Gravette physical education teacher and head track coach, Madie Edwards, was ranked the No. 1 Fittest Educator in the U.S. and No. 2 worldwide in the 2025 CrossFit Service Cup. In the broader CrossFit season for the year, Edwards earned a spot among the top one percent of athletes in the world.
Gravette may not be where most expect to find an athlete actively competing on a global stage, but Edwards has found a community that shares the values behind her success. “She’s done a really good job of existing here without anybody knowing,” said Assistant Principal Cory Briggs, “She doesn't want people to know. But I told her, ‘I'm telling people, this is too cool.’” For Coach Edwards, recognition has never been the point. She’s focused on the work at hand, helping students grow in strength, confidence, and discipline. “I tell my students they don’t have to be the fastest or the strongest,” she explained, “if they give 100%, that’s all that really matters.”
Edwards traces her approach to fitness and education back to her upbringing in a family of athletes. Her father, Rick Edwards, coached youth sports too and he encouraged his children to stay active and explore. “I didn’t want to push her into one sport,” he said. “I wanted her to find what she loved so the drive came from her, not me.” Madie moved between softball, soccer, and other programs before finding the ones that held her interest. The lesson from those early years was to give full effort, keep growing, and learn from every experience.
In high school, soccer became Edwards’ primary focus as she competed in a premier interstate league. She went on to play for Upper Iowa University, setting multiple school records before continuing her education and competition overseas. While earning a master’s in exercise and coaching science at University College Dublin, Ireland, she was introduced to CrossFit and discovered a new kind of challenge.
The sport’s emphasis on versatility and constant adaptation appealed to the same competitive drive that fueled her passion for soccer. It wasn’t long before she decided to hang up the cleats and pick up the weights. Edwards explained, “CrossFit changed my life. It challenges me every day and keeps me humble. There’s always something new to learn or something you can get better at.”
CrossFit is built around the idea that athletes should be ready for anything. Unlike traditional sports with predictable events or seasons, competitors never know what the next workout will bring. Strength, endurance, agility, and mental toughness are tested in constantly changing combinations designed to reward the most well-rounded performers.
That versatility paid off. Along with earning the title of 2025’s Fittest Educator in the U.S., she placed fifth overall in the Public Service Cup, competing against thousands of firefighters, medical professionals, law enforcement, and military athletes worldwide. For Edwards, the recognition reflects consistency more than any single event. “It means a lot,” she said. “It’s proof that hard work pays off. I give 100% in everything I do and never give up.” Former judge Seth Duvall added, “Madie is so intentional with her training. She’ll repeat workouts just to be a little better or faster.”
Away from competition, Edwards channels that same focus into her classroom and track program. Her students see dedication at the highest level modeled every day, but she’s far from strict or overbearing. She teaches students to hold themselves to a high standard while keeping the environment light, showing that discipline and joy can go hand-in-hand. “She may be the best coach on the sideline cheering on other athletes,” explained Jenn Snow, a longtime friend of Edwards, “she pursues excellence personally, but really wants others to reach it too.”
After years of traveling and training across the U.S. and Europe, Edwards has found a welcoming community in Gravette where she can teach and share her passion for fitness. Track season begins next semester, but she’s already preparing students for what’s ahead during eighth-hour training. Her own season isn’t over either. Edwards has been invited to the CrossFit Service Cup finals in Tennessee, where she’ll face the world’s top-ranked public service athletes head-to-head.
“I’m always chasing progress,” Edwards said. “Every day is a chance to get a little bit better.” But to her father and former coach, she’s already number one. “She’s enough to me right now,” said Rick Edwards. “She doesn’t have to do anything else. I’m just proud of the young lady she is.”