Episode 98 — Jami Lobpries: Building Professional Softball From the Ground Up

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Jami Lobpries is one of the most important figures in fastpitch softball — and if you don't know her name, you need to. She's the leader of Alliance Fastpitch, the GM of the Portland Cascade in the AUSL, and someone who has dedicated her career to growing this sport from the grassroots all the way to the professional level.

This is Jami's second time on the Transcending Sport Podcast, and every time she comes on, she's doing something new. Something bigger. That's just who she is.

From Soccer Kid to Softball Lifer

Jami grew up in a small town in Texas playing every sport imaginable. Soccer was supposed to be her path — she was playing club soccer and baseball with the boys — but when high school came around, she made the switch to softball on her own terms. Her athleticism, speed, and work ethic earned her a spot at Texas A&M, where she played alongside future stars like Amanda Scarborough and Megan Gibson. From there, she went to the NPF, made connections, and began a journey that would ultimately reshape professional softball.

The Evolution from NPF to AUSL

Jami's first pro team — the Philadelphia Force — went bankrupt. She didn't get her last paycheck. She was a broke master's student. But she was inspired by the women around her — players like Caitlin Lowe, Cat Osterman, Jennie Finch, Monica Abbott — who committed to growing professional softball after the sport was removed from the Olympics.

Fast forward to today, and the AUSL is a completely different animal. Jami shared a moment from a recent call with her Portland Cascade staff — there were 20 people on that call. Athletic trainers, strength coaches, equipment managers, directors of operations. She didn't even have a trainer back in the NPF days. The resources being invested now are making it a real business.

Player Branding: Softball Needs Real Deals

One of the most passionate parts of our conversation was about personal branding. Rob has been pushing this since his days working with the Comets in 2008-09 — trying to get female athletes real brand deals. Not a couple pairs of cleats and a bat. Cars. Hotel chains. Fragrances. Their own shoe.

Women's basketball has figured this out — high school players making significant money, college athletes with massive social media followings. Softball has the talent. The question is: when does the culture evolve to let young players be themselves AND be softball players at the same time?

Jami sees it changing. AUSL players are building their brands. The Sephora partnership, the Adidas deal — the corporate interest is growing. But she wants the sport to be more intentional about pushing it.

AUSL Broadcast Innovation

The AUSL is pushing boundaries with its broadcast approach — in-game player interviews, mics in the dugout, cameras everywhere. While a player is turning a double play, she's talking about making coffee. That's relatable. That's how you connect fans to players.

Jami credits Sherry Camp and the AUSL broadcast team for being willing to push those boundaries. Traditional sports wouldn't mic up a player mid-game. Softball is doing it — and it's working.

Alliance Fastpitch: Club-Led, Not Tournament-Led

This was a big statement from Jami: softball has historically been led by tournaments, not player development. Kids just play tournament after tournament. The Alliance flipped that model — it's led by clubs. People on the ground floor developing players, developing humans.

Five and a half years in, the mission hasn't changed: what's best for the game, what's best for the kids. Full seven-inning games. Coach development through monthly "coach boxes." The Alliance Academy. Player recognition tied to development, not just results.

Jami's take: she'd love to see softball adopt more of a soccer academy model — kids training, practicing, developing. Not just showing up for the next tournament.

The Transfer Portal and Building Culture

The transfer portal conversation hit different. Rob got transparent about the emotional toll of investing in players who leave — "I would have given her my last five dollars" — and how coaches have to fight through bitterness to stay servant-hearted.

Jami pointed out that this culture of moving starts at 10U in travel ball. Parents making decisions, kids bouncing from team to team. She highlighted the OC Batbusters team that won a national championship with players who stayed together — Chi Minor, Taylor Schumaker, Ella Parker, Reagan Schocky — all future college All-Americans who chose loyalty over perceived opportunity.

Her message: keep kids together. Build something special. The life lessons in that commitment are more valuable than any roster upgrade.

Five Years From Now

Jami's vision for 2031:

• We'll have been through an Olympics — keeping softball in the Games is critical for corporate dollars and global visibility
• A big TV deal is coming — and with it, real money
• Professional softball players will be able to make a living year-round
• Youth participation has to grow — and that means working together, not fighting over the same piece of the pie. Grow the pie.
• When little girls can see the mountaintop — a real professional career — more of them will choose this sport and stay in it

Faith and Purpose

We closed with something most people in softball don't talk about publicly — faith. Jami credits God for putting her in the position she's in. A soccer kid from Texas who never played travel softball is now running one of the most important organizations in the sport. That's not an accident.

Her word: purpose. She's living hers. And through Alliance Fastpitch and the AUSL, she's helping thousands of others find theirs.

The Best is Yet to Come.

Listen to Episode 98: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube

Follow Jami Lobpries on Instagram to keep up with everything Alliance Fastpitch and Portland Cascade.