NEWARK, N.J. – When 7-year-old Amalya Knapp took the beam at the New Jersey state gymnastics finals last month, her excellent performance symbolized a far more complicated balancing act.

Although she would have ranked fifth in her age group, eligible for a medal, her individual scores were discounted. She was unable to compete on a Saturday because of her Orthodox Jewish family’s observance of the Sabbath.

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Amalya Knapp, 7, does her gymnastic warm-up exercises at her family’s home in Teaneck, N.J. The Associated Press

“I was upset,” Amalya said, “but my mother told me there are decisions you have to make.”

USA Gymnastics made an effort to accommodate Amalya and let her compete the next day, Sunday, and permitted her scores to factor into her team’s overall rankings.

But the national governing body held that because she hadn’t competed at the same time as girls of her skill level and age group, her scores: 9.7 on vault, 9.575 floor, 9.5 beam and 8.75 bars — would not count toward individual medals or rankings.

The news disappointed the second-grader, a member of the US Gym team of the United States Gymnastics Development Center in Leonia, N.J. She had placed first in the all-around category in five previous competitions.

“She tried so hard, and practiced for months, and really put in her all, but just couldn’t get that final award for her efforts,” said Chavie Knapp, Amalya’s mother. Knapp emphasized that her family appreciated USA Gymnastics’ efforts to try to reach a compromise.

“I wasn’t bitter, and wasn’t angry and worked with the organization and tried to work within the system,” Knapp said.

Knapp said she and her husband encourage Amalya to engage in the sports and activities she loves, including ice skating and playing for a Jewish youth soccer league that never practices or competes on Saturdays. Amalya said she wants one day to be an Olympic gymnast.

If she had to choose again between competing or observing the Sabbath, she said, “I would do the religion things.”

Chavie Knapp said Amalya, who attends school at the Rosenbaum Yeshiva of North Jersey, has loved gymnastics since she was a toddler. She practices up to 12 hours a week.

A spokeswoman for USA Gymnastics, Leslie King, said the organization does its best to reasonably provide alternatives to athletes who face scheduling conflicts for religious or other reasons, when possible.

“USA Gymnastics is sensitive to these issues and will continue in its efforts to provide reasonable options to athletes under appropriate circumstances,” King said in an e-mail message.

Chavie Knapp said news coverage of her daughter’s situation, first reported in The Record, had put the family at the center of a heated debate over whether religious exemptions have a place in sports.

“This issue has really been pushing a lot of buttons for people,” Knapp said.

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