How Connect Sports Helps Athletes Get Seen
Our Partnership with the Alliance Fastpitch Helps Make It Happen.
At Connect Sports, we have always believed that a tournament should be more than a weekend of games. It should be a complete experience that matters, a chance for athletes to be seen, celebrated, and set up for what comes next.
That belief is exactly why our partnership with Alliance Fastpitch makes sense.
Shared Values, Shared Mission
Alliance Fastpitch was built around a simple but powerful idea: put the player first. Their platform is designed to make athletes visible through public-facing recognition, leaderboards, stat tracking, recruiting resources, and national-level competition that actually opens doors. They are not just running tournaments. They are building pathways.
Sound familiar? It should. It is the same reason Connect Sports exists.
When we evaluated what partnerships were worth building, Alliance checked every box. Their commitment to celebrating the individual athlete, not just the final score, mirrors the way we approach every event we run. These are fastpitch softball tournaments designed around the experience of the player. The recognition matters. The exposure matters. The recruiting journey matters.
That alignment is not accidental. It is the foundation of everything we do together.
The Partnership Behind the Experience
Our Alliance-Partnered Events
Here are the three events where Connect Sports and Alliance come together to deliver that experience:
Eastern Elite | Chattanooga, TN | October
Eastern Elite is one of the first major recruiting weekends of the fall season, and it sets the tone fast. Held in Chattanooga, it is an AFCS National Qualifier, meaning teams are competing for Alliance Fastpitch Championship Series berths right out of the gate. Five games guaranteed, high-level competition, and the energy of athletes who came ready to earn their spot.
Following the weekend, All-Tournament Teams are announced by age group. Those recognition posts generate real momentum on social media and shine a spotlight on athletes who elevated their game when it counted.
SEFL Fall Championships | Lakeland, FL | November 13-15, 2026
The SEFL Fall Championships bring the same AFCS qualifying stakes to Lakeland, Florida, with a format that rewards competitive depth: two pool games into a full double elimination bracket. This is a Southeastern Fastpitch League and Alliance Super Division event, meaning the teams showing up have earned their place. For athletes eyeing the national stage, this is one of the best opportunities to punch a late-fall ticket and close the year on a high note.
Alliance Fastpitch Open Nationals (AFON) | Chattanooga, TN | July 21-26, 2026
AFON is different, and that is exactly what makes it special. Unlike AFCS qualifier events, AFON does not require a berth. Any Alliance-registered team can compete. That opens the door to the national stage for programs that might not have qualified through the traditional pathway, and puts every team on equal footing from day one.
The 2026 edition runs July 21-26 in Chattanooga across some of the best softball complexes in the country: Warner Park, The Summit of Softball, Camp Jordan, and more. The format is three pool games into double elimination. College coaches attend. Athletes are spotlighted. And based on what Alliance has built around this event, including their Ultimate Athlete Challenge on Day Zero, the experience goes well beyond the bracket.
This is the event you should have on your calendar right now.
Ready to Register for AFON?
AFON 2026 is this July and spots fill up. If your team is Alliance-registered and looking for a national championship experience in one of the best softball cities in the country, this is it.
Learn More and Register for AFON
Learn More About The Alliance Fastpitch
The Alliance Fastpitch is a national organizing body for travel softball. Their national competition structure provides a clear pathway to your season, starting with regional play that leads to a national event.
Competition includes:
- Regular season league play
- In-season tournament with a national final
- Postseason Regional & National Championships