Avery Sapp’s Softball Career is Shaped by Teammates and Powered by Passion
By: Jaydin Kroutil
In the stillness of early mornings, before the sun rises, and the intensity of late evenings with its heat pressing against her back on the mound, Avery Sapp stands strong and focused. The ball flies from her hand, cutting through the air with purpose.
Boom. Another strike.
Sapp is a second-year softball player at Utah Valley University. Her career is filled with honors and championships.
But trophies gather dust and lose relevance. What lasts are the relationships built in a game that turns grit, discipline and passion into bonds that turn teammates into family.
“Softball has taught me that being disciplined and resilient is important if you want to be successful in life,” Sapp said. “You can’t be selfish, being selfish does not win you games and it sure doesn’t win people over.”
Sapp emerged as one of Utah’s top softball recruits in high school, earning numerous titles and awards. Her current head coach at UVU, Cody Thompson, praised her talent, stating, “Coming out of high school, she was the best player in Utah, and I think she plays the part.” She was named the Utah Sports Commission’s High School Female Athlete of the Year, a two-time Utah Softball Gatorade Player of the Year, becoming UVU’s first, UVU Female Freshman of the Year, WAC Pitcher of the Week, among other accolades.
Sapp, a native of Spanish Fork, Utah, is the daughter of Damian and Crysta Sapp. She said she has loved the game of softball for as long as she can remember, a passion sparked by her father, who introduced her to the sport. Damian Sapp played professional baseball in the minor league for the Red Sox organization. From a young age, she said, her dad pushed her to play sports and softball was the chosen one he honed in on with her. He coached her throughout her childhood before she transitioned to different coaches in travel ball, yet he remained a significant influence on her career. “My dad had always had the idea of me playing college softball and being something great, he dedicated a lot of his time to perfecting my craft… It will always be a goal of mine to continually make him proud every day” Sapp shared.
Growing up, Sapp said she often found it difficult to make friends, stating that she was bullied in junior high so softball was an outlet for her to create lifelong friendships. “There is a different connection when you’re going through the ups and downs and wins and losses… I think it just builds a different connection than what you would get,” Sapp explained.
She credits a lot of personal development to the sport stating, “It has helped me develop a sense of confidence that I don’t think I would have if I didn’t play.” Sapp continues with the fact that softball is a team sport where communication, trust, and selflessness are the most important aspects. Through these skills, she said she has become a better friend and teammate.
In high school, Sapp’s freshman season was cut short due to COVID-19, but she still made her mark, recording 660 strikeouts and a 63-6 record (Utah Sports Commission). At Spanish Fork High School, she helped lead her team to three state championships. Looking back, she credits the program and her teammates for shaping her as a player, calling it an honor to compete alongside such talented and supportive athletes.
“Playing at Spanish Fork was nothing short of perfect. The environment, coaches, teammates, and many other factors are what kept me happy and kept me going. I was a part of a legacy and it was such an honor to be able to contribute to it,” Sapp said.
With these victories, Sapp acknowledged the high expectations placed on her and her teammates. However, she embraced the challenge, using it as motivation to “become better players, and for [her], a better leader.”
Alongside her on their high school team was Peyton Hall, who is now also a sophomore on UVU’s softball team. She too was a decorated player coming out of high school as she tied the state record with 20 home runs as a junior and finished second all-time in career home runs. In addition, Hall earned All-State honors three times, further solidifying her place among Utah’s top softball recruits (Utah Valley University Athletics).
The two have been through countless experiences together, supporting each other every step of the way—from age 13 to their collegiate careers. Hall discusses her bond with Sapp, saying, “Because me and Avery have known each other for so long we know what the other one struggles and does well with. I feel like this helps us work through things together.” Sapp said their dads have been friends for a while, but high school is when their friendship took off.
“It wasn’t ‘I’ll see you at practice,’ we hung out every single day outside of practice,” she said. “I will always love her as a person.”
Despite earning numerous accolades, Sapp has remained humble and driven. Reflecting on her success, she shared, “Being named high school female athlete of the year was a huge honor, but I wouldn’t have been there if it wasn’t for the people that were by my side my entire high school career. It wasn’t even about the award for me, I felt like it was recognition for all of the hard work that I put in, the sacrifices, and the moments that led up to it.”
Thompson followed her journey closely throughout high school and club play while he was previously coaching at the University of Utah. From an early age, he said he knew he wanted the opportunity to coach her. When Thompson took over as head coach at UVU, he made sure to bring her on board, and since then, he said he has only watched her continue to grow and excel.
“I knew she was going to be my number one pick,” he said. “ I knew she would be a perfect fit for me and you know, be the one!” In her freshman year, Sapp appeared in 27 games with 22 starts, with 26 appearances and 20 starts as a pitcher, and even earned WAC Pitcher of the Week honors (Utah Valley University Athletics).
Thompson believes Avery’s achievements are just the beginning, stating, “...she’s now even stronger and faster than she was before… She has so much more room to keep getting better and grow.”
Softball has been a key outlet for Sapp throughout her life, offering not only opportunities for awards and recognition but also a chance to build lasting friendships and develop personal skills.
“I want to be that person who is remembered for being the bright spirit on the field or the big heart on the field,” Sapp expressed. “Softball has been a getaway for me and a way for me to make lifelong friendships… God put me in the best situation that I could have ever been put in.”