BOYS GymRat CHALLENGE (Albany, NY)
There are few guarantees in life….death, taxes, and the GymRat CHALLENGE WILL SELL OUT EVERY YEAR as one of the most ICONIC events in the history of grassroots basketball where more players are recruited than any other event in the nation. Registration begins annually on November 1st with the restricted EARLY REGISTATION period (Returning Teams only) and continues with the beginning of unrestricted National Registration on January 1st with pricing as shown below. For more information, be sure to follow @TheREALGymRatCHALLENGE on Instagram, and @GymRatCHALLENGE on X. We look forward to seeing you in 2025, so get in EARLY….or somebody else WILL have your spot!
EARLY REG (Returning Teams ONLY): November 1st through December 31st
- $425 for teams in the 8th through 11th Grade divisions
- $325 for teams in the 12U & 13U divisions
UNRESTRICTED NATIONAL REG: January 1st & beyond
- $525 for teams in the 8th through 11th Grade divisions
- $425 for teams in the 12U & 13U divisions
MULTI-TEAM DISCOUNTS. Call 1-888-7-GYMRAT (1-888-749-6728) for details
- 3-4 teams from the same program = 10% discount
- 5-9 teams from the same program = 15% discount
- 10+ teams from the same program = 20% discount
- NOT available in combination with EARLY REG discounts
MORE PLAYERS ARE RECRUITED OUT OF THE GymRat CHALLENGE THAN ANY OTHER EVENT IN THE NATION. The GymRat CHALLENGE IS ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC EVENTS IN THE HISTORY OF GRASSROOTS BASKETBALL AND A TRUE TEST OF BOTH BASKETBALL SKILL AND WILL WHERE TODAY’S NCAA AND NBA, STARS HAVE COME TO EARN THEIR REPUTATIONS OVER THE PAST TWO AND A HALF DECADES….AND WHERE THOUSANDS OF OTHERS HAVE COME TO COMPETE AGAINST THEM TO SEE HOW THEY MEASURE UP AGAINST THE BEST IN THE NATION. SINCE 1998, SOME OF THE GREATEST PLAYERS ON THE PLANET HAVE ARRIVED AT THE GymRat CHALLENGE TO COMPETE AND BE SEEN, AND EXITED THE GymRat CHALLENGE HAVING CATAPULTED THEMSELVES TO THE TOP OF RECRUITING BOARDS EVERYWHERE.
THE LIST OF GymRat CHALLENGE ALUMS IS LONG, DISTINGUISHED….AND GROWING EVERY YEAR. THAT LIST INCLUDES NBA MVP STEPH CURRY, NCAA PLAYERS OF THE YEAR & NATIONAL CHAMPIONS JIMMER FREDETTE, KEMBA WALKER & EMEKA OKAFOR PERENNIAL NBA ALL-STARS DONOVAN MITCHELL & TOBIAS HARRIS, 2018 NBA FIRST ROUND DRAFT PICKS MO BAMBA (#6) & KEVIN HUERTER (#19) AND 2019 NAISMITH NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL PLAYER OF THE YEAR & DETROIT PISTON FIRST ROUND SELECTION (#16) ISAIAH STEWART. THE GymRat TALENT PARADE IS MARCHING STRONGER THAN EVER WITH NINE MORE FORMER ALL-GYMRAT PERFORMERS HEARING THEIR NAMES CALLED DURING THE LAST THREE NBA DRAFT CYCLES LED BY FORMER GYMRAT MVP, JALEN DUREN (TEAM FINAL/MEMPHIS) WHO WAS A LOTTERY PICK IN 2022 AS THE #13 OVERALL PICK TO THE DETROIT PISTONS. IN THE 2023 NBA DRAFT, A RECORD FOUR FORMER ALL-GYMRAT SELECTIONS WERE CHOSEN AMONG THE TOP 60 PLAYERS IN THE WORLD WITH DERECK LIVELY II (TEAM FINAL/DUKE) CHOSEN #12 OVERALL BY THE DALLAS MAVERICKS, THEN JALEN PICKETT (CITY ROCKS/SIENA/PENN STATE) SELECTED #32 OVERALL BY THE DENVER NUGGETS, FOLLOWED CLOSELY BY ANDRE JACKSON, JR. (CITY ROCKS/U. CONN) PICKED #36 OVERALL BY THE MILWAUKEE BUCKS, AND EMONI BATES (BATES FUNDAMENTAL/TEAM FINAL/MEMPHIS/EASTERN MICHIGAN) GOING AT #49 TO THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS. THE 2024 GYMRAT NBA DRAFT CLASS INCLUDED FOUR MORE EVENT ALUMS WITH DONOVAN CLINGAN (BOSTON SPARTANS/U CONN) LEADING THREE NBA LOTTERY PICKS AT #7 OVERALL TO THE PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS FOLLOWED BY MATAS BUZELIS (EXPRESSIONS ELITE/G LEAGUE IGNITE) AT #11 TO THE CHICAGO BULLS, AND BUB CARRINGTON (TEAM MELO/PITTSBURGH) AT #14 TO THE WASHINGTON WIZARDS, WHILE KYLE FILIPOWSKI (NY RENS/DUKE) WAS SELECTED #32 OVERALL BY THE UTAH JAZZ.
