LIFE League Industrial Athletic Association (LLIAA)
Go to Work.
LIFE League Industrial Athletic Association (LLIAA)
Go to Work.
A New Post-Graduate Pathway for
Student-Athletes
The LIFE League Industrial Athletic Association (LLIAA) was created to address a growing reality in today’s athletic landscape: opportunity is shrinking, even as talent continues to grow.
Each year, thousands of high school student-athletes graduate with the ability, discipline, and desire to compete at the next level. Yet due to roster limitations, transfer rules, NIL dynamics, and structural shifts in collegiate athletics, many of those athletes are left without a clear pathway forward—not because they lack talent, but because the system has changed.
LLIAA exists to meet that moment.
We provide student-athletes with a structured, intentional pathway to continue competing, while also ensuring they are building credentials, experience, and direction that will sustain them long after their athletic careers conclude.
This is not about extending development.
It is about expanding opportunity with structure.
Get Started:
The LIFE League Industrial Athletic Association is a post-graduate athletic association designed to operate alongside the modern realities of collegiate athletics.
LLIAA offers student-athletes:
Organized, competitive league play
College-style recruiting and evaluation
Regional teams rooted in community
Clear standards and accountability
Required engagement in education, or training
Our model recognizes a fundamental truth:
Athletic careers are temporary; professional lives are permanent.
LLIAA was founded with a forward-looking vision—one that acknowledges where collegiate athletics is today and anticipates where it is headed.
As traditional pathways narrow, the need for additional, legitimate routes has become essential. LLIAA was created to ensure that student-athletes who are capable of competing are not left without options—and that those options are organized, credible, and sustainable.
This league is not designed to replace college athletics.
It is designed to evolve alongside it.
LLIAA recruits student-athletes using the same relationship-driven methods employed by colleges:
Live scouting and evaluation
Film review
Communication with coaches
Conversations with athletes and families
Interest forms are accepted as a way to introduce yourself, but they are supplemental, not the primary method of recruitment.
Athletes are recruited directly to specific regional teams, based on:
Geographic location
Team needs
Athlete readiness and fit
LLIAA does not operate as a central placement program. Teams recruit, build identity, and represent their regions—just as higher-level programs do.
LLIAA teams compete in organized league play within defined conferences. Competition is intentional, consistent, and aligned with league-wide standards.
Athletics matter—but they exist within a larger framework of responsibility and preparation.
A defining feature of the LLIAA model is its commitment to life beyond sports.
All athletes are required to engage in:
Technical Education
Job training
Apprenticeships
This requirement ensures that time spent competing is also time spent preparing for long-term success.
LLIAA maintains clear expectations related to:
Conduct and professionalism
Participation and commitment
Workforce or educational engagement
This structure mirrors the realities athletes will face in collegiate programs, the workplace, and adult life.
The LLIAA is designed for student-athletes who:
Have graduated from high school
Want to continue competing in an organized environment
Understand that opportunity must be earned and managed
Are prepared to balance athletics with real-world responsibilities
This is a serious pathway for athletes who are serious about their future.
The LIFE League Industrial Athletic Association is designed to be an accessible, high-value pathway for student-athletes navigating a changing athletic landscape.
$1,500 per season
This fee helps support league operations, team expenses, and athlete services.
Your LLIAA program fee covers all basketball-related expenses, including:
Game uniforms (kept by the athlete)
Practice uniform (kept by the athlete)
Team tracksuit (kept by the athlete)
Team travel bag (kept by the athlete)
League and team operations
Practice and game participation
Officials, scheduling, and administration
Travel arrangements as needed
There are no hidden basketball costs once athletes are enrolled.
LLIAA is committed to access and opportunity.
Partial Scholarships are available for qualified athletes
Payment plans can be arranged to accommodate families
We encourage families of recruited athletes to communicate early if financial assistance is needed.
For many student-athletes, partial college scholarships still require significant out-of-pocket costs or student loans to cover tuition, housing, and fees.
By comparison, the LLIAA program fee is considerably lower than what many families pay annually through student loans, while still providing:
Organized, competitive basketball
Structured accountability
Career and credential pathways
Tangible gear and resources athletes keep
LLIAA is designed to be a cost-effective, forward-thinking alternative that prioritizes long-term stability alongside athletic competition.
We understand that every family’s situation is different. Our staff is happy to discuss options, answer questions, and help determine what works best for you.
The LLIAA Middle Georgia Conference currently includes:
Robins Aviators
Macon Machinists
Heart of Georgia Grind
Other Teams to be announced soon...
Each team represents its community while operating under a unified league standard. Additional teams and sports are actively in development.
Currently offered:
Men’s Basketball (Launches Fall 2027)
Coming soon:
Women’s Basketball
Men’s & Women’s Soccer
Women’s Flag Football
LLIAA understands that trust, structure, and clarity matter to families.
Our program is:
Organized with defined policies and expectations
Insured, carrying general liability coverage
Intentional, prioritizing accountability and long-term outcomes
We are committed to supporting student-athletes as young adults—helping them navigate a critical transition period with structure, guidance, and opportunity.
LLIAA partners with organizations interested in developing disciplined, motivated young adults who are balancing competition with real-world responsibilities.
Our athletes bring:
Strong work ethic
Accountability
Time management
Team-oriented leadership
Partnerships with LLIAA strengthen both workforce pipelines and communities.
LLIAA recruiting is built on relationships.
If you are a student-athlete, parent, coach, employer, or community partner interested in learning more, we invite you to introduce yourself and begin a conversation.
Completing an interest form or reaching out does not obligate you, it simply allows us to connect and explore whether there may be alignment moving forward.
Jeffrey M. Tarver, MPA
Commissioner
LIFE League Industrial Athletic Association
478-957-0967
Jeff@thelifeleague.info