Koch was a major sponsor of Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball AUX competition in Wichita, Kansas, supporting its efforts to focus on individual growth and development.
To cap off Athletes Unlimited’s professional softball competition in Wichita, Kansas, Liz Koch, with her family by her side, threw the first pitch before the final game where Koch served as the presenting sponsor of Champion and Fan Appreciation Night.
The pitch marked the beginning of the culmination of a unique season that showcased the incredible talent of a group of professional softball players to fans from across the country.
Athletes Unlimited is an innovative organization that’s bringing a player-centric model to sports in its newly developed professional women’s softball, volleyball, basketball and lacrosse leagues. It aims to empower athletes as leaders, promote their individual well-being and innovate the games on and off the field.
Koch supports their efforts to focus on individual growth and development and remove barriers that prevent people from reaching their full potential.
“In Athletes Unlimited, we found a partner that shares our belief that everyone possesses unique talents that make them capable of achieving great things,” says Chase Koch, executive vice president – Origination and Partnerships of Koch Industries. “AU’s model for giving athletes an active role in their careers mirrors how we approach managing our businesses — empowering employees to apply their skills and talents to add value for our customers, partners and community."
Charles Koch, Liz Koch and Chase Koch throw the first pitch at Athletes Unlimited's AUX softball tournament.
An Innovative Approach
AU’s focus on the individual means it does things a little bit differently. At the end of the AUX season, it crowned an individual champion — Bubba Nickles — rather than a team champion.
The novel approach awards players points for individual contributions, such as stealing a base or hitting a home run. Players also receive points if their team wins the game. The player with the highest point total at the end of the competition wins the championship.
These point totals also play a role in creating the teams, which changed throughout the season. The three players with the highest point totals at the end of each series of games get to draft their team for the next series of games. During the season in Wichita, they played a total of three series.
This method means that every single game and inning matters. As champions are often decided by only a few points, players bring a playoff intensity to every game, amping up the excitement for spectators no matter when they watch.
“I want to get better throughout my career,” says Aleshia Ocasio, who won the 2021 Championship Season title after scoring 2,096 points. “I want to make a name for myself and make a statement in the softball world.”
Aleshia, who also plays on the Puerto Rico national team, was one of the 40 women competing in the tournament in Wichita. She says being able to play in and win the title of a professional softball league in 2021 was a huge deal for her.
“And it’s not just a big deal for myself, but for the girls and boys who look like me, who aspire to be a softball player, a basketball player, a scientist or whatever it might be and can see someone set out to do something and accomplish it,” she says.
Becoming your best requires a lot of individual effort, says Jocelyn Alo, who placed second in the tournament, but it also takes a team of mentors, coaches and supporters who can help them along the way. She credits her college coaches for helping her realize achieving excellence is about more than just on-field play.
“How I do anything, is how I do everything,” she says.
Now, AU is filling that role as it enables incredible players with storied college careers, like Jocelyn, to continue to progress and move forward in the sport they love.
Wichita State alum and AU athlete Sydney McKinney says they’re working as hard as they can to achieve the recognition they deserve and striving to build an organization that allows young women to grow up and play professionally in something they excel in and they're passionate about.
“I see myself helping younger athletes achieve their potential by letting them know that being a professional softball player is a reality,” Sydney says.
