May 12, 2025, New York, N.Y. – The AUSL (Athletes Unlimited Softball League) today announced its first in-season impact partnership with Coach Across America and their “She Changes the Game” initiative, a national effort to grow and sustain girls’ participation in sport by increasing the number of women coaches in youth athletics. Throughout its inaugural season this summer, the AUSL will conduct a social media and broadcast campaign encouraging fans to support the initiative through local engagement and in-stadium activations.

For over 15 years, Coach Across America – previously Up2Us Sports – has been on a mission to put life-changing coaches in every community. Research shows that girls drop out of sports at twice the rate of boys, and one of the biggest factors in retention is having a woman coach. In 2022, only 26 percent of youth sports head coaches were women, up slightly from 24 percent in 2019, according to data from SFIA. This level of representation is far below what’s needed to accurately reflect and balance the percentage of girls who participate in youth sports. Even in sports predominantly played by girls, like softball, about four in 10 youth coaches are still men, according to the analysis from the 2022 National Coach Survey. “She Changes the Game” addresses this issue by creating a pathway with proper training for more women to enter coaching roles.

“This new partnership between the AUSL and Coach Across America goes beyond increasing women and girls’ participation in sport–it is about building a future where every girl, in every community, has a strong role model that empowers them to stay in the game,” said Hilary Meyer, Senior Vice President of Impact for Athletes Unlimited. “Our diverse roster of AUSL athletes from different backgrounds and communities are inspiring the next generation of playmakers and game changers. Together, we will shine a light on the impact of girls having well-trained coaches in their corner. ” 

This season, the AUSL will host coaches from local Coach Across America programs in key AUSL markets for VIP gameday experiences and coach recruiting activations. AUSL athletes will champion the organization’s core belief that one coach can change everything through featured stories from athletes, including those who are coaches themselves, highlighting the lasting impact coaches have made on their personal and professional journeys.

“Together, Coach Across America and Athletes Unlimited Softball League are stepping up to the plate to inspire, mentor, and empower the next generation of girls and women leaders in sports,” said Tony White, Vice President of Development, Marketing, and Branding for Coach Across America. “This partnership is a rallying cry—for athletes to give back, for coaches to uplift, and for communities to rise. The future of sports leadership starts here— we’re changing the game together.”

A long-time partner of Athletes Unlimited, underdog venture team has also supported the company in strategic business initiatives, including helping to develop the framework for the partnership between the AUSL and Coach Across America.

“We’re thrilled to have played a role in helping to bring together two like-minded, innovative organizations at the forefront of creating more opportunities for girls and women in sports,” said Dan Mannix, Co-Founder of underdog venture team and Board Member for Coach Across America. “We believe in the impact potential of this partnership to recruit more women as trained youth coaches and help grow and sustain girls’ participation in sports.” 

This new partnership aligns with Athletes Unlimited’s broader mission to encourage civic leadership and support causes that matter to its athletes. Notably, since its launch in 2020, the Athlete Causes program – powered by Give Lively and the Give Lively Foundation – allows athletes to support causes they care about and has benefited more than 200 non-profit organizations.

Learn more about how to become a coach, host a coach in your community, and support Coach Across America at https://coachacrossamerica.org.

Launching on June 7, 2025, the AUSL will feature four teams playing a 24-game season in a traditional format. It will be complemented and followed by the AUSL All-Star Cup, creating a new opportunity for the world’s best players to compete. The AUSL is led by Commissioner Kim Ng, with support from the Player Executive Committee (Aubrey Leach, Megan Faraimo, Sierra Romero, Morgan Zerkle, and Sharlize Palacois), and softball legends Jennie Finch, Jessica Mendoza, Cat Osterman, and Natasha Watley, who serve as advisors to the AUSL. The AUSL will become a city-based league beginning in 2026, while the inaugural season in 2025 will be a touring property featuring games in 12 different cities. For more information, follow @theauslofficial and visit theausl.com.