Staff Report
The Kingsway Regional High softball team is off to a 6-0 start as the top-ranked program in South Jersey and No. 8 overall in the nj.com statewide Top 20. The Dragons have outscored opponents 62-8, including a key win over Vineland, 11-1, on March 26, among other victories over solid squads in Triton and Clearview Regional.
Ava Snyder is a major credit for the hot start.
The junior third baseman is tied for a team-leading 12 hits this season — good for two per game — and has a .545 batting average.
Snyder has shined just as brightly as a pitcher this spring. Splitting time inside the circle with senior Jessa Pieters, she’s allowed just three runs in 17 innings with 28 strikeouts, owning an impressive 0.79 ERA.
Check out correspondent Brian Tortella’s Q&A with Snyder for our latest Kingsway Q&A — April Edition.
Tortella: How old were you when you started playing softball and what made you start playing it?
Snyder: I started playing softball when I was in first grade. I was a kid who wanted to play every single sport I could. My mom signed me up for Little League when I took an interest after playing Wiffle ball in a neighbor’s backyard, and I haven’t stopped playing since!
Tortella: As the best team in the region, you’re constantly facing the top pitchers around. How are you able to consistently perform at a high level at the plate?
Snyder: When facing tougher pitching it is important for me to keep it simple and maintain my confidence at the plate. I know I worked really hard over the offseason to prepare myself, so keeping the mindset that I have done everything I can to prepare myself for my plate appearances is one of the key aspects of hitting at a high level for myself.
Tortella: It seems like you’re taking on a bigger pitching role this spring than you ever have before. How did you prepare for that uptick in the offseason and how do you like the challenge?
Snyder: In the off season, I was with my pitching coach constantly working on different ways to improve my pitching. I focused on increasing speed while also maintaining my spin rate by following a program my pitching coach set up for me. I tweaked my starting motion until I found the best fit for myself and I am excited to take on a greater role for pitching in order to give my team the best chance to win!
Tortella: How do you like your odds of winning South Jersey and state titles?
Snyder: I love our odds. The majority of our team has been playing together for the past 2-to-3 years and we have great chemistry together, which is a tremendous advantage.
Tortella: Who has been your biggest influence on your softball journey?
Snyder: Obviously my parents, but my pitching/hitting coach has had a huge impact as well. She has always been there for me and I have progressed so much with her guidance.
Tortella: Do you have a favorite softball memory?
Snyder: My freshman year we were playing Cherokee in the South Jersey Group 4 final and we were losing 3-0 in the bottom of 6th. (One of my teammates) hit a leadoff triple, which gave us some life again, and then I hit a two-run home run right after her to bring the score to 3-2. We then went on to score nine runs that inning and won, 9-3. The best part about this story is I had nose surgery the day before and was still able to play less than 24 hours later.
Tortella: What’s one individual goal you’ve set for yourself this season?
Snyder: To reach the milestone of 100 career hits!
Tortella: What do you like most about head coach Jill Ward?
Snyder: The main thing I like about Coach Jill is her passion for us and the game itself. She uses her passion in order to help us succeed and better ourselves every day.
Tortella: What’s life like attending Kingsway? It’s one of the biggest schools in South Jersey.
Snyder: Since Kingsway is one of the biggest schools there is a vast majority of people you are going to meet. Coming from a small middle school it was nice to attend a bigger school. I have met some of my closest friends at Kingsway that don’t live super close to me. It is very refreshing to be able to meet new people and have a variety of people in my classes.
Tortella: Who’s your best friend on the team?
Snyder: Mary Frey, she has been my best friend on the team since we met my freshman year. She is a senior this year so I am going to greatly miss her next year!
Tortella: Are you looking into playing at the college level? What are some characteristics you look for while searching for a school?
Snyder: Yes I am currently looking to play at the college level. The characteristics that I look for when I am searching for a school is it having a great program for my desired major or a high academic school.
Tortella: Favorite pregame hype song and artist?
Snyder: I listen to a wide variety of music before a game to hype myself up, but my favorite would be “La Mama de la Mama” by El Alfa and CJ. We play this song before every game and it’s a staple for Kingsway Softball.
Tortella: What’s your go-to snack food?
Snyder: It would have to be the White Cheddar Cheez-Its, or fruit.
Tortella: What kind of things do you do when you have some down time?
Snyder: When I do have free time I like to spend it with my family and friends, it helps me relax and have fun after focusing on my softball, which takes up a ton of my time.
Tortella: What do you believe is the greatest challenge most high school athletes are facing today?
Snyder: The balance between their sport and school work. As more challenging classes are becoming available to high school students and the emphasis on being the best at your sport grows it can be hard to manage both at the same time.
Tortella: Who’s your favorite softball player?
Snyder: (Former University of Tennessee All-American) Monica Abbott. I loved watching her in the Olympics and she is a reason I started pitching.
Tortella: If you could take a free vacation to anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Snyder: Italy. It is very pretty and the food looks amazing.
Tortella: What would you tell your freshman self if you went back to your first day of high school?
Snyder: To stop over-stressing about things and to be myself. I feel like things have been a lot better for me once I stopped stressing about every little thing, in softball and in life.
Tortella: If you could have dinner with any three people, who are you choosing?
Snyder: Bryce Harper, Monica Abott, and Saquon Barkley. I feel like I could learn a lot from all of them and also it would be super cool to meet them in general. I’m also a huge Philadelphia sports fan so meeting them would be amazing.
Tortella: Where do you see yourself in five years?
Snyder: I see myself at college playing softball, soon going into law school. I would have played a majority of my college career already so I am looking forward to experiencing it and I hope I live life to the fullest in these next five years.
WHAT’S NEXT: Kingsway travels to Woodstown on Wednesday and then hosts GCIT on Thursday, both games at 4 p.m., before facing Cherokee on Saturday at noon at the Rancocas Valley Elite Tournament.
