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Help & FAQs
General Overview
Founded in 2020, the Alliance Fastpitch is a member-based organization focused on organizing and unifying fastpitch softball through our Member Leagues and our cohesive network of athletes, coaches, and parents. It is our goal to drive athlete-centric programming and development-based resources that raise the standard for our sport. The Alliance Fastpitch is the result of grassroots collaboration and a vision for change by youth fastpitch leaders across the country. The six Member Leagues within the Alliance Fastpitch include the Pacific Coast Fastpitch League, Heart of America Fastpitch League, Northeast Fastpitch League, Rocky Mountain Fastpitch League, Southeastern Fastpitch League or Texas Fastpitch League. The Alliance helps create unity amongst the leagues in regards to (1) Team & Individual Stats and Leaderboards (2) Post Season Play and (3) Point Systems. The Alliance Fastpitch, along with the associated Member Leagues, promotes competitive and purposeful play that prepares athletes on and off the field.
There are currently six Member Fastpitch Leagues who operate within the national unifying structure of The Alliance. These Member Leagues create an organized structure for teams in the 10U to 18U age divisions. Each Member League creates its own point system through League Play and tournament finishes. Stats are kept at the team and individual level to recognize category leaders at each age division both regionally and nationally.
- Events within Member Leagues point systems are a combination of pre-existing and created sanctioned events from different associations and event organizers
- Member Leagues work together to recognize individual and team stat categories
- Member Leagues work together on creating a point system that rewards teams within league and recognizes team point leaders
- Member Leagues work together to honor interleague play and recognize efforts of match-ups between members of sister Leagues (at this point, interleague points will be utilized to assist in the process of seeding for Alliance National Championships)
- Postseason berths for the Alliance Fastpitch National Championship events are distributed through championship play within the Member Leagues and must be EARNED through competitive play with equal opportunity for any team to compete
- Step One: A Coach or Team Admin registers their team with a member league at https://thealliancefastpitch.leagueapps.com/leagues and pays team registration fee
- Step Two: Individual coaches and individual players (their parents) are invited to Join the League. All coaches and all players (via the parent first) register for the Member League. Alliance fee is paid individually by each coach and by each player
- Step Three: Once all athletes and coaches are registered and paid on a team, then The Alliance Fastpitch sends the info to USA Softball for the individual insurance and background checks. At this point, individuals will enjoy the benefits of being an Alliance Fastpitch member and will also receive their virtual ID card from USA Softball.
No, The Alliance Fastpitch is neither a governing body nor an event company. The Alliance Fastpitch works with several associations and event companies. The Alliance Fastpitch is working with strategic partners (TCS, USA Softball and USSSA) to host The Alliance Fastpitch Championship Series and any additional Alliance events created.
The Alliance Fastpitch is owned by a combination of all participating Member Leagues, and a Board of Directors from various travel organizations, past players, and key softball industry experts from all over the nation. The Alliance Fastpitch operates in cooperation and guidance from major softball associations such as USSSA, USA Softball, Triple Crown, and other local organizations. The Alliance also provides oversight and review from a player's council. There are over 50 combined members involved in the Alliance and Member Leagues. No one entity is permitted to own more than 25% of The Alliance Fastpitch and voting is distributed across all entities to allow for balanced representation. Proceeds are distributed to Member Leagues, Players Council, USA Softball Association, Championship events, and Board members.
Alliance Fastpitch membership & benefits
Teams who want an opportunity to compete against top competition with equal opportunity to win berths dependent on their actual play. Teams are rewarded for their play on the field. Additionally, by joining a Member League, the athletes and coaches on the team will enjoy the membership benefits of The Alliance Fastpitch and have access to a viable fastpitch network.
Yes, your team pays a fee to the Member League you are in to help cover administrative and operations cost for that League. In addition, all individual athletes and individual coaches will pay their own individual membership fee ($45 Athletes, $50 Coaches) to The Alliance Fastpitch for the given season. The member benefits included in this fee are explained below.
Alliance Fastpitch Membership:
All athletes and coaches who are on the roster of a League team will be required to become members of The Alliance. This individual membership includes annual insurance through USA Softball that covers the individual and team in practice and games. Additionally, coaches and athletes will have member-only access to various resources, events, and partner offers.
In order to play in Member League Post Season Play, all individuals on the roster must be registered. Memberships will need to be renewed annually by teams, athletes and coaches.
If teams have insurance from another association, then the individuals of those teams can bypass the insurance portion and only pay for The Alliance Fastpitch membership which includes everything other than individual insurance.
Athlete Membership Benefits:
- USA Softball Individual Membership which includes accidental insurance through RPS Bollinger for members during covered softball activities.