ADDITIONALLY, THE #1 RANKED HIGH SCHOOL PLAYER ON THE PLANET AND 2022 GYMRAT CHALLENGE MVP, COOPER FLAGG, WAS SELECTED AS THE NAISMITH NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL PLAYER OF THE YEAR AT FLORIDA’S MONTVERDE ACADEMY, IS BOUND FOR DUKE, AND IS THE PRESUMPTIVE #1 OVERALL PICK IN THE 2025 NBA DRAFT. BOTH FLAGG AND FILIPOWSKI STARTED THEIR GYMRAT APPEARANCES IN THE 7TH GRADE AND RETURNED ANNUALLY TO SHOWCASE THEIR DEVELOPMENT THROUGH THE END OF THEIR HIGH SCHOOL ELIGIBILITY.
WITH UNPARALELLED COVERAGE FROM COLLEGE COACHES, SCOUTING SERVICES, AND BASKETBALL PUBLICATIONS, AS WELL AS THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE & CREDIBLE EVALUATION SERVICES IN GRASSROOTS BASKETBALL, MORE PLAYERS ARE RECRUITED OUT OF THE GymRat CHALLENGE THAN ANY OTHER EVENT IN THE NATION. WITH TEAM AND INDIVIDUAL NATIONAL NOTORIETY ON THE LINE, THOSE THAT PERFORM WELL IN THIS HIGH VISIBILITY EVENT RECEIVE AN UNPARALLELED BOOST IN RECRUITING EXPOSURE. EACH YEAR SEVERAL ALL-GymRat CHALLENGE SELECTIONS ARE TABBED BY THE GymRat CHALLENGE EVALUATION TEAM AS RISING MEMBERS OF THEIR CLASSES BOTH NATIONALLY AS WELL AS REGIONALLY IN THEIR HOME AREAS OF THE COUNTRY. ALL OF THIS, COMBINED WITH A REPUTATION AS THE BEST ORGANIZED EVENT IN THE NATION, MAKES THE GymRat CHALLENGE ONE OF THE MOST COMPLETE AND COMPETITIVE STOPS ON THE SUMMER BASKETBALL SCHEDULE.
The EXCLUSIVE Early Registration period for the 2025 GymRat CHALLENGE begins on November 1st and continues through December 31st with returning teams having access to exclusive discounts and special promotions during that period including a $100 per team discount for the first 100 teams to complete their registrations. DON’T BE LATE!
Ahead of the beginning of unrestricted National Registration that opens on January 1st, the EARLY REG period allows returning programs to register for the GymRat CHALLENGE and lock in their spots to compete where yesterday, today, and tomorrow’s NCAA, NBA, and WNBA stars have come to EARN their basketball reputations since 1998. The EARLY REG period also allows returning teams to guarantee their spots before the floodgates open with teams from Miami to Montreal rushing to claim a spot in the GymRat CHALLENGE field.
EARLY REG RATES (Returning Teams ONLY): November 1st through December 31st….$100 PER team discount for the FIRST 100 TEAMS to complete their registrations.
- $425 for teams in the 8th through 11th Grade divisions
- $325 for teams in the 12U & 13U divisions
UNRESTRICTED NATIONAL REG RATES: January 1st & beyond
- $525 for teams in the 8th through 11th Grade divisions
- $425 for teams in the 12U & 13U divisions
- THREE game guarantee with additional games for Championship Round qualifiers
- THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE & CREDIBLE EVALUATION SERVICES IN GRASSROOTS BASKETBALL GymRat Evaluation Team on hand throughout the weekend for talent evaluation & selection of All-GymRat CHALLENGE team and MVPs in each age division for inclusion in the GymRat REPORT that is available to every college coach in the nation.
