My name is Rick DeGardner and I will again be assigning baseball/softball games for Gopher Officials for the 2010 season. 

 

For basketball, Gopher Officials switched to a new on-line scheduling system called GotOfficials (AssignByWeb recently went out of business).  We will be using GotOfficials for the upcoming baseball/softball season as well.  GotOfficials will be the method in which you will indicate your availability, accept/reject assignments, contact schools and partners, etc.  You should have received a User Name and Password from GotOfficials, if not, contact me, Bozo or John Monson   When you receive this information, you need to log on and indicate what days you are not available to work (Under “My Availability” section).  Also review/update your contact information under “My Profile.”  This needs to be done by February 19, 2010.  For those of you that work Gopher basketball, you can use your same username and password for baseball/softball.

 

In addition to inputting pertinent information (dates available/not available, contact information, etc) via the GotOfficials website, attached is an Umpire Information Sheet (also available on Gopher website - http://www.citilink.com/~bozoref/gopher.htm) that will assist me in scheduling you for games.  Please be as complete as possible.  The more information you provide me (preferred partner(s), what part of the metro area you want to be scheduled, # games you want to work per week, level of games preferred/willing to work, willingness to travel, etc.) the better chance I have of preparing a schedule that fits your expectations.  Please return the completed Umpire Information Sheet (either email a pdf file to rickdeg@comcast.net or US mail at the address listed below) to me no later than February 19, 2010. 

 

To summarize, you need to log in to GotOfficials to provide your availability/contact information AND send me the Umpire Information Sheet. I will not be able to assign you any games until BOTH items are taken care of.

 

If you are no longer interested in working baseball/softball for Gopher this Spring, please respond to this email so I can remove you from the distribution list.

 

Our Base/Softball meeting will be held Sunday March 28 at 4:00 P.M. at the Brooklyn Park Community Center located at 5600 85th Ave North. The building is located two blocks East of Zane Ave, where the hockey arena is.

Remember to attend a MSHSL Rules Interpretation Meeting on one of the following dates or you can go online at www.mshsl.org and fulfill the requirement on-line (Softball starts at 6:30pm and Baseball at 7:30pm)

Thursday, March 18

Hill-Murray School

 

Tuesday, March 23

Hopkins (Small Theater)

 

¨      The application deadline for MSHSL State Tournament assignments is April 1, 2010. Interested umpires must register via the MSHSL website (www.mshsl.org)

¨      Shawn Vellek will be on hand at the March meeting if you are in need of any official’s equipment. He will be bringing hats, shirts, ball bags, indicators and other small items. If you need larger items like jackets, shoes or plate equipment, call him at 612-928-1764 prior to the meeting.

¨      Clark will be our clinician this year for baseball and softball; we will talk more about this at our meeting. He is planning on holding an indoor clinic for our umpires.

¨      Dues this year are $65 if they are paid before April 2, 2010. After that they become $80. Pay your dues at the March 28 meeting or send your check to Bozo (6307 61st Ave N, Crystal, MN 55428). No one will get any assignments until all dues owed for previous sports are paid in full.

 

The best way to get a hold of me with any questions is via email ( rickdeg@comcast.net ).  I check for email messages several times each day.

 

 

Rick DeGardner

504 Oak Creek Drive South, Vadnais Heights, MN 55127

Home) 651-490-5940

Work)  651-982-2444

Cell) 651-252-8197

E-mail) rickdeg@comcast.net