Athletes Unlimited just completed its third week of a five-week season. The unique, first-year league is getting rave reviews from players, fans and yours truly.

Utilizing a fantasy-like scoring system which rewards team and individual performances, teams are redrafted weekly, with the previous week’s top four scorers becoming captains. A season champ will be crowned upon the conclusion of play.

Cat Osterman
© Jade Hewitt – Athletes Unlimited

The legendary Cat Osterman is the current points leader and looks to be a lock for season champ. The 37-year-old, two-time Olympian is proving to be as dominant as ever as she uses the league to further prepare for the 2021 Olympics.

While Athletes Unlimited is by the players, for the players, it is also for special causes. As part of the financial structure of the league, not only do players get bonuses based on play, but their chosen causes benefit, too. The Athletes Causes program will provide funding to charities of the players’ choosing equal to half of their season bonus. The Athletes Causes program includes 35 player-selected community organizations.

As owners and decision-makers, the choice to include individual player causes was made by the players. This is money they could have kept but chose to give as donations. It’s one more way Athletes Unlimited is changing the landscape of sports with their unprecedented approach.

In the media session video below, players Kelly Barnhill (Humane Society), Victoria Hayward (4MOM) and Katiyana Mauga (Black Girls Code) discussed their chosen charities. Other players talking about their causes can be found here. Those include Jessie Warren (American Lung Association); Erika Piancastelli (Well Beings); Hannah Flippen (Natasha Watley Foundation); Morgan Howe (Polaris); Janie Reed (Help One Now); DJ Sanders (Boys & Girls Clubs of the Golden Triangle); and Nadia Taylor, Nerissa Myers and Osterman (RBI Austin).

Megan Wiggins
© Megan Wiggins

Taylor Edwards and Kelsey Jenkins
© Taylor Edwards/King Wolf Animal Sanctuary

The causes range from local organizations to worldwide charities. The common factor is the passion the players have for the causes. This isn’t merely a monetary commitment. The players work to help the charities in many ways, including raising awareness through their social media posts, like Taylor Edwards and Kelsey Jenkins (King Wolf Animal Sanctuary) and Megan Wiggins (The Out Foundation). It’s another part of their work with the organizations.

The elite athletes are happy to be on the field and to help their charities. The fans are just happy to have the beautiful game of softball back for a few weeks.

— John Wroblewski, online writer