Founder of North Side Girls Baseball League Dies at 45

Rachel Gansner, a Chicago educator and advocate for girls in sports, passed away from stomach cancer.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 8:40pm

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An abstract, energetic painting in bright neon colors, with expressive brushstrokes capturing the dynamic motion and raw athleticism of a girls' baseball game, the players' faces and uniforms dissolving into a blur of movement.The vibrant energy and determination of the girls in Rachel Gansner's baseball league shines through in this expressive, neon-hued painting.Chicago Today

Rachel Gansner, the founder of an all-girls baseball league in Chicago's Warren Park, has died at the age of 45 after a battle with stomach cancer. Gansner started the league in 2024 to provide more opportunities for girls to play baseball, as she believed they were often pushed towards softball instead. The league grew from 20 participants in its first year to over 40 by 2025, with Gansner adding a second league for older girls. Gansner was passionate about changing stereotypes around girls in sports and wanted the girls in her league to feel as respected as the boys.

Why it matters

Gansner's all-girls baseball league challenged traditional gender norms in youth sports, providing an important outlet for girls who were interested in playing baseball rather than softball. Her efforts helped give young female athletes a space to develop their skills and passion for the sport, which is typically dominated by boys at the youth level.

The details

Gansner, a resident of the Edgewater neighborhood, was diagnosed with stomach cancer in December 2024. Prior to starting the baseball league, she had taught early childhood education, including at the Francis W. Parker School in Chicago, and later taught yoga and physical education. Gansner was intentional about the league's initial age range, targeting girls between 6 and 9 years old, as that is when they typically transition from co-ed baseball to girls softball. The league grew to over 40 participants by 2025, prompting Gansner to add a second league for girls aged 10-12.

  • Gansner formed the all-girls baseball league in Warren Park in 2024.
  • The league had 20-25 participants in its first year.
  • By 2025, the league had grown to over 40 participants, leading Gansner to add a second league for older girls.
  • Gansner was diagnosed with stomach cancer in December 2024.
  • Gansner passed away on April 4, 2026.

The players

Rachel Gansner

The founder of the North Side all-girls baseball league in Chicago's Warren Park, and a Chicago educator who was passionate about providing more opportunities for girls in sports.

Michael Phelps

A parent who coached with Gansner for four years and served on Warren Park's athletic board.

Jeremy Gansner

Rachel Gansner's husband of 14 years.

Julie Sipchen

The president of Let's Play Too, the nonprofit organization Gansner formed to help establish girls baseball leagues in other parks around the city.

Steve Hendershot

A fellow parent who recalled Gansner's 'excitement and optimism' in starting the girls baseball league.

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What they’re saying

“Her biggest passion was getting girls into baseball. And she was a doer. If we needed people to show up to an event, she'd rally them. She just really, really cared a lot.”

— Michael Phelps, Parent and coach

“For me, it was easier to feel successful in baseball because I could throw and hit the (baseball) so much further and faster (than a softball).”

— Rachel Gansner

“I'm generally passionate about changing some of the stereotypes we have about girls in all sports. Baseball and softball is a great place to start because it's the only sport where the counterpart for girls is actually a different sport.”

— Rachel Gansner

“She loved and lived baseball, but she was more than that. She was complicated: a yoga teacher who practiced martial arts and West African dance who was equally comfortable on the field, in the classroom, in the boardroom and in the community. She competed hard and appreciated a good manicure. Rachel was a trailblazer, a warrior but also more than anything, she was the kind of woman who made everything better just by being in it.”

— Julie Sipchen, President, Let's Play Too

“She thought it was telling the girls that they weren't as important. So a lot of us would go over and pull weeds. She wanted girls to feel as respected as the boys.”

— Michael Phelps, Parent and coach

What’s next

The goal is to further Gansner's mission, and her husband Jeremy and other board members plan to advocate for the girls baseball league to continue this fall.

The takeaway

Gansner's all-girls baseball league was a pioneering effort to provide more opportunities for young female athletes and challenge gender stereotypes in sports. Her passion and dedication to the league's success, as well as her commitment to ensuring the girls felt respected, left a lasting impact on the Chicago community.