USA Softball Region 9

Rick Hansen began his long and distinguished career with ASA/USA Softball in 1975 as a C level slow-pitch player with a group of friends and co-workers.

 Rick started the adventure with fastpitch in ASA/USA Softball years later in 1992 when a group of parents from Ricks 9-year-old daughters soccer team decided to enroll the girls in fastpitch softball with the local league, Vancouver Girls Softball Association (VGSA).

As a result of his daughters’ participation in VGSA, Rick began volunteering and within two years, was the VGSA Junior Olympic (JO) League Coordinator for District 6 (Vancouver). He was active in helping run tournaments and assisting with the Board of Director activities. In his capacity as VGSA JO League Coordinator, Rick attended the local, State and National meetings, all the while, Rick continued to coach his daughter’s team from 1994 to 1997.

In 1996, Rick was appointed JO Commissioner for District 6, a position he held until 2002 after which he became the Washington State JO Commissioner.  Rick was subsequently elected to the position of Regional JO Commissioner.  With a USA Softball of Washington leadership change in 2005, Carol English-Hawley became the Commissioner and Rick took a bigger role in the state organization as the JO under Carol. In 2015, Rick Succeeded Carol and was appointed Commissioner of USA Softball of Washington State and has remained in this position to date.

In 2015 Rick was elected as Regional Director of region 15 (now Region 09) and held the role through 2025. In 2018 Rick was the Advisor for the Special Olympics National Games in Seattle.  In 2024, Rick was appointed the Internum Commissioner of Idaho. Rick became the Regional Vice President in 2025.

In addition to the aforementioned, Rick has served as the Co-Chair of the National Junior Olympic Committee for five (5) years, the Co-Chair of the National Commissioner Committee for three (3) years, the USA Representative for Men’s D&E Recreational Western National Tournaments four (4) times and the USA Representative for the JO Western National Tournaments (all levels in Salem (OR), Portland (OR), Tri-Cities (WA), and Vancouver (WA) ten (10) times.

Throughout his association with USA Softball of Washington, Rick has been a trusted mentor, advisor, confident and friend to all through the state, region and all of USA Softball. He has worked tirelessly to help build the great organization that we are proud to be a part of today.

For those of us fortunate enough to have volunteered alongside Rick, we are greatly appreciative of his commitment to ensuring the success of our district, state and regional associations. Above all, Ricks primary commitment remains to ensure that the participants, as well as the leadership, have the most positive, fulfilling, and safest experience of their lives.