Taylor Hampton Overcomes Tears, Fears To Excel In Softball
Taylor Hampton didn't think she would last long in softball because she couldn't stop crying. At her very first tryout, she began to cry as the car pulled into the parking lot. Her dad told her they'd wait until she stopped before heading to the field.
Once she arrived at the field, Hampton started to cry as soon as someone asked her a question. On her first day at the hitting tryout, she locked herself in the bathroom and bawled. Her mom spent 10 minutes trying to get her to come out.
Gradually, Hampton managed to overcome her shyness and realized how much joy softball brings her. The 2026 recruit from Mesa, Arizona has come out of her shell and developed into a top softball prospect who has committed to Texas A&M.
Hampton helped Arizona Rising Appel win the PGF national championship at the 18U premier level in July, and recently joined Impact Gold Jackson 18U.
“Whenever I work at different camps or clinics, I always talk to the really quiet ones just to see how they're feeling because I was like them,” Hampton said. “I want to make sure they're not overwhelmed by little drills that we're doing.”
Hampton discovered softball at age 3 by attending her dad's slowpitch games. She asked him if she could play, and learned there was a fastpitch version of the sport. Her babysitter immediately noticed her aptitude.
“I was throwing footballs in the yard with him and he was like, ‘man, your daughter knows how to throw. She needs to get into sports,'” Hampton said. “I was just starting to play softball and trying to discover different things.”
Hampton played with Texas A&M head coach Trisha Ford's daughter in travel ball when Ford was still the head coach at Arizona State. Ford helped Hampton realize her potential at third base rather than being an outfielder.
Her childhood dream was to play for LSU, but becoming an Aggie was more attractive once her recruiting process began in earnest.
“I feel like Texas A&M really pushed that they wanted me. Once they found out I was undecided, Coach Ford asked if I was interested because she didn't think I wanted to go to Texas A&M,” said Hampton, who wants to become a dentist “But I was interested. I love Texas and I already wanted to live in Texas after college. I really felt like A&M made me a priority. I could feel how excited they were for me to come on a visit.”
Now that she's committed to college, Hampton is considering joining the track and field team for her senior year and throwing the shot put.
“I've never done it before, but a lot of people told me that I should try and I'd probably be good at it," she said. "I just want to get out of my comfort zone and try something new.”
Hampton was seeking more balance in her life outside of softball, so she got a job at Crave Cookies in Mesa, Arizona. She discovered the shop after asking them to be a sponsor for her high school softball team.
“I just thought it was super cool. The boss was super engaged in my softball. She would always come to the games to cheer me on with her husband,” Hampton said. “I just asked her if I can work here for the summer, and now I've been working here for almost two years.”
Hampton, whose favorite item to decorate is the strawberry shortcake cookie, loves interacting with the customers.
“I've been amazed how many people will come in and they play softball, and then I'll just start talking to them about it,” she said. “It's always little girls, so I feel like they're looking up to me kind of and that makes me feel good.”
It's a far cry from where Hampton started, when she couldn't speak to any strangers without tears starting to flow.
“Now I talk to everybody,” she said. “I don't care who it is. I will be talking to them.”
