Bobby Madison basketball camp is a family affair

Bobby Madison Jr. is the Employee Concerns coordinator for Alabama Power, but the “concerns” part of his title extends beyond the workplace.

He uses his skills and past success in the game of basketball to give back to the community – especially young people – through his annual basketball camp in Shelby County.

“I’m from a small town where kids don’t really have the opportunity to see or attend camps and have a positive influence – someone that they can say, ‘Hey, he grew up right down the street from here, and he’s done this and went on to play in college and professionally,’” Madison said. “So, it was something that I always wanted to do just to kind of give back to the community and to share my love and passion for basketball with kids. In order for kids and youth to be successful, they have to see success.”

And the entire Madison family makes the basketball camp a team effort.

“At my basketball camp, the first people you’ll see is my mom, greeting every parent and every kid who walks in the door with a smile, saying hello to them,” Madison said. “And my dad is more behind the scenes running all the errands for anything I need.”

Madison’s wife, Courtney, is the principal at Elvin Hill Elementary School, and she helps with organizing the camp of 125-175 kids.

“It takes a lot of structure, and she’s very good at it,” he said. “Her school has over 500 students so when we start camp, I just give her the mic and let her run the show. She’s great with everything that we do as far as camp goes.”

The Madisons have two sons – Brayden, a rising fifth-grader, and Bryson, a rising first-grader – who both attend their dad’s annual basketball camp.

“They both are really involved in sports, but the thing I try to instill in them is that it’s not only about sports,” Madison said, “it’s about the impact you make on people and living the way God wants us to live and try to be that light and positive example for people you come in contact with.”

Now in its 13th year, the camp has become one of the most anticipated in the Birmingham area. A Columbiana native, Madison played basketball at Shelby County High School, where he earned a scholarship to Southern Union State Community College. He then transferred to Western Michigan University where he earned a degree in business management. Following graduation, he played professional basketball in Europe for seven years.

“Knee injuries and a few extra pounds, and I kinda had to retire,” he said. “But I still wanted to give back to the game and spend some time sharing my love of basketball and teaching some of the lessons I’ve learned to the kids.”

Madison said he started out playing baseball as a young kid, but a growth spurt steered his sports interests toward basketball. He’s 6 feet 5 inches tall, has an older brother, Kei, who’s 6 feet 9 inches, and a younger brother, Tyler, who’s 6 feet 4 inches. The Madison men all played basketball beyond high school, including their dad, who played at the college level.

“My older brother played in the NBA for a little while, played with the Harlem Globetrotters for a little while and played over in Europe for a while,” Madison said. “My younger brother graduated from UAB. He played there when they made a deep NCAA tournament run about four or five years ago, so it’s kind of a family thing.”

Madison’s appreciation for the game extends beyond a casual hobby; he loves basketball for the experiences it has afforded him.

“I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to travel the world, earn a basketball scholarship and earn my degree through playing a sport that I love,” he said. “I’ve seen places around the world that I never thought I’d see. I actually got to jet ski on the Red Sea through playing basketball.”

Madison also appreciates how that passion can open doors to reaching the next generation.

“What I get out of it is, when I walk in (to camp) the first day and I hear the kids laughing and enjoying and the smiles that I see on their faces, and saying they love basketball camp,” he said. “I’ve had a few kids in camp who’ve gone on to play college basketball, so just knowing that I could possibly be impacting a young man or girl’s life in a positive way is the kind of thing that keeps me going.”

In July, Madison will mark 10 years with Alabama Power. As the Employee Concerns coordinator, his team deals with any employee-related issues. He started his Alabama Power career in the professional development program for the Customer Service department, then worked in Accounting before transitioning to Concerns.

Madison said basketball has taught him life lessons that he uses today as a professional at Alabama Power. “My high school coach taught us the seven Ps of preparation: Proper prior planning prevents painful poor performances,” he said. “Basketball teaches you about being on time, teamwork, discipline, communication … I use those things every day in my work career.”

But those learnings were layered on top of the foundational lessons taught to him by his father, Bobby Madison Sr., who retired from Alabama Power after 42 years in the Supply Chain organization, and his mother, Vera Madison, who works as a substitute at Shelby County High School.

“My parents instilled in me certain values that I should always put in my life and how I interact with people on a daily basis,” Bobby said. “They taught us hard work, dedication, commitment. They always encourage us to put God first in everything we do. A lot of things I do today are because of my parents.”

The Bobby Madison Basketball Camp, for boys and girls ages 6-12, takes place June 19-22 at Columbiana Middle School. For information and to sign up, click here. The Shelby County Reporter contributed to this story.   

(Courtesy of Alabama NewCenter)