MAY 17, 2020-Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting public health precautions and restrictions, GymRat Basketball has officially postponed both the 2020 BOYS and GIRLS GymRat CHALLENGE events. The 2020 BOYS GymRat CHALLENGE was originally scheduled for Memorial Day Weekend (May 23-24) and, on March 31st, was moved to June 20-21 in response to COVID-19. The 2020 GIRLS GymRat CHALLENGE was scheduled for June 13-14.

As one of the largest, most storied, and most competitive grassroots basketball events in the nation, the GymRat CHALLENGE takes very seriously the responsibility that it has to the basketball community, to the communities and facilities that host our events, and to the general public, so operating our events safely is our top priority.

We also realize that this a time of great angst for players (and their parents) that have had their recruiting process slowed, interrupted, or halted by COVID-19. As such, we are continuing designs on an event that will allow players to showcase their skills in front of college coaches before the end of the summer. As a primary part of that process, we remain persistent in our daily activities to gather information and consult with public health officials, government officials, USA Basketball, our partner facilities and sponsors in order to ensure that any GymRat event would be conducted while also protecting the health, safety, and well-being of all of our participating teams, players, coaches, fans, staff, and college coaches.


To further aide in the recruiting process, we are also working diligently to release exciting and interactive new tools through the GymRat RECRUITING Index. These new tools include virtual access to the GymRat ADVISORY Board comprised of former college coaches. This GymRat RECRUITING Index ADVISORY profile will allow players and parents to receive REAL feedback in REAL time from REAL college coaches that have spent their careers evaluating players, and offering scholarships and roster spots. The GymRat ADVISORY technology has been in development for the past 18 months. We are in the final stages of testing, and are rushing to get it to market during this time of unprecedented need and uncertainty in the recruiting process. More information will follow in the upcoming weeks as this new technology and the resulting " first of its kind" product are released on the market.

We will not announce any new 2020 dates until there is more concrete information available from government and public health officials. Because of the amount of planning and preparation that goes into conducting the GymRat CHALLENGE, we will not announce a new 2020 date unless/until there is a high likelihood that the new date will not have to be moved again. For now:
  1. All teams currently registered to compete in the 2020 GymRat CHALLENGE will automatically have their registrations carried over to the new dates. There is absolutely no need for those teams to "re-register" for any new 2020 event dates.
  2. For those registered teams that cannot attend on the new dates and/or have decided to cancel their entire 2020 seasons due to the pandemic, a full credit will be issued so that those teams will have a free registration into the 2021 GymRat CHALLENGE.
    • This ensures that all 2020 GymRat CHALLENGE registered teams receive at least the full value of their registration fee. If the registration fee for the 2021 GymRat CHALLENGE is higher than the registration fee for the 2020 GymRat CHALLENGE, all 2020 registered teams will still receive a full free entry in 2021.
    • In other words, if your team paid $495 to register for the 2020 GymRat CHALLENGE and the registration fee for the 2021 GymRat CHALLENGE is raised $50 to $545, your team will NOT be charged the additional $50 to enter in 2021.
  • For teams that have booked hotels though Halpern Travel for the postponed 2020 GymRat CHALLENGE dates, those reservations will be automatically cancelled by Halpern. Teams that properly booked through Halpern do not have to take any additional actions. Halpern will cancel the reservations a no one will be charged. Each guest will receive an e-mail from Halpern confirming that their reservation has been cancelled.

    • MAY 8, 2020-As one of the largest, most storied, and most competitive grassroots basketball events in the nation, the GymRat CHALLENGE takes very seriously the responsibility that it has to the general public, the basketball community, and to the communities and facilities that host our events. COVID-19 has had an unprecedented impact on how all of us are living our lives, providing for our families, and conducting our businesses. With public health precautions taking top priority across the country and around the world, we continue our information gathering and consultation with public health officials, government officials, USA Basketball, our partner facilities and sponsors in order to protect the health, safety, and well-being of all of our participating teams, players, coaches, fans, staff, and college coaches. As Governor Cuomo’s region by region re-opening plan for New York State continues to evolve and data is gathered and measured, we expect to make a decision within approximately one week about the status of our current 2020 GymRat CHALLENGE dates. These decisions are being made after a great deal of dialogue and planning, and most importantly, with the health, safety, and well-being of all of our participating teams, players, coaches, fans, staff, and college coaches as the top priority. Here are the contingencies that are being planned:
    1. If the 2020 GymRat CHALLENGE cannot be conducted on the currently announced dates (June 13-14 for GIRLS & June 20-21 for BOYS), but we are given information that the events are likely to be able to be conducted later this summer or fall, we will postpone the events and announce the new dates once there is more concrete information available from government and public health officials. Because of the amount of planning and preparation that goes into conducting the GymRat CHALLENGE, we will not announce a new 2020 date unless/until there is a high likelihood that the new date will not have to be moved again. In this scenario:
      • All teams currently registered to compete in the 2020 GymRat CHALLENGE will automatically have their registrations carried over to the new dates. There is absolutely no need for those teams to "re-register" for any new 2020 event dates.
      • For those registered teams that cannot attend on the new dates and/or have decided to cancel their entire 2020 seasons due to the pandemic, a full credit will be issued so that those teams will have a free registration into the 2021 GymRat CHALLENGE.
      • This ensures that all 2020 GymRat CHALLENGE registered teams receive at least the full value of their registration fee. If the registration fee for the 2021 GymRat CHALLENGE is higher than the registration fee for the 2020 GymRat CHALLENGE, all 2020 registered teams will still receive a full free entry in 2021.
      • In other words, if your team paid $495 to register for the 2020 GymRat CHALLENGE and the registration fee for the 2021 GymRat CHALLENGE is raised $50 to $545, your team will NOT be charged the additional $50 to enter in 2021.
    2. If the 2020 GymRat CHALLENGE events have to be cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions and the inability to meet our safety and production standards:
      • All teams currently registered to compete in the 2020 GymRat CHALLENGE will automatically receive a full credit towards a free registration into the 2021 GymRat CHALLENGE.
      • This ensures that all 2020 GymRat CHALLENGE registered teams receive at least the full value of their registration fee. If the registration fee for the 2021 GymRat CHALLENGE is higher than the registration fee for the 2020 GymRat CHALLENGE, all 2020 registered teams will still receive a full free entry in 2021.
      • In other words, if your team paid $495 to register for the 2020 GymRat CHALLENGE and the registration fee for the 2021 GymRat CHALLENGE is raised $50 to $545, your team will NOT be charged the additional $50 to enter in 2021.
    A measure of any good society is what it does to protect the most vulnerable among them. While they are admittedly uncomfortable on many levels, the precautions that we're all being asked to take now, are designed to protect the most vulnerable among us....those with compromised immune systems and/or those over 65 years old....many of whom have helped raise and provide for us. We all have people who fall into those categories as parts or our families and/or social circles.
    Please follow the full guidelines from public health officials in order to protect all of them....and all of us.

    Be prudent. Be patient. Be prepared….But do NOT panic. Basketballs will bounce again.