Since 1965, serving members of the Minnesota State High School League by providing high school officials in baseball, basketball, football, and softball and educating officials who are members of the association.
Click here to read important updates from Gopher,
last updated May 25, 2026 and includes information about
Gopher officials working the baseball/softball state tournaments,
the Bozo Wincek Award and Rookie of the Year Awards, and the football meeting.
Baseball/Softball
Congratulations to the Gopher State Umpires who will be working the State Tournaments!
State Softball
6/2 Scott Schimetz Quarterfinals AAA Home Plate
6/2 Scott Schimetz Quarterfinals A Umpire 1
6/2 Carol Sellars Quarterfinals AAA Umpire 1
6/2 Carol Sellars Quarterfinals Umpire 2
6/3 Geno Hanson Consolation Semi-Finals AAAA Umpire 2
6/3 Geno Hanson Semi-Finals AAAA Umpire 1
6/3 James Holt Consolation Semi-Finals AAAA Home Plate
6/3 James Holt Semi-Finals AAAA Umpire 2
6/3 Tom Knoblauch Consolation Semi-Finals AAAA Home Plate
6/3 Tom Knoblauch Semi-Finals AAAA Umpire 2
6/3 Alexis Walker Consolation Semi-Finals AA Home Plate
6/3 Alexis Walker Semi-Finals AA Umpire 2
6/3 Kathy Graen Consolation Semi-Finals A Home Plate
6/3 Kathy Graen Semi-Finals A Umpire 2
6/3 Paul Miller Consolation Semi-Finals A Umpire 1
6/3 Paul Miller Semi-Finals A Umpire 1
6/4 Dennis Harris Consolation Championship AAA Umpire 2
6/4 Dennis Harris 3rd Place AAA Umpire 1
6/4 Brent Buckley Consolation Championship AA Home Plate
6/4 Brent Buckley 3rd Place AA Umpire 2
6/4 Andrew True Consolation Championship A Home Plate
6/4 Andrew True 3rd Place A Umpire 2
6/4 Michael Rudolph Consolation Championship A Umpire 2
6/4 Michael Rudolph 3rd Place Umpire 1
6/5 Alexis Walker Championship AAAA Alternate
6/5 Alexis Walker Championship AAA Alternate
6/5 James Holt Championship AA Alternate
6/5 James Holt Championship A Alternate
State Baseball
6/12 Rob Bissonette Consolation Semi-Finals AAA Home Plate
6/12 Rob Bissonette Consolation Championship AAA Umpire 2
6/12 Nick Litfin Semi-Finals A Umpire 2
6/12 Nick Litfin Semi-Finals A Umpire 1
6/11 Dan Kvitrud Quarterfinals AAAA Pitch Count Recorder
6/11 Dan Kvitrud Quarterfinals AAAA Pitch Count Recorder
6/12 Jason Weber Semi-Finals AAAA Pitch Count Recorder
6/12 Jason Weber Semi-Finals AAAA Pitch Count Recorder
6/12 Tim Litfin Semi-Finals AAA Pitch Count Recorder
6/12 Tim Litfin Semi-Finals AAA Pitch Count Recorder
Football
Some dates were announced recently for the upcoming football season:
Pre-season football meeting for all officials
The football annual meeting will be Sunday August 23, 2026, at the Brooklyn Park Community Center, 5600 85th Ave N, Minneapolis, MN 55443. Meeting will run from 6pm to 8:30 pm. Attendance is required for those who are committed to being a football official, but if you're curious about working football we'd love to have you attend the meeting as well. Reach out to George Winn and Rick DeGardner for more information at ghwinn@comcast.net and rickdeg@comcast.net.
Scrimmages
Saturday 8/29
Start times vary 8:00 AM– 10:00 AM
Regular Season Varsity Schedule
Thursday 9/3 – Friday 10/23
NOTE: MEA week is our week 7. Games will be played Wednesday 10/14
Week 8 games will be played Tuesday 10/20 – Friday 10/23
Summer training sessions will be announced soon
The 2026 Bozo Wincek Memorial Award was awarded to George Winn. George has been an integral part of Gopher State for many years, from being a football official who worked multiple state tournament and state championship games, to his service to the high school league in multiple adapted sports, to his many years of service on the Board, to assigning football these past several years after Bozo stopped, to assigning lower level basketball in a pinch when the regular assignor got sick, he has devoted much of his life to being a great official and helping Gopher State produce great officials and serve our schools. His insight, commitment, and dedication to officials across our association have made a lasting impact on GSOA and across Minnesota. He is the kind of person and official that embodies the spirit of Bozo Wincek, and the Board is honored to award George with this year's Bozo Wincek Award. Congratulations George!
Rookie of the Year Awards
Gopher State Officials Association proudly announces four Gopher officials who were selected as the recipients of the 2026 Gopher Rookie of the Year award winners. Please join the Board in congratulating the following officials:
Basketball - Gina Zech
Football - Ben Lampron
Baseball - Solomon Vana
Softball - James Holt
Last updated October 7, 2025
A tribute page for Gopher's longtime leader Bozo Wincek has been added to the site. It is available here, or under the "About" tab up above.
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