For the last several years the best of the best youth baseball teams in Minnesota have made the MYAS Gopher State Tournament of Champions one of the premier events each summer in the Upper Midwest. Teams of players ages 10 to 15 will converge on 14 different locations across the state of Minnesota to decide state champions in three levels of play (AAA, AA and A). The quality of play at the GSTC is second to none as the  32 team brackets bring together teams who have all earned berths with victories in previous events. 

While the Covid 19 pandemic slowed play down in 2020, MYAS event coordinator Bobby Strickland says that this year's GSTC should be similar to 2019 when over 550 teams took part. 

"Now that we are back to having 32 team brackets,  teams are very excited to have the same tournament atmosphere we had prior to 2020" said Strickland. "Teams are also very excited at the opportunity to win rings after a year of not having the opportunity and hosts can't wait to get teams back on their fields, especially ones that were able to upgrade their fields since 2019."

Tournament play begins July 9-11 for AA teams in 5 locations including Brooklyn Park, where the Brooklyn Park Athletic Association is hosting the 10AA tournament. According to tournament director Brian Oxborough, Brooklyn Park loves hosting this event, both for the proceeds that it brings in and for the prestige that it brings to their community:

"It has been a great tournament for us to host since for many of the teams, the players are experiencing their first season of travel baseball and the Tournament of Champions is the culmination of a season of hardwork and effort to reach this point" said Oxborough. 

As for the proceeds that the GSTC brings in, Oxborough says that those dollars go right back into their association to make things even better for next year and into the future. 

"The money flows back into the association to assist in covering budgeted expenses to run the association annually as well as to augment the cost of future improvements we hope to make to better the association."

So is it just about the money? Not for Brooklyn Park. According to Oxborough in addition to the funds that go back into their association, there's a certain amount of pride that their volunteers take in showing off their fields and facilities. He explains that teams have an expectation and a hope that the fields look great and that they are very playable, and that they're able to provide that experience at Northwoods Park and Zane Sports Park. 

"Northwoods Park is our crown gem that allows us to receive so much positive feedback from visiting teams" Oxborough explained.

"Hosting a GSTC not only gives a community an opportunity to showcase their fields but also gets to show teams how they operate as an association" said Strickland.  "All of our hosts have great systems in place and that is apparent when you are on site at these tournaments."

Aside from the particulars of putting all of the GSTC tournaments together and coordinating with all of the associations, Strickland says that in the end, it's the baseball itself that makes it all worthwhile for him. 

"My favorite part about the GSTC is the chance for every team, whether you are the #1 seed or the #32 seed, you have a chance to win the title. Every pitch, every swing counts" he said. "You are playing with the same roster since the beginning of the season and it's a great opportunity to see how much the kids have developed their skills over the course of the season."

The schedule and locations for this year's Gopher State Tournament of Champions is as follows:

JULY 9-11

10AA - Brooklyn Park

11AA - Buffalo

12AA - Sartell

13AA - Mankato 

15AA - Plymouth/Wayzata

JULY 16-18

10AAA - Plymouth/Wayzata

11AAA - Eden Prairie

12AAA - Inver Grove Heights

13AAA - Rochester

15AAA - Brainerd

JULY 23-25

9U - Roseville

10A - Rosemount

11A - Farmington

12A - Shakopee

13A - Anoka/Ramsey

14/15A - Brooklyn Park

 This free site is ad-supported. Learn more
​