- USA Softball National Team Program contribution fund
- Access to digital learning platform on The Alliance Fastpitch membership site
- Free access to MLB TV for 2020 season and Premium MLB App subscription if you register by September 8th
- Discounted opportunities for Alliance events and Alliance partners
- Ability to participate in the newly created Youth Athlete Advisory Council
- Ability to be selected to annual Alliance Fastpitch Awards and recognition with national exposure
Coach Membership Benefits:
- USA Softball Individual Membership which includes accidental insurance through RPS Bollinger for members during covered softball activities.
- Certified background check and SafeSport training through U.S. Center for SafeSport
- Access to digital learning platform on The Alliance Fastpitch membership site
- Access to Coach Mentor Program through The Alliance Fastpitch
- Discounted opportunities for Alliance Fastpitch events and partners
- Membership within the Alliance Fastpitch Coach Council
Memberships for The Alliance Fastpitch are currently for athletes and coaches who are participating on a team registered with a Member League. More info to come here!
Registrations and memberships are per season. The season runs from September 1st to August 31st of the next year. Your insurance coverage is good for the same term. Teams, athletes and coaches will all have to re-register the next season.
In regards to the individual memberships, we will have a digital platform launching in the next couple months that has a video library and downloadable resources for athletes and coaches. Our athlete categories are personal branding, character development, sport performance and wellness, mental toughness, and business development. Our coach categories are player development, team management, game strategy, championship culture, and business development. As the platform is being fully launched, we will still have access to videos in the next couple weeks for our members as well as any offers from Alliance partners.
Players do not need to re-register for the Alliance or Member League if they switch teams. Contact your Member League Administrator with the name of the team you are leaving and the team you are joining to have your information switched. Contact info for Administrators:
Pacific Coast Fastpitch League Shannon Harvey
Heart of America Fastpitch League Cornelius Davis
Northeast Fastpitch League Dave Sharp
Rocky Mountain Fastpitch League Chris Salvaggi
Southeast Fastpitch League Jen Carden
Texas Fastpitch League Kevin Shelton
Athletes will be attached to the Team in the Member League they register for on LeagueApps. We are working through the process of athletes changing teams mid season and also how rosters will be locked upon Championship qualification.
Yes, all of your personal information is secure via LeagueApps. One of the big reasons why The Alliance Fastpitch and Member Leagues chose to use the LeagueApps platform was the safety of personal information and payment processing.
Registration Process
The person responsible for making the team payment must register the team first (coach, head coach, or team admin). This person will pay the Member League fee and invite coaches and players (via the parent first) to the team.
Register your team here: https://thealliancefastpitch.leagueapps.com/leagues
Yes, simply click “add another team” when prompted at the end of registering a team.
No. As long as the Admin does not have any direct contact with players.
No. The Alliance fee is paid only one time per coach or player.
Invite the PARENTS of players first. They will need to create their account and then their player.
Select “has player on team” when sending an invite to the coach with a related player.
Have the coach send an invite to the parent email address. Follow this link to connect your player to the team. If the link is no longer valid, have the coach resend a new link.
Be sure to have the coach send an invite to the parent email address. Follow this link to connect your player to the team. If the link is no longer valid, have the coach resend a new link.
Yes, log in by going to https://thealliancefastpitch.leagueapps.com/login. Everyone with an account can login to access their dashboard and make any edits to their information.
Team Info For Playing In Member Leagues
The team coach or administrator will register a team for the Member League your team resides in. See Member League map HERE
The Alliance Fastpitch and Member League Leadership have created an ‘appeal process’ for teams wishing to play in a Member League outside of their Member League territory. Teams will have to apply and get signed approval from their Member League Commissioner and The Alliance Fastpitch leadership. If teams traditionally play schedules in a region outside of their assigned League, then they can submit that information to The Alliance in their appeal to register for a different Member League. SUBMIT REQUEST HERE
Any team within the 10U to 18U age division can join a Member League.
The amount of points up for grabs is based on the win probability of the game. If you are expected to win (i.e. your team has a higher rating than your opponent) you will receive less points for a win. If you are expected to lose, but end up winning, you will receive more points for a win.
Outside of Member League Championship events, most tournaments are existing events from various sanctioned event hosts or are in partnership with an association or event company. Teams can find out what events have points by visiting Member League websites. The goal for each Member League is not to change team’s normal schedules but rather to enhance the events teams are playing in by adding point values and purpose of play. In many Member Leagues, teams can earn points by matching up against another League team in a game that plays to a winner. Teams should refer to Member League rules for schedules and point systems.
