We have received word here at GREENSBOROSports.com that NC Gaters AAU boys basketball coach Vic Sapp, 46(we were originally told that Vic was 52, our apologies), was found dead this morning at his home in Chapel Hill. Suicide has been suspected as a cause of death. They found Vic early this morning in his garage and carbon monoxide poisoning has been speculated as a contributing factor in the cause of death.
Vic was a very good friend of mine and he helped me and I helped him with many different projects over the years. He never missed a Pizza Hut Little Four Basketball Tournament at the Greensboro Coliseum.
Vic attended Page High School and was very active here in local community sports since back in the early 1980’s. Vic worked in sales at the former Davidson’s on High Point Road and was one of the top salespeople in the history of that business. Vic spent much of that time in charge of gun sales at Davidson’s. Vic later did wholesale gun sales and then opened Triad Team Sports back in the mid-1990’s. Vic later went into real estate sales after he moved from Greensboro to Chapel Hill. Recently Vic had been involved in property sales and management in Wilmington and had been working on a huge land development project up above Asheville.
Vic began the biggest part of his coaching career at the Glenwood Recreation Center working with Mike Crabtree and Greg Everette and coaching the Glenwood Bears Pee Wee and Mite football teams. Vic moved on to basketball and became one of the most influential people in the history of the AAU boys basketball ranks. Vic worked with Billy Britt to build a strong program for young men that could compete on any level.
Vic’s level of coaching grew to where he was the head coach of the AAU Boys 18 and Under National Champions. Vic’s team included Raymond Felton of UNC-Chapel Hill and Carmelo Anthony of Syracuse. Vic also helped as a coach for the University of North Carolina Tar Heels JV basketball team. He was very good friends with former Tar Heel Patrick Sullivan.
Vic was the President of the North Carolina Gaters AAU boys basketball program and he was involved with some very important local officials including:
NC Gaters Executive Board:
Vic Sapp, President
Billy Britt, Past President
Stan Kowalewski, V.P.
Robert Vail, Treasurer
Jamal Mention, Secretary
Freddy Johnson, At-Large
Pete Baker, At-Large
Mike Barber, Attorney
Board of Trustees:
Eric Alspaugh
BJ Barnes
Dr. Charlie Byrnes
John Chapman
Mike Crabtree
Mike Cranford
Walt Faye
Richard Goff
Brent Halsch
Myron Herron
Robert Kent
Frank Kincaid
Dr. Jim Kramer
Tom Palombo
Reggie Peace
Larry Pulliam
Ed Purgason
Doug Shelton
Bob Smith
*****Rest in Peace Vic Sapp, you will be missed and you leave behind a legacy of long-lasting success in the area of Boys AAU Basketball.*****
After working with Vic I hope that his legacy will be the players lives that the organization and AAU had a impact on and will continue to do so.
Thanks for any comments you and would wish to leave regarding Vic Sapp.
He worked hard and was able to do so much to help kids who loved to play basketball. I remember when the AAU boys 10 and Under finals were in Greensboro at the Coliseum back in 1994 and Robert Johnson and Josh Strable were on the Gaters and they made it to the Championship game and faced the Green kid who was with Orlando and later Green, whose dad Sidney Green was in the NBA with the Orlando Magic, any way the Green kid went on to play and star on two Florida Gater teams that won back-to-back NCAA basketball titles.
Vic helped bring all of this to the Coliseum and he did so much to promote basketball and to help kids. So many of the area kids owe a lot to this man and all he did in building the AAU basketball programs.
It is a very sad day. Vic has been very instrumental in shaping local and state wide AAU basketball for the past 15 years. He is not only well respected locally, he was one of the top AAU people in the country. He is and will always be one of my best friends. He touch so many kids and peoples lives. He would literally give you his shirt off of his back if you ask him. We all lost a great person.
Vic made a major impact on my son. My son has been in the Gaters program for three years and grew to respect and love Vic as a mentor and coach. I am sure that many of my son’s accomplishments in the future will be directly related to Vic’s leadership and caring as both a coach and friend.
We wish you well and look forward to seeing up there.
Coach Sapp, provided many opportunities for people, he contributed positive efforts toward helping others in basketball, life and challenges. A Coach for people, players, and problems. He united some of the best professionals around to continue the tasks at hand. Thanks for the experience. IcW
I have worked for Vic 10 in a half years. I learned a great deal from him. Most importantly I saw the kind of man he was. A very kind and giving person. His life was basketball the NC Gaters. He lived and breath his organization that he built from the ground with help from very special friends. Vic would do anything for the young kids that played basketball. He was an Icon to so many myself included. It will be very hard to step into his gym and not see or hear him hollaring plays. He has a very special legacy that will live on in his name. My heart breaks that he is no longer with us as a team, teacher and most importantly a friend. I will miss you Vic. I will miss your emails and throwing a hundred things at me to do. I will miss the fun we all shared doing tournaments and making the organization grow. Rest in Peace
I was greatly saddened upon learning of Vic’s death. I remember his quick smile, his obvious love for sports, and his seemingly boundless enthusiasm. Few of us will have so much influence on so many.
I was extremely saddened about the news.Vic was very instrumental in our organization becoming what it is today.I do not think we all realize how much of a positive atmosphere Vic made AAU basketball in North Carolina.Also,Vic was a guy that knew your name, and always treated our organization with complete fairness.Vic knew the work it took to run a AAU club, and always gave me right path in order to keep my organization under AAU standards.Vic made the NC Gaters the “standard”. GOD is getting a good man…………Rest in Peace,Vic.We all will miss you………..
he was the epitomy of politeness.