Gopher State Football League

GSFL April Virtual Kickoff Meeting Recap

By GSFL Staff —

On April 20, the Gopher State Football League (GSFL) held its 2026 Virtual Kickoff Meeting, officially launching the 2026 GSFL season.

With 18 associations represented, GSFL managing directors and MYAS staff highlighted key statistics from the inaugural 2025 season, which included 182 teams, more than 4,000 players, and 779 certified coaches.

Building on the momentum of the league’s inaugural season, the GSFL introduced several new initiatives for 2026, all designed to support the continued growth of the game. These initiatives include designated outreach sessions with each participating community throughout the month of June to better understand the needs of individual associations, as well as the implementation of more streamlined league communication through football@myas.org.

In addition to offseason communication improvements, the GSFL announced the transition to a three-tiered team rating structure. This adjustment is intended to create more balanced and competitive divisions while continuing to prioritize geographic proximity in scheduling decisions. The group also emphasized the importance of ongoing dialogue between league leadership and community directors to better assess team balance and assist with scheduling, particularly as schedules will now be finalized earlier in the year.

To support families and associations with long-term planning, the GSFL also established a clear and transparent structure for the 2026 season. This includes a firm August 3 registration and scheduling request deadline, along with designated weeks during the season when weeknight games are likely to occur.

Finally, the league announced several updates to platforms used for league operations, including Trusted Coaches and RegisterPlay. Beginning in 2026, each team will have two coaches receive a full background check, concussion training, and child safety training as part of the team registration fee. Additionally, RegisterPlay has introduced enhanced administrative tools aimed at improving league management, including more efficient export capabilities for both individual teams and entire associations.

With the 2026 season now officially underway, the league is excited to continue working alongside association leaders to build on last year’s success and bring the GSFL to new heights in 2026.

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