Alliance Fastpitch, Athletes Unlimited Partner for ‘The Stars of Tomorrow Games’

Alliance Fastpitch, Athletes Unlimited Partner for ‘The Stars of Tomorrow Games’

New competition will feature 180 high school fastpitch players while utilizing Athletes Unlimited’s unique scoring system, leaderboard and awards structure.

January 23, 2023 – Alliance Fastpitch and Athletes Unlimited are joining forces to establish The Stars of Tomorrow Games, a new high school fastpitch competition featuring 180 youth athletes from the graduating classes of 2024, 2025 and 2026.

Alliance Fastpitch will host its inaugural Stars of Tomorrow Games August 10-13, 2023, in the Chicago metro area during the Athletes Unlimited Championship Season. Athletes will be divided into four teams per graduating class, much like the team structure Athletes Unlimited uses. The competition will also use Athletes Unlimited’s unique individual scoring system, leaderboard and awards structure recognizing the top four finishers in each class.

The August dates allow for all divisions of college coaches to be present at the Stars of Tomorrow Games. Stars of Tomorrow athletes will compete in five total games in the surrounding area that are open to college coaches. The Stars of Tomorrow Games will be a unique and aspirational experience for committed and uncommitted players. In addition to game play, the youth athletes will experience Athletes Unlimited through behind-the-scenes tours, special viewing areas during AU games and practices, and a Skills Challenge including Home Run Derby at the stadium on August 11^th.

“I’m so excited for this event and the experience for these youth athletes,” said Jami Lobpries, CEO of Alliance Fastpitch. “Athletes Unlimited and the Alliance Fastpitch share a core value in our athlete-first mindset.  Our sport needs the Stars of Tomorrow Games and experiences like this for young female athletes. These 180 athletes have an opportunity to really put themselves on the national map while enjoying a true, professional experience. It’s important for this group of youth softball players to experience a professional league, something they can aspire to in their careers!”

“We are looking forward to hosting these talented young players at our home for softball in Rosemont, IL, in August,” said Athletes Unlimited Director of Softball, Cheri Kempf. “We know what an incredible experience this will be for the Stars of Tomorrow participants and our Athletes Unlimited professional players are looking forward to having this event take place in and around the venue throughout the weekend of championship season play.”

Those looking for more information on the Alliance Fastpitch and Stars of Tomorrow Series can email info@thealliancefastpitch.com. If interested in participating in a Stars of Tomorrow combine, visit our website.

What is the Stars of Tomorrow Series?

The Alliance Fastpitch Stars of Tomorrow Series was launched in November 2022 as a data-driven player identification program. The Stars of Tomorrow Series consists of Player I.D. Combines hosted at college campuses and the Stars of Tomorrow Games.

How do athletes make the Stars of Tomorrow Games?

Athletes must attend a Stars of Tomorrow Player I.D. combine to be eligible for an invitation to the Stars of Tomorrow Games. Combines are open to all athletes in the 2024, 2025 and 2026 graduation classes.

Athletes will go through various objective measurements at combines including a S2 Cognition assessment, Vizual Edge vision assessment, and athletic measurements. For the first time in youth softball, ball flight data will be captured for hitters by Yakkertech, an optical tracking system. Ball flight data will be captured for pitchers by Rapsodo. Athletes will also receive scout evaluations and a composite Scout Score from the combine. Following each combine, athletes receive their individual report with all scores and leaderboards showing how you rank amongst your peers at the combine and nationally.

The 60 players per grad class will be selected based on their Combine Power Score, scout evaluations, and their primary position. Power Scores are a weighted average of the athletes’ overall measurements including athleticism, ball flight data, cognitive data, visual data, and scout score. Derek Allister and OnDeck Softball will work with our data and scouts to oversee the Selection Process.

To date, the Alliance Fastpitch has hosted two combines with two more this winter – January 20th in Rosemont, IL and February 5th in Long Beach, CA. The remaining combines will be hosted on college campuses throughout June. A final combine will be hosted June 25-28 at Metro State in Denver, CO.

The full list of combines and registration links can be found HERE.

Overview of the Stars of Tomorrow Games Experience

The Stars of Tomorrow Games will be hosted in the Chicago metro area from August 10-13, 2023. Athletes will arrive on August 10^th with an introduction to the Games, sponsors, and Athletes Unlimited. The next three days will consist of specialized training, skills challenge of top performers, educational series designed for elite female athletes, game play, and tickets to AU Games on Saturday and Sunday.

Day 1 – Athlete arrival, welcome, media day and partner engagements

Day 2 – Team workouts, educational sessions, Game 1 & 2, and Skills Challenge

Day 3 – Training, Game 3 & 4, Athletes Unlimited Games

Day 4 – Game 5, Awards Ceremony, Athletes Unlimited Games, athlete departure

Stay tuned for more information on the Stars of Tomorrow Series including partner information, combine registration, and more exciting news about the experience and partnership between Alliance Fastpitch and Athletes Unlimited.

About Alliance Fastpitch:

The Alliance Fastpitch is a national league system for amateur fastpitch softball. Founded in 2020, the Alliance Fastpitch offers a clear pathway to play through our regional leagues and National Championships. Alliance Fastpitch competition provides equal opportunities to teams through League Play with a unified scoring system, Cup Series, League Championships and National Championships. Off the field, the Alliance Fastpitch offers year round community, player recognition, educational resources and membership benefits to individual athletes and coaches. The Alliance Fastpitch was founded by a collaborative effort to change the status quo of youth softball, with a vision to work together and put the female athlete at the forefront of decision-making.

About Athletes Unlimited:

Athletes Unlimited is a new model of pro sports, where athletes are decision-makers and individual players are champions of team sports. A network of professional women’s softball, lacrosse, volleyball and basketball leagues featuring world-class competition and fan experience, Athletes Unlimited stands out as an organization driven by the athletes that play in the leagues, with athlete representation on the company’s board of directors, each league led by a Player Executive Committee, and players sharing in long-term profits of the company, all while being proactive in shaping policies supporting the mothers that play in the league, the first professional sports league to be organized as a Public Benefit Corporation and the first U.S. based pro sports league to be committed to carbon-neutrality. Season two of Athletes Unlimited Basketball tips off later this month. For more information, visit AUProSports.com.