Yes, you can play up in age divisions and still earn points.
We will be tracking non-alliance teams in alliance sanctioned events throughout the season based on their AGL Id. When you score your game in AGL be sure to always enter your opponents AGL ID if they have one. If they don't, we will treat your opponent as a 1600 rating.
Each Member League will have a list of teams on their League website. This list of teams, per age division, will be public. Additionally, we are working with our stats provider to include the information on whether or not a team is part of a Member League. Some Leagues are working with Event Hosts to include the League membership behind the team name on the schedule. Please contact your specific Member League for more information.
Championship events for Member Leagues and The Alliance Fastpitch will use USA Softball rules. Events within Member Leagues will follow the official rules of the sponsoring tournament (i.e. USSSA playing rules will be used for USSSA sanctioned events). Age eligibility for play in Member Leagues will follow USA Softball guidelines. Below is USA Softball’s age calculation.
- 10-Under Age Classification. A player born after December 31, 2009 is ELIGIBLE.
- 12-Under Age Classification. A player born after December 31, 2007 is ELIGIBLE.
- 14-Under Age Classification. A player born after December 31, 2005 is ELIGIBLE.
- 16-Under Age Classification. A player born after December 31, 2003 is ELIGIBLE.
- 18-Under Age Classification. A player born after December 31, 2001 is ELIGIBLE.
| AGE GROUP | |||||
| 18 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 10 | |
| YEAR OF BIRTH | |||||
| 2002 | Eligible | ||||
| 2003 | Eligible | ||||
| 2004 | Eligible | Eligible | |||
| 2005 | Eligible | Eligible | |||
| 2006 | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | ||
| 2007 | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | ||
| 2008 | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | |
| 2009 | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | |
| 2010 | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible |
| 2011 | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible |
| 2012-2021 | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | |
Interleague Play
Interleague play in The Alliance Fastpitch refers to games played between teams in different Member Leagues. Interleague points will be tracked and used as one criteria in final seedings for The Alliance Fastpitch Championship Series. Points from interleague play should not affect your rankings/total points within your Member League.
Member Teams that compete against Member Teams from opposing leagues, or Alliance Interleague Play, will earn Alliance Power Points “APP.” Anytime a team from one league plays against a team from another league there will be APP points awarded.
See below for specific information on the APP Point System.
APP Point System: The point system would apply for both Tier 1 and Tier 2
- 3 Points for a win if the Road team wins
- 2 Points for a win if the Home team wins
- 1 Point for a loss
If the Interleague game is played on “Neutral Ground” example CFL vs TFL in Oklahoma (HFL country) that would be considered “Neutral.” The points would be awarded like:
2 Points for a win
1 Point for a loss
APP points will be used when your team reaches The Alliance Fastpitch Championship Series to help the Seeding Committee determine the Top 16 seeds that will secure the top regional seeds. APP points will be cumulative throughout the playing season.
There will be a place on the Alliance website where teams can see the National Leaders in APP points.
Each Member League will host their own Championship event(s), typically Fall and Summer. Point totals from the season will seed teams into Member League Championships. Winners and top finishing teams at Member League Championships will have the opportunity to earn a berth to The Alliance Championship event at the Tier I and Tier II divisions. Total berths awarded will be determined by Member Leagues based on their total allotment from The Alliance Fastpitch.
The Alliance Fastpitch will host a National culminating event at the end of the Summer for qualifying teams. Teams will have to earn a berth to this event by winning berths through Member League play. Member Leagues are awarded a total number of Tier I and Tier II berths from The Alliance Fastpitch for the Alliance’s National Championship event. Each Member League will award those berths to teams through their League Championships. All berths will be earned in competitive play.
Tier I Championships will have a total of 64 teams. The 64 berths are divided amongst the Member Leagues and the Member Leagues will assign those berths to Championship Events. 10U Tier I will have a total of 48 teams.
Tier II Championships will have 80 total teams at the 16U and 18U levels and 64 berths at the 14U and 12U division. At the 10U level, both Tier I and Tier II will have a total of 48 teams.
Each Member League will have their own set of rules, however, teams who earn a berth will not be paired up against teams who have not earned a berth in Championship play. In some situations, Qualified teams will play in a separate pool and matched up in the final bracket of Summer Championship play as long as it does not take away berths from non-qualified teams.
Individual & Team Insurance Questions
Individual insurance for all coaches and players through USA Softball is included in the individual athlete and coach registration prices for The Alliance Fastpitch. This insurance provides accidental and liability coverage for individuals (athletes and coaches) and the team in practice and competition throughout the season - September 1st, 2020 to August 31st, 2021. USA Softball insurance will cover teams in all events who accept USA Softball team insurance. Any team playing in The Alliance Fastpitch or Member League postseason events is expected to have full coverage for each player and coach.
