Photo by Ron Bygness: An aerial view of Rogers Sports Complex, featuring Diamonds 1, 2 and 3.

Fort Dodge city officials dared to dream big with the state softball tournament.

The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union is making sure that long-term vision comes to life.

The IGHSAU officially announced the first 20-year contract extension in state softball tournament history on Wednesday, solidifying Harlan and Hazel Rogers Sports Complex as the event’s host through at least 2045.

The IGHSAU Board of Directors, Executive Director Erin Gerlich and Associate Director Jason Eslinger confirmed the groundbreaking news in conjunction with Fort Dodge Recreation Services Director Lori Branderhorst, her team, and the Fort Dodge City Council during special meetings this morning.

“This is a win for everyone across the board,” said Branderhorst, the long-time city parks and recreation worker who has been involved in some capacity with 46 of the 56 state softball tournaments in Fort Dodge. “We are tremendously proud and thankful for the relationships and trust we’ve built through the years with the IGHSAU.

“I think that’s what it really comes down to: all of the people involved and the work we’ve done to make sure they believe in us and we believe in them. It goes back not just years, but generations. We couldn’t be more thrilled.”

Fort Dodge first became the state softball host in the fall of 1970 – two years after Rogers Park opened. A total of 981,073 fans have attended the tournament and visited the community since. This is already the longest current partnership of any state event with its host among all sports in Iowa.

Gerlich, who became the IGHSAU’s Executive Director in 2024, said “the love and support we feel from everyone involved (locally) during tournament time is unmatched.”

“Quite simply, the relationship we’ve built with the city of Fort Dodge and all departments involved over the past 55-plus years gives the IGHSAU confidence in the experience we are looking to deliver for this state event,” Gerlich said. “There is always extra effort put into the communication and details between organizations, and we all live the ‘dream big’ mentality to provide the best possible experience for those who attend this tournament year in and year out. “We appreciate the creativity and challenge of pulling off this event, and look forward to always making it better. The alignment within the IGHSAU, the City of Fort Dodge, the Parks and Recreation Department, and everyone else involved creates an excitement and ultimately an end product that we can all be proud of.”

The city has committed $6 million over the next five years to renovating the “mini major” fields at Rogers Park, with lights, press, seating and parking upgrades accommodating state softball’s move to a double-elimination format beginning in 2026. Five fields will be used in total.

Tournament week represents a minimum impact of $1 million on the local economy every summer, when an average of over 17,000 fans visit to cheer on the 40 qualifying teams.

“We’ve never stopped investing, which has been key,” Fort Dodge City Manager David Fierke said. “Lori, her staff and the city council deserve a lot of credit for always trying to figure out what the future will look like and what’s coming next. They do so by listening and paying attention to the IGHSAU’s big picture.

“There is such a sense of pride here when it comes to being the state softball tournament host. It’s not just what we do, but also, what can we do? Just a very collaborative, special relationship through the years. Obviously securing a 20-year extension is a very big deal for a multitude of reasons. We are super excited to keep reinvesting in ourselves and embracing this as a community event. So many factors are taken into consideration here, so it really speaks to the strong communication across the board that a deal like this is able to get done.”

A pivotal factor in the past, present and future of the IGHSAU’s investment in Fort Dodge is the involvement of Iowa Central Community College. At least 75 percent of the qualifying teams typically stay on campus during state softball week as an affordable alternative and a more secluded environment for players and coaches to prepare.

“Iowa Central is really proud of being the ‘home away from home’ for so many teams year after year,” ICCC President Dr. Jesse Ulrich said. “This is one of the more memorable weeks in an athlete’s career, and we want to make sure they experience a safe, welcoming environment while they’re with us.

“We are truly blessed to be an integral part of the process, and it’s a responsibility we take seriously. I love hearing from people who maybe spent time on campus 10, 20 or 30 years ago, then they revisit and comment on how much it’s changed. The city and the complex (at Rogers Park) continue to evolve and accommodate, and we’re doing the same.”

Long-time Fort Dodge city council member Dave Flattery, who is running unopposed for mayor this fall, added the Iowa Central factor “closes the deal.”

“It’s already such a terrific and unique experience top to bottom for players and fans alike, but the vision Iowa Central has shown pushes the package over the top,” Flattery said. “It’s so important to put the kids first, and Iowa Central has done that by offering housing for what really amounts to the whole field (if they so choose). Now that it’s going to a double-elimination format, that becomes even more important since teams will be here longer.

“This is a great day for Fort Dodge. Such a big win. I want to commend Lori and her staff for their efforts, as well as the work (grounds superintendent and sports turf manager) Chad Graaf has done with his crew in making (Rogers Sports Complex) a top-notch facility that is second to none. Yet it goes beyond that, all the way through the workers, volunteers, businesses and everyone else who puts their best foot forward each and every year. It’s an announcement that everyone should be celebrating.”

Branderhorst pointed to the “collective success” mentality, citing the efforts of her staff, Graaf and his crew, the city, Iowa Central, the Greater Fort Dodge Growth Alliance and Fort Dodge Convention and Visitors Bureau, as well as all of the businesses and volunteers who step up and forward before, during and after tournament week.

Current mayor Matt Bemrich, who will not seek re-election this fall after 16 years at the helm, added “state softball week always brings out the best in our community.”

“It’s a tradition that started before I was born, and it will continue into my 70s if I’m lucky enough to see the day,” laughed Bemrich, who turned 52 this week. “Think about that. We should never take it for granted, and we need to praise both Lori and her staff and the IGHSAU for believing in each other the way they have.

“There are people in our community who have been helping and working state softball from the start, and continue to do so diligently and faithfully every year. They look forward to it. They plan their schedules around it. This is a shared mission in every sense of the (concept). We’re grateful for the five-plus decades dating back to 1970, and are now looking forward to the next 20. Hopefully 50-some years from now, we’ll still be talking about state softball in Fort Dodge.”