Taking a deep breath before stepping to the number one tee at the Class 3A state golf tournament last spring as a freshman, Raeleigh Madden realized one of her dreams.

“The first day I was really nervous and excited at the same time,” admits Madden. “I didn’t know how the competition was going to be. In the opening round I was paired with one of the top players, who was a senior. After settling down and playing my game  I played confident and ended up with an awesome experience. I can’t wait for another season!”

Madden rarely takes a day off as she also plays school and travel softball, basketball as well as golf. Following her top 25 finish last spring and a summer filled with practice rounds and tournaments, Madden enters her sophomore year at Atoka High School clinging to her mom’s advice that she strives to achieve every day noting that a positive mental approach is paramount, in sports and everyday life.

“Be confident.  When girls hit early teens, it seems like their self-confidence decreases. I know I have had my struggles with this and my mom has always told me to be confident. I didn’t really understand what she meant by it, until recently,” explained Madden, who stands 5’3 on her tip toes.  “Knowing your self worth and being confident empowers you to flourish instead of struggling through whatever you are trying to achieve. Always believe in yourself and your teammates, no matter what you do!”

Known to her friends as “Rae”, confidence and attention to detail has proved championship caliber for Madden, who owns a 4.3 GPA including her favorite subject, math. 

“Math is genetically ingrained in my DNA – My dad is great at math and loves math.  His mother’s favorite subject was math and she is a senior assistant controller and analyst.  Her father was a carpenter who was great with math. It all adds up.”

Described as kind and trustworthy, Raeleigh Madden does everything with a heartfelt passion of commitment, crediting the daily influences of her dad and mom.

“Being commited requires hard work,” said Madden. “I value the knowledge of knowing how much effort I put into golf, softball and my academics. To me, it’s about having good character which means you act honestly, respectfully, and responsibly. You act, think, and feel in a way that matches the common understanding of good traits.”

Plainly speaking, Raeleigh Madden proves the Character Counts.