As long as everyone (all coaches and athletes on the roster) that is part of a team is registered through The Alliance Fastpitch individually, then that team would be able to get the additional insured certificates that is required to practice at most facilities. No additional insurance would be needed unless a separate softball organization didn’t accept USA Softball insurance. Coverages extends to the team as an insured entity if all team members register individually.
Once the team registration is complete and the coach or team admin has paid the team fee for the League, information will be sent by The Alliance Fastpitch to USA Softball. Coaches will be contacted directly from USA Softball to complete their Background Check and SafeSport. Once all team members have registered with the Alliance and paid the full registration fee, USA Softball will notify coach ID cards are available for download directly at the USA site.
USA Softball has dedicated resources to help with the registration process and interim insurance needs. If you need immediate help, visit www.RegisterUSASoftball.com and click ‘Report Issues” on the footer of the web page.
The insurance through USA softball is paid on an individual basis for each coach and player. Some members of USA Softball already have insurance for the January 1st - December 31st, 2020 time period. The time period and registration process will be aligned for the following year, in the meantime, USA Softball has dedicated resources to help with the registration progress and any interim insurance needs. Please reach out to the USA representatives by visiting www.RegisterUSASoftball.com and click "Report Issues" on the footer of the web page. Please ensure the coach or team admin uploads all digital IDs card during the registration process.
We understand some teams have already purchased team insurance and have made the effort to reflect that at the individual registrant level. Member Leagues will accept other third party insurance as long as the coverage period matches the Alliance Fastpitch season (September 1st to August 31st). Any team playing in postseason or USA Softball affiliated events is expected to have full coverage for each player and coach. See below for specific information in regards to the registration process.
During Member League registration, the Team Head Coach or Team Admin who is registering the team will have the option to click Yes or No whether they currently have insurance or not. If you already have team insurance from another association (other than USA Softball), the coach or team admin will select "YES" and upload their proof of insurance. A team code is then sent to the coach or team admin for all players and staff to have the insurance portion removed at checkout for The Alliance Fastpitch membership (note: early insurance is $15 per player/coach, insurance purchased after the registration period will be $25 per player/coach).
A link will be sent by USA Softball to each coach who registers with The Alliance Fastpitch. This link will have instructions for the coach on how to take his or her background check.
Teams and participants can contact csebren@usasoftball.com for any questions about their USA Softball insurance through The Alliance Fastpitch.
The Alliance Fastpitch & Member League Contact Info and Processes
The first contact should always be the Member League Commissioner or appointed League contact. If a dispute is unable to be handled at the Member League level, then the Commissioner and League Leadership should submit to The Alliance Fastpitch leadership. If the dispute involves the Leadership of a Member League, then the head coach can send the dispute to info@thealliancefastpitch.com for review.
The majority of events you will play in as a member of a Member League will be operated by an association or event host. In those events, teams will abide by that event’s rules of play and processes. Therefore, any coach, parent and/or athlete disputes would be handled with the Tournament Director of that event.
If there is a conduct issue with a coach, parent, official and/or athlete during a Member League Championship, then the head coach should contact the Championship Director for that event.
If there is a conduct issue with a coach, parent, official and/or athlete during an Alliance Fastpitch Championship Series event, then the head coach should contact the Championship Director for that event.
The Alliance Fastpitch provides oversight and guidance to Member Leagues and also has contractual guidelines outlining what it means for Member Leagues to be in good standing. If it appears that a Member League is not in good standing, then The Alliance Fastpitch will do its due diligence in working with The Member League and stepping in when needed to adhere to our principles and core values.
Pacific Coast Fastpitch League: Shannon Harvey info@cflfastpitch.com
Heart of America Fastpitch League: Cornelius Davis cdavis@hflfastpitch.com
Northeast Fastpitch League: Dave Sharp FastPitchOnlineMail@gmail.com
Rocky Mountain Fastpitch League: Chris Salvaggi rmflfastpitch@gmail.com
Southeast Fastpitch League: Jen Carden southeasternfpl@gmail.com
Texas Fastpitch League: Kevin Shelton TFLLAInfo@gmail.com
Pacific Coast Fastpitch League: Mike Stith
Heart of America Fastpitch League: Ryan Taylor
Northeast Fastpitch League: Adam Dorman
Rocky Mountain Fastpitch League: Randy Gale
Southeast Fastpitch League: Jeremy & Jill Higdon
Texas Fastpitch League: David McCorkle