SFAAA – Come for the Softball. Stay for the Family. 

Ask someone why they joined a softball league, and you might expect to hear about competition, exercise, or simply wanting to play again. Ask why they stayed, and the answer may have very little to do with softball. 

Since 1994, the South Florida Amateur Athletic Association (SFAAA) has been giving LGBTQ+ players and allies a place to compete, connect, and become part of something bigger. Today, more than 525 players and non-playing members make up what has become the largest LGBTQ+ sports league in South Florida. 

Fall brings more than 25 teams to Mills Pond Park, with the spring season typically growing to more than 32 teams. Players compete across divisions designed for different skill levels, creating opportunities for everyone from newcomers learning the game to experienced athletes chasing championships. 

This September, 17 SFAAA teams across six divisions will represent Fort Lauderdale at the iPride Gay Softball World Series. And closer to home, SFAAA hosts the annual Hurricane Showdown, which typically welcomes 65 to 75 teams to South Florida for a weekend that extends well beyond the ballfields. 

But playing ball is only part of the story. 

Spend enough time around SFAAA and you begin to understand that the league is as much about the people as the game. Teammates become friends. Friends become chosen family. After Sunday games, players gather at after-parties, but these connections don’t end when the season does. 

Throughout the year, it’s common to spot SFAAA members grabbing dinner or drinks together, catching a movie, or supporting another team’s pool party or fundraiser. Social media stays busy with conversations and plenty of good-natured banter. When teams travel to tournaments, members cheer on fellow SFAAA teams, even when they aren’t the ones on the field. And when one of those teams brings home a championship, the larger SFAAA family celebrates together. 

Those connections reach into the local business community, too. SFAAA works with businesses throughout the area, including many along Wilton Drive, creating partnerships that support teams and the league while encouraging hundreds of members, friends, and families to support the businesses that support them. 

That sense of community is built entirely by volunteers. A nine-member Board of Directors, numerous committees, managers, coaches, and countless others give their time to organize seasons, welcome new players, maintain fair competition, plan events, build partnerships, and keep one of South Florida’s largest LGBTQ+ organizations moving forward. 

The work has earned national recognition. SFAAA Fort Lauderdale was named iPride’s 2025 Member City/Association of the Year for its leadership, inclusivity, sustained growth, and community impact. Its Hurricane Showdown was also a 2025 finalist for Tournament of the Year. 

Those honors recognize something SFAAA members have experienced for years: the league’s impact stretches far beyond the final score. 

For SFAAA, one thing remains long after the final out: We are family. 

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