Photos Courtesy Amanda Franks

Winnfield Senior High School athlete Madison Nelson will begin her studies in Alexandria this fall where she will attend LSUA and play softball with the Generals.  Her commitment was celebrated February 21 when classmates and family gathered in the WSHS Activity Room for the signing.

Coach Ronnie Abels calls Madison a “solid student athlete.  The girls play 34 games in seven and a half weeks and she still manages to keep up her grades.  They even do homework on the bus as we travel to games.  You’ve got to be more than a good athlete.  You must be a good student.  College coaches come to watch them perform.”

Abels notes, “Not only is she a very skilled player at middle infield (second base and shortstop), she’s a leader.  She knows how to talk to people.  Madison is hard on herself, always wanting everything to be perfect.  Yet she’s humble, putting others first.   She’s dependable, responsible and willing to work with you.”

Madison hits leadoff for the Lady Tigers.  “I want my best players hitting at the top of the order.  I trust her to get on base so the kids behind her can get her in to score.”  The coach points out that “it’s not about me…it’s about our team.  The girls work hard.  With the players, we want to build a good team but through their efforts, we want to make good people of these girls.”

Her parents are Danny and Crystal Green, her father Logan Nelson.  The family is proud of her accomplishments.  “She works day in and day out.  It took a lot of hard work for her to reach this point.”  They said Madison was introduced to the game of softball at age 3 but it was at age 7 that she fell in love with the game.  She’s played travel ball for years and through USA Softball she’s traveled all across the South.

Honors include First Team All-State as a freshman, sophomore and junior; varsity starter for WSHS all four years; Athletic Academic Award each 2021, 2022 and 2023; USSSA All-Stars 2018-2021; 2021 USSSA Class A National Championships and more.