(Oklahoma City, OK) USA Softball is proud to partner with The Alliance Fastpitch as they begin the process of a national unification of Alliance Member Leagues, which currently includes California, the Heart of America, Rocky Mountain, Southeastern, Northeast and the Texas Fastpitch Leagues, with more member leagues expected to be established soon. The Alliance will provide oversight and guidance for the regional girls’ fast pitch leagues to create a sound infrastructure in the elite youth game. Additionally, The Alliance will drive athlete-centric programming and resources geared towards the continual development of elite athletes, coaches, parents, and officials.
“We are extremely honored to be working alongside The Alliance to provide a USA Softball membership for their coaches and athletes,” said USA Softball Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Craig Cress. “This partnership is a win-win for both organizations and aligns with USA Softball’s mission and goals to focus on the quality of the game and service for all softball participants. We look forward to working with The Alliance to collaborate on developing the game at the grassroots level and providing a positive playing experience for the participants.”
Becoming a member of The Alliance Fastpitch will include USA Softball Individual Membership for both athletes and coaches. Coaches will be required to pass a USA Softball background check and take SafeSport training through the U.S. Center for SafeSport. Individual Membership with USA Softball also includes insurance for members during covered softball activities.
“The partnership with USA Softball in regard to individual registration, insurance, and background checks is a critical part of delivering value to all members,” said Financial Director for The Alliance, Tim Gorman. “This is a welcome layer of year-round protection and helps simplify the registration process. Additionally, we think organizations, teams, and families, within the Member Leagues will benefit knowing member coaches have gone through a background check and SafeSport training.”
A key part of the partnership includes financial support for the USA Softball Women’s and Junior Women’s National Team Program. A portion of each Alliance Fastpitch registration will be donated to support the athletes and coaches who represent the United States at international events each season.
“We’re excited to partner with USA Softball and the National Team Program,” said OC Batbusters Head Coach and California Fastpitch League Commissioner, Mike Stith. “Our athletes are the future of this sport and many of the athletes playing within The Alliance will be members of the Youth National Teams and our future Olympic Team. Our goal for The Alliance is to support the growth of the sport and the National Team Program is an important part of that. This is a great partnership for our sport and athletes.”
About USA Softball
USA Softball (USAS) is a 501(c)(3) not-for profit organization headquartered in Oklahoma City, Okla., and is designated as the National Governing Body (NGB) of Softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. One of the nation’s largest sports organizations, USAS sanctions competition through a network of Local Associations, which includes all 50 states and select metro associations. USAS is dedicated to providing people of all ages the opportunity to play the game they love at a variety of levels by offering recreational, league, tournament and competitive play for fast pitch, slow pitch and modified pitch. USAS annually conducts thousands of tournaments throughout the country including over 100 National Championships. The USAS umpire program is among the nation’s largest and are widely known as the best trained umpires in the game.
As the NGB for the sport of softball, USAS is responsible for training, equipping and promoting the six USA Softball National Teams that compete in events such as the Olympics, Pan American Games, World Championships and other international and domestic events. For more information on USAS, including its founding and history as the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA), please visit, www.USASoftball.com.
