Mike Ray was caught off guard when he was honored Sunday with the Western Region 2014 District Administrator Little League Meritorious Service Award.
“It was kind of a shock,” Ray said, describing his reaction when the honor was announced Sunday at the 26th Little League International Congress in Minneapolis, Minn.
Ray is in his 15th year as the volunteer District Administrator for Washington District 4, which includes leagues in Vancouver and east to Stevenson.
Little League International honored two volunteers from each of its nine world-wide regions at a volunteer recognition lunch. Little League holds its international meetings once every four years.
Ray said he didn’t know he was nominated for the award, and didn’t believe he was more deserving than other volunteer administrators in the western United States.
“I think all the district administrators work hard,” he said.
Ray has volunteered for Little League in Clark County for 35 years, beginning as a coach for a T-ball team and eventually moving into administrative roles.
“I do it for the kids. That’s the only reason I can give” for 35 years as a Little League volunteer, Ray said.
Among his accomplishments, Ray listed getting his district split in two as perhaps most significant. Beginning in 2004, the 18 Little Leagues between Kalama and Stevenson were divided into two districts, meaning the area could advance two teams to state tournaments.
“We play good baseball and softball here, so its nice to be able to send two teams to state,” Ray said.
Ray has also been instrumental in bringing several regional tournaments to Vancouver. Again in 2014, Ray will be the tournament director for the Junior Baseball Western Regional, which takes place during the first week of August at Clark College’s Kindsfather Field.
Prior to going to Minneapolis for the Little League congress, Ray spent two weeks in Babati, Tanzania, with a group of volunteers from the Vancouver First Church of Christ.
Ray said the students at Aldersgate School in Tanzania had not seen a baseball or a bat before they arrived. Ray said he plans to work with Little League to establish a league in Tanzania.
“I guess that’s my next task,” he said.
