Madison Ferguson: A Contagious Faith
Written by Tia Cavanaugh-Goggans
Passionate. Kind. Disciplined. Advocate. Loyal. Genuine. All of these words and more describe junior, Madison Ferguson. When Madison transferred to Heritage Christian from a local public school in the spring of her freshman year, she had absolutely no idea of the direction her life would soon take.
Madison made a smooth adjustment to the academic rigors of Heritage and quickly became involved in the girls’ basketball program. As a year-round player with the Nike Lady Gym Rats Tan AAU Team, she was thrilled to participate on the Heritage team. The unexpected need for surgery was a big set back. For a self proclaimed gym rat who “eats and sleeps basketball” the thought of being unable to play for seven months was a real discouragement. Just a month into building relationships with her new team, she was nervous about the impact of not playing summer basketball and sitting on the bench until the following season. Yet, Madison said that she was able to see God in all of it and it was her team that ‘carried her through’ that trying time in her life. She worked hard and trained extensively to get back on the court and contribute. Just one year after surgery, interest resumed from D1 and D2 colleges for scholarships to play.
Shortly thereafter, tragically, Madison’s father unexpectedly passed away. Madison’s team, family and Heritage faculty and staff walked with her through this incredibly difficult time. Madison is confident that God’s timing to have her at Heritage is what gave her the support to deal with something that was so deeply painful. Ironically, her teammate shared that even during the challenging times in her life, Madison was “cheering and pulling for the team and was checking on us to make sure we were ok.”
It was here that she was able to see God in all aspects of her life. In fact, she says her faith has grown so much through the teaching and mentoring that she has experienced as a student. As she has seen people in her daily life put God first in all things, it has made her want to do the same. She’s incredibly thankful for everyone’s support! Madison says that at Heritage “you are more than a grade and more than a player who can make the team or school look good.” Madison adamantly believes that there is “no place like Heritage.”
Motivated to make a difference, Madison was passionate about bringing a chapter of the global, non-profit organization called Best Buddies International to the Heritage Christian community. This organization is a volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Very near and dear to Madison’s heart because her best friend as a child has Down syndrome, she knew very early on that she wanted to help be the ‘voice of change’ and to expose the world to people of all abilities. Madison began her involvement with Best Buddies as a middle school student at her previous school and was chapter president in eighth grade. During that presidency, she raised over $1200 for the Best Buddies Friendship Walk. She was awarded Best Buddies Chapter President of the Year and was invited to attend the national 4-day Best Buddies Leadership Conference at Indiana University.
For Madison, things all came together at Heritage where she could merge her passion for the special needs community and her desire to put God first in everything. In early 2017, the Heritage Best Buddies chapter began under her leadership and in the partnership with GiGi’s Playhouse. HCS Best Buddies is now a thriving new club at Heritage where buddies hang out on a regular basis and have a once monthly club event. Madison was recently able to merge her passions at a recent varsity basketball game. Former HCS athletic director Michelle York stated, “Madison has been a great addition to the girls basketball team. Her leadership in the Best Buddies program has impacted her teammates as well and they recently did a Best Buddies night and fundraiser at the basketball game.”
Prior to the start of the game, the club was recognized and Madison provided an overview of Best Buddies International, GiGi’s Playhouse, and the HCS chapter, sharing with fans “we are striving to create a more inclusive community one friendship at a time.”
Amazingly, Madison balances her challenging academic schedule earning at 3.8 GPA, varsity basketball, and the Best Buddies Chapter with grace and a smile! One might think that there would be schedule conflicts, but Madison says, “God has worked it out EVERY time!” She is convinced that being obedient to His will and His call has allowed her to exercise all of her talents and abilities for His glory.