Welcome to THE GYM RAT TRAIN & PLAY AAU PROGRAM

Gym Rat AAU is built around player development first. While tournaments are part of the experience, our focus is on building real basketball skills, confidence, and basketball IQ through consistent training and coaching. Our goal is to help players improve and grow in the game the right way.

All Gym Rat coaches have played college basketball, coached at the college level, or coached high school basketball. Our staff brings years of experience in teaching the game, developing players, and preparing athletes for the next level.

Teams typically practice 2–3 times per week. These practices focus on skill development, decision making, and competitive situations that translate directly to games.

Development in the gym is always our priority.

Our teams usually participate in a limited number of tournaments during the season (6-10). Unlike many AAU programs, we are not focused on chasing tournament championships every weekend.

Our philosophy is simple:

Players improve through training, not just playing games.

Our AAU programs typically range from $800 to $1600 per season, depending on:

• Age level
• Number of practices
• Number of tournaments

This structure allows us to keep the focus on training and development rather than excessive travel.

Communication is very important in our program. Families receive a weekly newsletter that includes updates, schedules, and important information so everyone stays informed and organized.

We are committed to maintaining a positive, disciplined, and team-first environment for our players and coaches. We expect families to support the culture we are building.

Players thrive when the environment around them is focused on growth, effort, and respect for the game.

We are very clear about our approach: Gym Rat is a development-focused program. We expect families to fully support the training process and the culture of the program.

If a family is not aligned with that philosophy, this may not be the right program for them.

Our priority will always be protecting the positive environment for our players and coaches.

Our younger teams primarily compete in the Pittsburgh area, allowing players to develop their skills without excessive travel demands.

For our high school teams, travel may increase depending on the age group and the goals of the team. Most tournaments are typically within two hours of Pittsburgh, making it manageable for families while still providing strong competition.

Occasionally, our high school teams may attend recruitment-focused tournaments, particularly for players in their junior year, where college coaches are more likely to be evaluating prospects.

Our goal is to balance competitive opportunities with player development, rather than spending every weekend traveling long distances.