At the conclusion of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League All-Star Cup, Athletes Unlimited, powered by Give Lively and the Give Lively Foundation, will make a grant equal to 100% of each competitor’s win bonus to the organization of their choice.
Throughout the AUSL All-Star Cup, we’ll spotlight one athlete each week, sharing the personal stories behind the organizations they’re representing and the impact they hope to make both on and off the field.
The first player featured is Jessi Warren, who selected Fury Platinum, a Virginia-based travel softball organization where she serves as a coach. For Warren, supporting Fury Platinum is a chance to help provide opportunities for young athletes who may be facing the same obstacles she once did.
A Full-Circle Opportunity
Q: Why was Fury Platinum the organization you wanted to represent during the AUSL All-Star Cup?
Warren: I’m playing for Fury Platinum, which is a travel ball organization here in Virginia. I actually coach the team, and I’m hoping to just give back to them.
Growing up, I was not fortunate enough to be able to afford travel ball, so I know there are a lot of players that are like me. I’m just hoping that whatever win bonus that I’m able to donate to the team, they’re able to use toward their funds, whether that be for specific players or for the team as a whole–for tournament fees, hotel fees, whatever that looks like.
Finding a Home at Fury Platinum
Q: How did you first get connected with Fury Platinum?
Warren: I worked out of 643 for lessons, and one of my students actually played for them. They were looking for a trainer and coach and mentioned it to me.
At the time, I had just moved to Maryland, so it was in close proximity to where I was. I was looking for something in the softball realm, and they mentioned it to me. I went out to practice, and I really enjoyed how hardworking the girls were and how open they were to getting feedback from me, not just as a professional player but just as a coach. It was really cool to see, and I joined their team right then and there.
More Than Softball
Q: What kind of impact do you hope to have on these players beyond softball?
Warren: I know how much my coaches impacted me growing up in travel ball, and I only hope to be that same role model for them, not just as a softball player but just as a human being.
Having somebody to lean on and really have guidance from was huge for me, and I just hope that their softball careers can be as long as mine has been. Hopefully their careers are longer than mine, and they get to play well into adulthood.
But I just hope to be that role model for them, and hope that they know that they can come to me for anything outside of softball as well, and just kind of be an advocate for them in many ways–have them get the guidance that I so needed growing up at their age, and just give them a platform to be open with me as their coach when it comes to softball things, and when it comes to life in general.
Whether they’re struggling in school, struggling–I know how silly it sounds–but struggling with girlfriends or boyfriends, whatever that looks like for them, I just hope that I can be kind of that safe space for them to come and open up to.
Creating Opportunities
Q: What do you hope your support of Fury Platinum helps provide for these young athletes?
Warren: I was fortunate to have sponsors and people that were willing to help my mom pay for me to play, so I did get to experience the travel ball world. But travel ball has grown tremendously now.
So just giving them the opportunity and the experience to get a platform to showcase their talent and hopefully showcase to colleges where they can get a scholarship and go play at the next level.
I think that’s the goal for all these girls, is to play college, whether it be NAIA, JUCO, or Division I. Just for them to be able to have the opportunity to play at the next level would mean the world to me.
So just being able to provide for them as much as I can and give them an avenue to possibly get there, and that’s all I hope for.
Lessons Beyond the Game
Q: Whether or not they continue playing softball, what do you hope they take away from the sport?
Warren: Just how to deal with adversity. I think that’s the biggest one. Softball throws many curveballs at you, literally and figuratively. There are so many challenges that we face as athletes on and off the field. I know mental health is a huge one for athletes in general.
So I just want them to do the best that they can with what they have and continue their careers as long as they would like. Again, I’m here for them with whatever they need, whenever they need it.
Learn more about Athletes Unlimited’s Athlete Causes program.
Check back each week during the AUSL All-Star Cup as we spotlight another athlete and the organization they’re supporting.
Siera Jones is the digital media reporter at Athletes Unlimited. You can follow her on Instagram and X @sieraajones.
