“The benefits that the GymRat CHALLENGE provides to players and programs are in a word…UNBELIEVABLE. It’s the TOTAL package. Let me go down the list….The pre-event communication is FANTASTIC. The kids all get profiles that they can update and edit for college coaches to see. When you arrive, you’re greeted by GymRat staff that make sure you have EVERYTHING that you need. The facilities are TOP NOTCH…we’re playing in a BIG TIME ARENA. These are MAJOR VENUES. The competition is GREAT….look at the teams that are here. The format is GREAT. EVERYWHERE you turn there are college coaches, scouting services, and GymRat evaluators. The post event information in the GymRat REPORT is UNREAL. Nobody else is THIS THOROUGH. EVERY kid has a chance to increase their exposure level here. If you DON’T have your program at the GymRat CHALLENGE, THEN YOU’RE JUST CHEATING YOUR PLAYERS.” – Coach Usheandra Reynolds, RIVALS

PICTURED: Hard-charging ALL-GymRat performer SYDNEE EGGLETON of EXODUS imposes her physicality & strength on opponents on the glass & at the rim. EGGLETON is committed to SETON HALL

“The GymRat CHALLENGE has been a true blessing to girls basketball! Not only have you guys attracted top flight competition, the format of this “EVENT” has motivated another level of conditioning for our student-athlete’s at New Heights. Amazingly it’s “First Come, First Serve” and the fact that you continue to get top organizations to commit immediately speaks volumes of the GymRat CHALLENGE! Thank you guys for this platform!”
— Coach Rock Rosa, Program Coordinator, New Heights NYC

“I LOVED this tournament. The WORD IS OUT! This IS going to be one of the biggest GIRL’S events in the country. We’ve been waiting for an event in New York to grab the NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT. THIS IS THE ONE!”
— Hammer Stevens, CAS Douglass Panthers

“This is the BEST ORGANIZED and TEAM TALENT LOADED EVENT of the summer! It is the BEST NATIONALLY SPOTLIGHTED TOURNAMENT BEFORE AAU Nationals, USJN, and Penn State. If you want to know where your team is competition-wise, this is the event!”
— Ricky Oliver, Northeastern Lady Panthers

PICTURED: Explosive 1st Team ALL-GymRat choice SHANTAVIA DAWKINS of SOUTHWEST ACADEMY. Dawkins is taking her textbook outside stroke & unyielding defensive intensity to IOWA STATE at the next level.

“Without question, this event is a game changer. There’s no doubt about that! Sure, there are other major tournaments out there for the girl’s right now, but even many of the established tournaments haven’t evolved at the same pace as the overall girl’s game. The GIRL’S GymRat CHALLENGE is setting a new standard for the way that these tournaments are conducted. This is a basketball EVENT, not just a place where you go to play your three or four games, visit the concession stand, and go home. At the end of the GymRat CHALLENGE, you know where you stack up. I don’t care what other name you mention, there’s nobody else in the country that runs an event like this and does it this well.”
— Bill Ames, Director of Scouting, Girl’s Hoops USA

THANKS for an OUTSTANDING tournament !!! We made the decision this year to forgo the AAU regional tournaments in order to concentrate our financial resources on college exposure events. The down side is that we were always traveling to play three to five games on a week end, and then just going home. There were no tournament winners or losers. We just played. In that sense, we really had nothing to play for, no reaching for the gold so to speak. I had heard good things about your boys tournament. So when your girls tournament was brought to my attention, I entered it. It was all that I had hoped it would be and more. You succeeded in combining the college exposure benefit with a bracketed championship tournament in one, very professionally run event. With the level of competition from all over everywhere, it felt like an AAU national tournament. The kids AND the parents had a great time.
— Tom Torcia, Mid-PENN Motion

“Having played in numerous GymRat Boys Tournaments, my expectations for the ladies event were extremely high. Thanks for delivering. Being able to challenge my girls versus some of the best New York City talent, in back to back games, will definitely pay dividends this upcoming AAU season. Thanks for the great start to our season.”
— Coach Jim McCormick, Albany Capitals 16U National Team

PICTURED: 15U ALL-GymRat choice SOPHIA NASCIMENTO of the EMPIRE STATE BLUE FLAMES is a KNOCK DOWN shooter & step-ahead distributor.

“Between playing our national schedule and running the City Rocks day to day operations, I know what it takes to develop a nationally competitive event. John Kmack and the GymRat CHALLENGE have simply taken that process to ANOTHER LEVEL. It’s amazing to see the level of excellence that this event and brand has sustained for over 25 years. Even more impressive, it’s unbelievable to understand what this event and brand will continue to become with the leadership and vision that John provides. It’s one thing to establish a nationally competitive event. It’s something very different to continually make it better. Make no mistake about it, the GymRat CHALLENGE just KEEPS GETTING BETTER EACH YEAR! There’s a big difference between playing in a tournament and attending an EVENT. The GymRat CHALLENGE is an EVENT!”— Jim Hart, Director, City Rocks

“No tournament in the country offers the complete package like the GymRat CHALLENGE. Great competition, fantastic facilities, a staff that attends to every detail big and small and if you’re not prepared and tough, an opportunity for David to slay Goliath.”— Coach Dave Vitale, Rhode Island Breakers

“I’ve been doing this for over 40 years and attended well over 1,000 tournaments. The GymRat CHALLENGE is in the TOP 5 of ALL of the tournaments that we’ve attended during that time.”— The late, great, Doc Nicelli, Student-Athlete Broncos (NYC)