SEASIDE, Calif. — Amanda Hansen is the newest addition to the Cal State Monterey Bay softball dugout. She joins Emily Montañez's staff as pitching coach for the 2027 campaign.
Hansen's introduction to CSUMB came through a trusted voice. "My old roommate, who is the Head Coach at Vanguard University, told me about the job and how wonderful Coach Montañez is," she said. "She thought I would love it here! I took a chance on myself and interviewed. The rest is history."
The decision felt right from the start. "To meet a head coach so passionate about the sport I have loved since I started playing at eight years old got me excited to coach beside her and represent CSUMB," she said. The campus and surrounding scenery didn't hurt either. "Not to mention the beauty of the area and the campus!"
For Hansen, the opportunity matched her lifelong passion. Hansen knew early on that coaching was her calling.
"I knew from the day I took my last step on that college field at Long Beach State (her alma mater) that I wanted to coach because of the impact my pitching coach and head coach had on my experience," she said. "I couldn't be more grateful for the faith they had in me."
That inspiration guided her first steps in the profession. "I have paid it forward since 2016 starting as a JV head coach at an all-girls Catholic school in the heart of Long Beach and then my recent four-year stint of collegiate coaching as an assistant," Hansen said. "I have loved every team I have led and grown with."
Coaching, she added, fills her in ways nothing else can. "My cup is full when I get to help others see themselves in the best ways—through eyes that see the good and bad but are of so much worth no matter what," she said. "Coaching does not only fill my cup, it lights me up inside!"
Every stop along the way has shaped Hansen's approach. "I believe every experience we go through in life, whether it be good or bad, helps build us and gives us the chance to help someone else that experiences similar," she said. "All of the lessons learned in college, the discipline that was created, the follow-through that was forged by those decisions I made back then have prepared me for now."
She keeps perspective close at hand. "There is no better time than the present," Hansen said, referencing a favorite author. "'The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives.'"
Hansen's coaching style balances structure with joy. "I am a patient, adaptable, positive, structured, thorough, attention-to-detail kind of coach!" she said. "I love to see my athletes succeed on and off the field."
She draws inspiration from an unlikely source. "I'd like to say I have a similar philosophy to Ted Lasso" Hansen said. "My love for life and softball guide me in my decision making, and getting to know each player helps me tailor their experience to their needs. Coaching is LIFE!"
As she settles into her role, Hansen's goals are clear. "In my first year as an Otter, I want to build a pitching staff that is confident, competitive, and connected," she said. "My goal is to establish a strong culture of accountability and camaraderie, where our pitchers genuinely trust and push each other every day."
Her vision for the staff is straightforward. "On the field, I want us to develop a staff that attacks hitters, competes with confidence, and gives our team a chance to win every game," she said. "Ultimately, I want to help create a culture that competes for a conference championship while building the foundation for sustained success at CSUMB."
GO OTTERS!