- Potential for MAXIMUM of 6 games over the event weekend
- POOL PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP FORMAT
- POOL PLAY concludes at 11:15 AM on the final day of competition
- Pool Champions & potential Wildcard teams advance to the CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND beginning at 1:35 PM on the final day of competition
- CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND format includes
- Bracket play based on POOL PLAY performance and resulting CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND seed
- Single elimination with MAXIMUM of three games in CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND play
- Champions awarded in each CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND bracket
- This three-game maximum CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND formatreduces fatigue and results in higher quality performance in all brackets of the CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND
- This format allows all CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND qualifiers to play a minimum of one and a maximum of three games in this highly competitive round.
- This format preserves the legendary trademark Championship–style of the GymRat CHALLENGE, allows for national recognition for winners in all brackets, and allows for early conclusion times for all teams.
- Certified referees for all games.
- Athletic Trainers on site
THE GymRat CHALLENGE IS A STAY TO PLAY EVENT. ALL TEAMS NEEDING HOTEL SPACE ARE REQUIRED TO BOOK THROUGH THE GymRat CHALLENGE’S HOTEL LOGISTICS PARTNER HALPERN TRAVEL. TEAMS BOOKING HOTEL SPACE OUTSIDE OF THIS SYSTEM WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE EVENT SCHEDULE.
Because of the size and scope of the GymRat CHALLENGE events, All of the discounted hotel rates are contractually GUARANTEED to be the lowest available at any hotel property during GymRat event weekends. View hotel requirements & options at http://gymratchallenge.com/boys-event/team-hotel-requirements/
In accordance with USA Basketball’s Grade and Age Eligibility Requirements, the following competition divisions will be offered at the GymRat CHALLENGE
- 11th Grade– Athletes must be enrolled in the 11th grade or below (as of October 1, 2024) AND cannot turn 19 prior to September 1, 2025
- 10th Grade– Athletes must be enrolled in the 10th grade or below (as of October 1, 2024) AND cannot turn 18 prior to September 1, 2025
- 9th Grade– Athletes must be enrolled in the 9th grade or below (as of October 1, 2024) AND cannot turn 17 prior to September 1, 2025
- 14U– Athletes cannot turn 15 prior to September 1, 2025 (age division, no grade exceptions)
- 13U– Athletes cannot turn 14 prior to September 1, 2025 (age division, no grade exceptions)
- 12U– Athletes cannot turn 13 prior to September 1, 2025 (age division, no grade exceptions)
It is the responsibility of the head coach to provide age and grade (if applicable) verification for players at any time throughout the tournament. Permitted forms of player age verification include birth certificates, passports and government-issued IDs (originals, hard copies or digital copies). Permitted forms of player grade verification include school-issued report cards or school administrator confirmation of grade issued on school letterhead (originals, hard copies or digital copies).
USA BASKETBALL COACH LICENSE INFORMATION
The USA Basketball Coach License program focuses on educating coaches while ensuring the safety of those with whom the coach may come in contact. The program is designed to develop an inclusive basketball community of credible, qualified and dedicated coaches and administrators who serve the game.
There are two USA Basketball Coach License types: gold and associate. Both licenses require successfully passing a background check and completing online courses. The gold license provides additional benefits and coaching resources, but either license type is permitted for all coaches and bench personnel participating in Alliance Tournaments.
* While either license type is permitted for Official Qualifiers, coaches and event operators participating in NCAA-Certified events are still required to obtain a USA Basketball Gold Coach License, as mandated by the NCAA. More information can be found at https://www.usab.com/youth/development/coach/coach-license.aspx
COACH LICENSE SEASON
All licenses are valid from completion date through August 31st of the license year.
PROCESS TO OBTAIN A COACH LICENSE
- Step 1: Go to https://community.usab.com/
- Step 2: Select PROCEED under Coach Registration.
- *If you had an account in the previous season, click LOGIN in the top right corner and follow the prompted steps to renew your license.
- Step 3: Enter your account information, select your license type and pay the corresponding fee.
- Step 4: On your dashboard, select the BACKGROUND SCREENING bubble to begin your check through our screening partner Verified Volunteers.
- Step 5: On your dashboard, select the COURSES bubble and complete the required courses in your account.
Once your background check is clear and you have completed your courses, you will become licensed for the season and receive the benefits associated with your license level. Once licensed, set your online coach account profile to “public” view to allow for real-time verification of licensure.