

By Derrick Smith
Sports can become a big part of an athlete’s life. With countless hours of preparation, working out, and becoming the best athlete that you can be, parents like Courtney Madison say that it is important to help their kids keep their priorities in focus.
“I feel it is important to prioritize their activities to teach them responsibility and respect,” she said. “It teaches them that there is a bigger picture and they need to think about their team, and have accountability for that team. They need to work together, not individually.
Madison is the mother of three boys of whom she is proud of and will always be their biggest fan.
“Jordan graduated in 2018 from Altus High School,” she said. “He played basketball, and ran track his senior year. Devin is a senior at Altus this year. He played football this year, he also plays basketball and baseball. Braylon is a sophomore and he plays basketball, and is going to run track this year.”
Courtney is a Special Education teacher at Altus High School. While she may not have a lot of spare time, she says that she loves anytime she is able to spend time with her boys.
“I don’t have a lot of free time, but when I do, I enjoy spending it with my boys,” she stated. “We are usually at a basketball gym, or a baseball field. I wouldn’t have it any other way. My nephew is a very important part to our puzzle. He is seven and now starting sports, so as my boys are getting older, I get to start over again with him. I couldn’t be happier about it. He supports my boys as much as my boys support him. It is a beautiful bond.”
As a teacher and parent in the district, Madison is thankful to have her kids in such a great school.
“One thing that I love about Altus High School is that it offers so many opportunities for the students to ‘find where they fit in’,” she said. “It gives them the chance to see what activities they enjoy doing, what they may be really good at, or what they may strive to do one day. There really is something for everyone at Altus High School.”
