Ricky Sapp was born November 14, 1986 in Bamberg, South Carolina. He started his football career at Clemson University. In 2010, Ricky was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fifth round.
Sapp attended Bamberg-Ernhardt High School, where he was all-region as a sophomore and all-state as a junior. His senior year he earned All American Honors by USA Today. Sapp was named the #1 football player in the state of South Carolina, #20 overall in the nation and a five-star recruit.
In his Freshman year at Clemson, Ricky appeared in all 13 games as a true freshman on defense. Ricky earned a freshman All-American honorable mention by Scout.com. He entered his senior year fourth among active ACC players in career tackles and fourth among active players in career sacks.
Sapp was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fifth round (134th overall). He was signed to a four-year contract with the Eagles and almost immediately placed on injured reserve after suffering a knee injury. Sapp underwent arthroscopic knee surgery, a devastating injury to his career. Ricky continued onto the New York Jets, Houston Texans, and Washington Redskins.
Since the NFL, Ricky has been very active in the football community. The Ricky Sapp Youth Football Camp is held in Bamberg, SC annually. NFL pros, friends and family assist Ricky with the camp. All youth participants receive Dream Big Live Big gear.
Ricky's passion for the gym, health and fitness, and working with children led him to study and earn his personal training certifications. Ricky is currently an independent Sports Performance Trainer at The X Gym in Myrtle Beach.
This past year, Ricky has been given the opportunity to speak to kids at school pep rallies, team sporting events, banquets, pre-games, college classes and more. His charisma, his passion for the children and his motivational words will touch the soul of every student, parent, teacher and coach that have the opportunity to hear him speak
Ricky Sapp
"If you spend even a moment glancing through Ricky Sapp’s impressive resume of career highlights and notable accolades, you will find ample evidence of just how much he must know about football...about winning....about success. As a parent, it all comes back to, “People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.” When you see just how much Ricky Sapp cares, it is nothing short of inspirational. Several years ago, we brought our son Jaxon to work with Ricky, hoping to develop some much needed confidence. That single decision absolutely changed my son’s life. Ricky possesses this innate ability to connect with people right where they are, love them and pull more out of them than they ever thought possible. Week after week, I watched my son’s performance increase dramatically and more importantly, I watched his mentality completely transform. He dedicated himself to becoming great without hesitation or self doubt. I watched Ricky coach my son football and teach him how to replace fear with faith. I could tell you about Jaxon’s undefeated season that followed, but I would rather tell you how he became a servant-like leader on that team. The increased football skills payed off tremendously, but the lessons Ricky sowed into Jaxon’s heart and the life lessons he teaches kids will eventually become his legacy. When I sat down to write this, I asked both of my boys what they wanted people to know about Ricky Sapp. Our younger son Maddox said “ Uncle Ricky loves you no matter what. He believes in me and he never gives up. I would give anything to go to him (work with him!” Jaxon simply said, “Uncle Ricky is love. He is the power of love.” Inspirational, indeed!"
I can’t thank you enough Mr. Sapp for coming in. Your presentation was excellent.
Thank you for looking out for our young people. The boys were showing off today about how good the presentation was.
Please continue to be a great inspiration and role model for our youths. They need it. God bless you.
"I can’t say enough about Ricky. My son has trained with him off and on for the past 4 years. Ricky’s love and desire for the kids to succeed is unmatched. Ricky is definitely one of the good guys and I’m proud to call him a friend."
"I am sure ur day will be full as ours tomorrow but I wanted to let you know I am forever grateful for you and your love and passion with my Spencer! He loves you so much and I laughed as I heard him tell a friend that you were his dad! He claims u whether u want it or not. Lol. So just know on this thanksgiving we give God thanks for you! Much appreciation and love for a great man!"
"Thank you so much for having Ricky come in today! He is an amazing speaker and was great with the kiddos! We thoroughly enjoyed his visit and would love it if he could come again every year!"
"Our 5th graders absolutely loved it!"
I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Mr. Ricky Sapp a Clemson Football legend and NFL standout, for honoring the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work with his inspiring presence. As my class approached the end of the quarter, my scholars needed a rejuvenating boost of motivation to finish strong. Upon learning that Mr. Sapp, America’s #1 Motivational Speaker, was in town, I reached out to him, and to my delight, he graciously agreed to visit us.
Mr. Sapp ignited a spark of inspiration within my students and engaged them on a profound intellectual level, offering invaluable insights and feedback on their group presentations. His dynamic energy filled the room, and his encouraging words resonated deeply with each student. To add a special touch to the occasion, he presented every student and me with thoughtful gifts that symbolized his commitment to excellence and encouraged us to reach our highest potential.
Mr. Sapp truly exemplifies greatness and generosity of spirit! Thank you for sharing your time and wisdom with my class; this unforgettable experience will stay with us for years.
Amazing news! Ricky Sapp's new book Dream Big is now available for purchase on Amazon! Get your copy today!!! (kindle version $2.99 / paperback $14.99)
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