Before she earned the nickname “Air Aliyah” while competing in the Athletes Unlimited (AU) Professional Softball inaugural championship season, Aliyah Andrews found her love for the game on the fields of Oldsmar (Fla.) Little League.
“Little League taught me so many things. It taught me how to love the game, but also how to cherish it and build relationships,” said Andrews. “All my really good friends from Little League are still good friends now and it just taught me how to come together with them and have fun. Just have fun.”
Andrews played Division I collegiate softball at Louisiana State University (LSU), where she had the fifth-highest total of played games in program history with 268 games. After graduation, she was one of 12 players selected in the AU Pro Softball College Draft. Since her first AU Championship Season in 2021, during which she finished eighth in the league, Andrews has been named a member of AU’s Softball All-Defensive Team twice thanks to her diving catches, awarded Game MVP multiple times, and competed in both years of the AU Pro Games at the Little League Softball® World Series.
Internationally, Andrews was also named to the Team USA roster for the 2023 WBSC World Cup Qualifier in Dublin, Ireland; helped the United States win the gold medal at the 2023 Pan American Games; and was named a member of Team USA for the 2024 All-Star Series held in Japan.
While spending time with young softball players in Williamsport as part of the third annual Girls With Game® Experience at the home of the Little League Baseball® World Series, Andrews sat down with Little League for a Six-Innings Conversation:
First Inning: Based on your journey from Little League to Athletes Unlimited, how does the phrase “if you can see her, you can be her” make you feel?
I’ve been really passionate about representation, and I think the same – if you can see her, you can be her. I think that in so many different spaces, and specifically with softball, especially with how professional sports and women’s sports have grown so much, and you can see them on TV all the time, you can see who you want to be right in your face. I think that can only give you more confidence to be able to do it because you see it and you see that it’s not that far. It can be right there and as long as you work hard, you can get there because you see it.
Second Inning: What has it been like to be a part of the AU Pro Games at the Little League Softball World Series?
It’s been awesome to watch young girls play in the same kind of spot that I was in. What’s even cooler is that I didn’t make it to the Little League Softball World Series, and I didn’t get that for when I was playing Little League. So, to watch the young girls get to experience Little League, which I have done but not in this capacity, has been really cool. I’m jealous of them getting to experience such a cool moment and something that they’ll have for a lifetime.
Third Inning: What can young girls do, both mentally and physically, to battle through those tough moments that they will face both on and off the field?
I think the main thing is to be able to talk to somebody – having coaches, having teammates, and having parents that are easy to talk to and to understand, that can help you navigate all the feelings that you feel. I know softball is hard. It’s a game of failure. It’s something that can just make you feel down on yourself. But, having a coach that believes in you, having a coach that talks to you about things other than just your performance is huge. Also, having parents that are in the same boat can really, really help you.
Fourth Inning: Little League is all about fun. How do you keep the game fun, even at the highest level of play?
Keeping the fun alive is so easy when you play with people that you just love playing with. I think the girls at AU are just the best teammates and they make it fun. But it’s really about remembering how I got here. This is just the biggest honor to be able to play professionally and it is fun. It’s still fun and I won’t stop playing until it’s not fun anymore. I just have to keep reminding myself that this is fun, and I continue to play because it’s fun. Just keep having fun and enjoy all the moments.
Fifth Inning: One of Little League’s core values is “community.” In your role today, how important is it to you to give back to your community?
Giving back to the community is huge. That’s why I love being in spaces like the Girls with Game Experience. Growing up I didn’t have a lot of talks or a lot of clinics where I got to have those one-on-one conversations and learn from older players or coaches who looked like me. Little League does such a great job of that and when I remember my days playing, my favorite parts of being at Oldsmar Little League was going to the fields, even if I didn’t have a game, we were working concessions, or I was umpiring Tee Ball games. You built a community of friends and families that all work together and it just makes the experience that much more fun.
Sixth Inning: If you had the opportunity to speak with a young female athlete who is just starting her athletic career, what advice would you give her?
Just always give 100% effort. I think the best that you can do is to have fun and just give your all, and that’s all that anybody can ask for. If you’re not good, at least you’re giving your best and you’re having fun. As long as you’re having fun, and you’re giving all of your effort, I think that shows a lot in itself. It’s really all you can do, and your longevity in the sport will be determined by that. As long as you give all that you can, I think you’ll just be even more successful.
Learn more about Athletes Unlimited and the new Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL), set to make its debut in June 2025, by visiting AUProSports.com.