Gus Ramah Basketball Tournament

Cheering rang from the basketball courts all day long as campers from every eidah competed in the annual Gus Ramah tournament. Created by Coach Gary Peckler, Gus Ramah is a three-on-three basketball tournament that remains an athletic tradition at Camp Ramah.

Coach Gary Peckler (Gus Ramah founder): I started Gus Ramah 12 years ago after I had heard about a man by the name of Gus Macker who started a three-on- three basketball tournament in Detroit. His idea came from kids who played three on three in his backyard and soon his idea grew into a basketball empire with players ages 6 to 60, both men and women and brackets based on players' ages. This tournament traveled around the world and even has its own emblem. I witnessed a tournament of his in Wausau and when Rabbi Soloff asked me how to enhance Ramah's P.E. program, I decided to add more competition to the sports program by creating a three on three basketball tournament. I called it Gus Ramah, borrowing the idea from Gus Macker. 

We do Gus Ramah every year for each eidah. The Rosh Eidah picks teams so that they are equal and some eidot, like Halutzim and Solelim play co-ed. Kids play 5 or 6 games until the championship and they really love it because of the head to head competition within their own age group. A lot of them wear shirts from past years and frame the certificate at home.

I'm just amazed by how skilled campers have become over the past years. Their basketball skills have improved 1,000% because of all the competitive action in sports. When I came to camp, there were only 2 baskets, one court and a few balls. Now, look around at the height we have reached with the sports courts and fields. We have new baskets and new boards and a hundred or so basketballs so everybody can play whenever they want. Every class is a skill class because the coaches teach skills during the day and the games are saved for perek zayin. For some kids, learning how to make a lay-up at camp is the most exciting thing. When you drive into camp and see all the lighting on the basketball and tennis courts and the baseball fields, it looks like Ramah is a sports camp, but really it is also an academic camp.

Lena R. (Halutzim): Gus Ramah was so much fun! Our team made it to the playoffs and I hope we win. I got better at basketball from playing the little games. I can't wait for the playoffs!

James S. (Solelim): I like Gus Ramah because it's fun. It helps me improve my basketball skills. I enjoy playing with my friends; it helps me get to know them better.

Abby K. (Shoafim): It builds teamwork and I get to be with my friends that like basketball. When you do tournaments like this, you get to play competitively.

Alana G. (Bogrim): I was rejuvenated by the physical workout and the team aspect of my fellow peers and other campers at Ramah. I love Gus Ramah.

Eitan D. (Machon): This is my first summer here, so it was really awesome to win Gus Ramah. I had an awesome team and a great experience.