The Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) presented Rich Walden, a longtime sports official and mentor, with the prestigious Mal Mayse Distinguished Service Award on Nov. 1, 2024. This honor recognizes his extraordinary dedication and contributions to high school athletics in Missouri.
"I’m truly honored and very humbled when I opened my letter from MSHSAA notifying me of this prestigious award," Walden said. "Sports have always been important to me in my life, and this recognition means the world to me."
Walden’s journey in sports began at a young age, playing baseball and basketball throughout his childhood. His first experience in coaching came during his senior year of high school when his coach asked him to assist with the girls' softball team. That experience sparked a lifelong passion for youth sports, and Walden went on to coach baseball, softball, and basketball for 24 years.
In 1990, Walden found a new calling—officiating. After being asked to referee a basketball camp at Missouri State University, Walden joined the MSHSAA Officials fraternity, where he proudly served for the next 25 years in basketball and over 30 years in softball.
"The bug bit, and I’ve been a proud member of MSHSAA’s officials community ever since," Walden said.
Throughout his officiating career, Walden has held many notable roles, including becoming the rules interpreter for southwest Missouri in 1998. In 2010, he became the Umpire-in-Chief for the MSHSAA Softball Championships at Killian Complex, a role he continues to hold today.
Walden’s impact on the field is undeniable. He has umpired in six state softball championships and one state basketball championship, with two standout games that remain particularly special to him. The first was in 2001, a thrilling 21-inning state championship game between Pleasant Hill and Helias Catholic, during which Pleasant Hill’s Samantha Fleeman struck out 44 batters—both state records that still stand today. The second was in 2020 when Father Tolton's Paige Bedsworth retired the first 14 batters, 12 of them by strikeout, in a dominant 16-strikeout performance against Penney.
Reflecting on his career, Walden said, "It’s a balancing act between home life, work, and officiating games. You miss your own kids’ games and spend countless hours training and away from home, but the reward is knowing you gave your best efforts to ensure a fair and honest game."
In 2004, Walden was also recognized as the MSHSAA Official of the Year, further cementing his legacy as one of Missouri’s top sports officials.
Walden attributes much of his success to the friendships he has formed along the way, both with fellow officials and coaches.
"It’s a brotherhood," he said. "I’ve made a lot of memories officiating sports, but the best part has been the officials and coaches I now call friends. I love what I do for MSHSAA and again, I’m truly honored and humbled by this award."
MSHSAA congratulates Rich Walden on his outstanding career and his well-deserved recognition with the Mal Mayse Distinguished Service Award. His passion for sports, commitment to fair play, and dedication to MSHSAA have made a lasting impact on high school athletics in Missouri.