From the dusty diamonds of Las Vegas to the red rocks of St. George, Utah, Chloe Covington, a Shadow Ridge junior, is proving that resilience is the ultimate teammate. After years of grinding through the ranks of varsity softball, she has officially committed to play at the next level for Utah Tech University.
Her journey hasn’t just been about home runs and highlights; it’s been a masterclass in leadership and mental toughness.
“Playing on Shadow Ridge’s varsity team as a junior has been a very good experience and lots of learning comes from it,” she says. “It’s getting me to be better overall individually and as a captain as we keep going further in season.”
That leadership wasn’t built overnight. It started during Covington’s freshman year, where she learned that progress often happens when no one is watching.
“My confidence has been the biggest improvement during these years at Shadow,” she says. “Playing varsity as a freshman, I didn’t play much, but it made me become a better player when I kept pushing through the hard moments.”
Even as an upperclassman, the game has a way of testing a player’s resolve. Early this season, she faced a slump that challenged her mental game. However, a breakout performance against Green Valley High School served as the ultimate turning point.
“My biggest highlight was hitting two home runs against Green Valley,” she recalls. “I was in a big slump, so it really just got my head in the right space again.”
Navigating the demands of a high-level varsity schedule while maintaining academic excellence requires a disciplined routine. For Covington, the “student” in student-athlete always comes first, even when the schedule gets heavy.
“I balance everything by just trying to get all my schoolwork done at school or later that night after practice is over,” she explains. “It is a little draining, but its all about having the right mindset.”
Now serving as a team captain, she views her role as more than just a position on a depth chart. It’s about being the glue that holds the team together during the highs and lows of a long season.
“My role on our softball team is being a captain and leading my team on and off the field,” Covington states. “I contribute by just always being there for people, whether its my coaches or my teammates whenever they need me.”
While the physical aspect of the game is demanding, she admits the mental side, specifically overcoming that early-season slump, was her greatest hurdle.
“The biggest challenge I have faced was my slump at the beginning of the season,” she says. “It took away a lot of my confidence, but I’m slowly working my way back up and getting back to where I was.”
As she prepares for the next chapter of her career, Covington hopes to inspire the younger girls in the Shadow Ridge community to embrace the grind.
“My advice to any younger girls would be to just keep putting in the work off the field,” she advises. “If you have enough heart for the game, you will succeed and will be able to accomplish anything.”
With Covington’s commitment to Utah Tech secured, she is ready to take her talents to a campus that matches her ambition.
“What I’m most excited for being committed to Utah Tech is to be able to play at the next level that I’ve always dreamed to be at,” she says. “Utah Tech is a beautiful campus and school, and I’m excited to be able to show them what I can do.”
