the gym received the check and it did not directly benefit any one gymnast.
 
opps. i was under the impression from the website that the cash prizes were for top AA not teams. that makes sense. but say there was cash prizes for each gymnasts would that affect you eligibility?
 
I have been to a number of the large meets in the US over the years that give cash prizes but I have never seen any given to any individual AA winner. Might you be looking at the website for the American Cup? at that meet, there are cash prizes for individual AA winners and if they are pro (like this year's US entrants Jordyn Weiber and Aly Raisman) , they CAN take the prize money...but by going pro they have forfeited any NCAA eligibility in any sport. The American Cup is an elite meet and different from the regular JO invitationals that offer the prize money for winning teams.
 
i got confused when i looked at the website,and it is prize money for team. so yes i understand that you wll not lose your elgibility if your team wins the money. i also understand that if you go pro and accept money for ant competition you lose your eligibility.so you answered all my questions. thanks!
but i konw you said you have never seen a JO competition that gives out money for individual awards, but what if there was one that did? would you lose your eligibility? or do they not give out individual money because they know you lose your eligibilty if you accept it, so they just dont do it. sorry if my posts are kind of confusing.
 
but what if there was one that did? would you lose your eligibility? or do they not give out individual money because they know you lose your eligibilty if you accept it, so they just dont do it. sorry if my posts are kind of confusing.

Yes, you would lose your eligibility if you took the money. Gymnasts could still compete but they could take the prize money. Elites who want to keep ncaa don't accept the money, just the medals. But as others have said, I don't think there are any meets out there for lower levels that offer individual prize money.



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individual money is NOT ALLOWED at a USAG sanctioned event for any reason. TEAM ONLY and the money goes to the gym or booster club. that's all.
 

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