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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 June 16, 2025 and includes information about Dave Malley's retirement.
The previous update includes information about the
State Baseball and Softball umpires and new dues policies and payment options.
June 16, 2025
After 45 years of primarily officiating Baseball, a few years of Football, several years of Adapted Sports, and many years of officiating Basketball for Gopher State Officials Association, Dave Malley has made the decision to retire. He earned it.
Dave worked his final high school game Thursday, June 5. It was a section final in baseball. Dave was on the plate calling balls and strikes and he was sensational as he always is, said Tim Litfin. Tim worked the game with Dave as did Nick Litfin.
The PA announcer recognized Dave with an announcement at the top of the 6th inning. Dave did not know the announcement was coming and he was truly humbled. Nick estimated the attendance at 350. All 350 people were on their feet recognizing and applauding Dave Malley for his years of service to students, schools, his officiating colleagues, and the MSHSL. All of this happened while Dave stood listening at home plate. It was beautiful, Dave said later.
Gopher State Officials Association proudly recognizes and thanks Dave Malley for his 45 years of selfless contributions to Gopher State and the schools we serve.
May 22, 2025
Congratulations to the umpires below who were selected to work the State Softball or State Baseball tournaments!
State Softball
Don Bowman 6/4/2025 Consolation Semi-Finals A/Semi-Finals A Home Plate/Umpire1
Dan Evans 6/5/2025 Consolation Championship AA/3rd Place AA Umpire2/ Umpire1
Kathy Graen 6/4/2025 Consolation Semi-Finals AA/ Semi-Finals AA Home Plate/Umpire2
Geno Hanson 6/5/2025 Consolation Championship AA/3rd Place AA Umpire1/ Home Plate
Dennis Harris 6/3/2025 Quarterfinals AAA/ Quarterfinals A Umpire2/ Umpire1
James Holt 6/4/2025 Consolation Semi-Finals AAAA/ Semi-Finals AAAA Home Plate/Umpire2
Gerald Johnson 6/4/2025 Consolation Semi-Finals AAAA/ Semi-Finals AAAA Home Plate/Umpire2
Tom Knoblauch 6/3/2025 Quarterfinals AAA/ Quarterfinals A Umpire1/ Umpire2
Bart Peck 6/4/2025 Consolation Semi-Finals A/ Semi-Finals A Home Plate/Umpire1
Keith Purinton 6/4/2025 Consolation Semi-Finals A/ Semi-Finals A Umpire2/ Home Plate
Scott Schimetz 6/3/2025 Quarterfinals AAAA/ Quarterfinals AA Umpire2/ Umpire1
Rick Shomion 6/4/2025 Consolation Semi-Finals AA/ Semi-Finals AA Umpire2/ Home Plate
Andrew True 6/3/2025 Quarterfinals AAAA/ Quarterfinals AA Umpire1/ Umpire2
Alexis Walker 6/4/2025 Consolation Semi-Finals AAA/ Semi-Finals AAA Umpire2/ Umpire1
Scott Weis 6/4/2025 Consolation Semi-Finals AAAA/ Semi-Finals AAAA Umpire2/ Umpire1
Finals
Dennis Harris 6/6/2025 Championship AAAA Home Plate
Scott Schimetz 6/6/2025 Championship AAA Home Plate
State Baseball
Ryan Bellefy 6/11/2025 Quarterfinals AA/ Quarterfinals AA Umpire2/ Umpire1
Dan Kvitrud 6/11/2025 Quarterfinals AAAA/ Quarterfinals AAAA Pitch Count Recorder/Pitch Count Recorder
Tim Litfin 6/11/2025 Quarterfinals AAA/ Quarterfinals AAA Pitch Count Recorder/Pitch Count Recorder
Nick Litfin 6/12/2025 3rd Place A/ Consolation Semi-Finals A Umpire2/ Home Plate
Jason Weber 6/11/2025 Quarterfinals AAAA/ Quarterfinals AAAA Pitch Count Recorder/Pitch Count Recorder
2025-26 Dues
The Board of Directors voted at their most recent meeting to make some modifications to the dues policies.
The Board voted to eliminate the processing fee for credit cards. Instead, dues for each sport will go up $5 and the fee is simply incorporated into the dues amount. For the 2025-26 school year, dues for football will be $80, basketball will be $110, and softball/baseball will be $95.
Officials who work more than one sport can pay all of their dues at once and receive a 10 dollar discount for two sports and a $15 discount for three sports. You do not get a discount if you pay dues individually.
The costs for 2025-26 will be as follows:
Football $80
Basketball $110
Baseball/Softball $95
Football & Basketball $180 ($10 discount)
Football & Baseball/Softball $165 ($10 discount)
Basketball & Baseball/Softball $195 ($10 discount)
Football & Basketball & Baseball/Softball $270 ($15 discount)
Due to issues beyond our control, we have eliminated the option to pay via Venmo. For 25-26 checks and credit cards are the only payment options.
Dues payment for 2025-26 is now available on the gopher state website.
April 30, 2025
At the Gopher Board meeting on Sunday, April 27, the Board took the following actions:
Awarded the 2025 Bozo Wincek Award to Donald Adderley.
Awarded the 2025 Rookie of the Year Awards to:
Baseball – Ryan Bellefy
Basketball – Drew Burau
Football – Jason Rutten
Softball – Alexis Walker
Following the resignation from the Board of Eric Gray, approved Matt Olson as an At Large board position and vacated the Football Representative position.
There will be a vacancy in the Football Representative position until the football meeting this fall, when a new representative will be elected.
Approved Scott Schimetz as Gopher's new Treasurer.
Established a code of conduct for the Association's officials.
Established standing committees for each sport, charged with training of current officials and recruiting of new officials for their sport.
Named Rick Baker the Association's new clinician for basketball with the departure of Craig Laird from that position.
Last updated December 20, 2024
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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