Redefining the Professional Landscape: How the Athletes Unlimited Softball League is Normalizing Motherhood in Elite Sports

Odicci Alexander-Bennett was standing on the pitcher’s mound for the Chicago Bandits during the inaugural season of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) when the pressure of balancing elite athletic performance with an undisclosed pregnancy finally crested. After more than two decades of competing at the highest levels of the sport, she was well-versed in the mental fortitude required to recover from a minor misstep. However, in the heat of the summer, a momentary lapse in focus triggered an emotional response that felt entirely foreign.

"I just started bawling," Alexander-Bennett recalls. "I thought it was the end of the world."

While her teammates had noticed subtle shifts in her behavior—increased fatigue, withdrawal from social activities, and changes in appetite—the emotional outburst during the game served as the catalyst for a difficult conversation. When her coach approached her, she finally disclosed her secret: she was pregnant. It was a revelation that would later frame her entire season, as she continued to compete for two months with her doctor’s clearance. When she eventually announced the news to the public, the response was a wave of headlines that took the pitcher by surprise. For Alexander-Bennett, the transition was simply a part of life, but for the sports world, her experience represented a significant milestone in the evolution of athlete welfare.

A Shifting Paradigm in Women’s Sports

Historically, the intersection of professional sports and pregnancy has been fraught with uncertainty. For decades, female athletes have faced a "maternity penalty," where disclosing a pregnancy often resulted in the termination of contracts or the loss of sponsorship opportunities. Notable cases, such as WNBA guard Skylar Diggins-Smith, who played the 2018 season for the Dallas Wings while pregnant and later reported a lack of institutional support, highlighted the systemic failures in protecting athletes’ careers during and after pregnancy. These stories served as the backdrop for the 2020 WNBA labor agreement, which finally established guaranteed pay during pregnancy leave—a landmark victory for the league.

The AUSL, however, has approached this challenge from its inception with a policy designed to remove the fear of disclosure. The league’s current policy separates pay from playing status, meaning an athlete’s salary remains secure regardless of whether they take the field. Crucially, the decision of when—or if—to disclose a pregnancy remains entirely at the discretion of the athlete.

"Prior to our incorporation, there certainly were plenty of stories of athletes either being forced to disclose that they were pregnant, or as soon as they disclose, they lose their contract," explains Hilary Meyer, the AUSL’s chief impact and athlete engagement officer. "We didn’t want to do that."

Institutional Support and Structural Growth

Founded in 2020 by sports executive Jon Patricof and investor Jonathan Soros, Athletes Unlimited was built on a model that prioritizes athlete agency. In 2025, the league received a significant boost with an eight-figure investment from Major League Baseball, signaling a broader institutional commitment to the sustainability of the sport. As the AUSL expanded from four teams to six, it demonstrated a unique ability to adapt its infrastructure to the needs of its players.

This structural support includes not only financial security but also practical, daily assistance. Katie Rovtar, the league’s head athletic trainer, has been instrumental in codifying how the organization approaches the physical health of pregnant and postpartum athletes. Drawing on her experience from her time in the NCAA, where she helped establish some of the earliest collegiate pregnancy policies, Rovtar has built a robust network of specialists.

"For a very long time, it was ‘don’t lift, don’t run, don’t do these things,’" Rovtar notes. "Now it’s very clear that that helps not only the physical health of mom and baby, but the mental and emotional health of mom and baby."

To ensure the highest standard of care, Rovtar’s team actively collaborates with global experts, including researchers behind the latest FIFA guidelines for professional soccer players. By treating pregnant players as elite athletes rather than patients, the AUSL has been able to create individualized training plans that account for physiological changes such as joint laxity or altered recovery times.

Individual Experiences and the "Softball Mom" Identity

The impact of these policies is best reflected in the lived experiences of the league’s roster. Jocelyn Alo, a two-time USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year and the NCAA Division I all-time home run leader, provides a clear example of how these protections function. Drafted into the AUSL in December 2025 while roughly six months pregnant, Alo chose to keep her pregnancy private. When she finally informed her team, the reaction was overwhelmingly supportive.

"I kind of share my life with everyone on social media, and this was just one thing I wanted to keep to myself, to me and my husband," says Alo. After giving birth to her son, Bobby Evans III, in April, she opted to sit out the 2026 season to focus on her health and transition into motherhood. The league’s support system, including regular check-ins from training staff, has allowed her to focus on her recovery without the pressure of a looming return-to-play deadline.

Similarly, Carolina Blaze pitcher Keilani Ricketts, who continued to play internationally during her first trimester, emphasizes that the primary barrier for many athletes is not the physical capacity to play, but the lack of a support system. "It is doable, as long as you have the right support system," Ricketts says. "You don’t have to put your dreams on the back end just because you want to be able to have a family."

The Multiplier Effect: A Community of Peers

Beyond the league’s official policies, the creation of a "village" within the clubhouse has proven to be an unexpected but vital byproduct of these initiatives. Players like Amanda Lorenz, who is pregnant and due around the same time as teammate Kinzie Hansen, describe the camaraderie as a crucial component of their mental health.

"It’s been so cool to go through the same changes as her and check in about, ‘How are you feeling?’" Lorenz says. "It’s been fun to cheer her on."

This communal support network helps players navigate the complex identity shift that occurs when transitioning into motherhood while maintaining a high-intensity career. The inclusion of children in the professional environment—through daycare stipends, travel support, and child-friendly clubhouse policies—has normalized the presence of families, allowing athletes like Ricketts to bring their children to the field. For these players, the AUSL is no longer just a league; it is a laboratory for how professional sports can coexist with the demands of family life.

Future Implications and Continued Progress

While the AUSL has made significant strides, the leadership remains cautious about declaring the mission complete. Hilary Meyer acknowledges that there is still a palpable, lingering fear among many athletes that pregnancy will be viewed as a career liability. "To the extent that athletes still feel nervous about the implications on their career if and when they have children, I think that is where we need to continue to push as a field," she states.

The broader implications of the AUSL model are already being felt across the industry. By proving that elite performance and motherhood are not mutually exclusive, the league is setting a benchmark that other professional organizations are increasingly pressured to meet. For players like Alexander-Bennett, the goal is simple: to show the next generation that their athletic ambitions and their desire to have a family are both valid, attainable goals.

"Whatever I needed, I had the people for that and I had the resources for that," Alexander-Bennett says. "I played with kids. I had kids, yes. And I was still playing professional. I feel like that’s so cool."

As the AUSL continues to evolve, its focus remains on ensuring that the infrastructure supporting these athletes is as durable as their drive to compete. Whether through improved training protocols, mental health support, or the fostering of a community that understands the unique pressures of the "softball mom" experience, the league is effectively rewriting the playbook for women’s professional sports. The path forward is no longer defined by choosing between a professional legacy and motherhood, but by the integration of both, supported by a system that recognizes the humanity of the athlete.