By Lori Bizzell

Feature photo courtesy of Riggin Stewart Photography

As an American Hat Company team member, Colee Cox carries more than a name on her hat. She brings a steadiness formed over time, impossible to fake. After a fantastic interview with Keith Mundee, president of American Hat Company, I saw the alignment ~Colee’s quiet strength and clear sense of what matters stood out as genuine from the start.

Photo Courtesy of Jennings Rodeo Photography

From the outside, her life looks fast and full. A rising senior from Tell, Texas, she balances rodeo, golf, school, travel, practice, faith, and a demanding schedule. She does breakaway and goat tying, and competes in reined cow horse, and her list of achievements speaks to her discipline, talent, and drive. We spoke not just about her achievements, but about the spirit she brings to them.

There is a difference between young people who are busy and those who understand what they are building. Colee understands. Rodeo became such a big part of her life that she switched to homeschooling but still plays golf for Childress High School and keeps in touch with friends there. She spoke openly about how others her age may struggle to relate ~they see the competition and photos, not the miles, expense, or how a trailer becomes more familiar than anything still. When she said, “My trailer’s my home on wheels,” it was the plain truth, carrying more responsibility than glamour.

For Colee, rodeo doesn’t fit around life’s edges. It’s a discipline, a sacrifice, and a daily duty, demanding long days, focus, endurance, and persistence even when excitement fades, and only the work remains. She understands this well.

She also knows rodeo tests are more about physical ability than about physical appearance. It tests the mind and heart, shaping confidence. She said the mental side effects everything talent and training matter, but without mental resilience, true success is elusive.

That is a rare kind of honesty, especially in someone so young.

Photo Courtesy of Andre Silver Photo

She was open about being deeply competitive and how hard it is not to let one disappointment affect the next competition. She works with a mental performance coach because she knows the mental side shapes the external one. That honesty gave the conversation depth ~she wasn’t trying to appear polished or immune to pressure. She knows performance pressure is real and can become a trap if not managed.

Her faith steadies her. Again and again, she mentioned the Lord—quiet truck rides, prayer, Bible reading, and faith-based podcasts help settle her before competition. Colee’s faith is not an activity; it is central to who she is, sustaining and grounding her when life moves fast.

And fast certainly describes the life she is living.

This shift became evident over the past few years, as interruption, not just momentum began to shape Colee’s journey.

In recent years, she underwent knee surgery in 2023, foot surgery in late 2024, and now faces a serious shoulder injury. These weren’t small notes ~they revealed her growth stems not just from achievement but also from limitation, frustration, and being forced to slow down in ways she’d never have chosen.

Her foot surgery, especially, left a mark. What should have been a short recovery became a long, hard season. For someone who loves movement and the outdoors, forced stillness was humbling. She admitted it taught her to slow down and enjoy the moment, not just look at the next rodeo or result. Most telling was her realization: she needed to be in that environment for Him, not just to win. That shift went deeper than recovery. It anchored her to the truth of the Word.

Since then, she has shared her testimony, led devotionals at rodeos, and spoken in various settings to encourage others in their faith. She leads church singing and plans to study communication in college, believing the Lord is shaping her voice for a purpose beyond the arena. What stands out is not her having all the answers, but her attention to deeper work beneath the surface.

Despite new opportunities, Colee remains deeply rooted in her origins.

Photo Courtesy of Bull Stock Media

Tell, Texas, is small enough to miss on a map, but to her, smallness isn’t to outgrow ~it formed her. When asked what she hopes never to lose, she answered quickly: “hometown humbleness.” That phrase says more about her than any list of accomplishments.

She hopes to do meaningful things, stand on bigger stages, and shine God’s light. But she wants to stay grounded in the humility and perspective of her small-town upbringing. Her parents, though not rodeo’ers, embraced the sport with her ~learning what she needed and helping her become her best.

When our conversation circled back to American Hat Company, the connection was clear. For Colee, the Positive Times symbol is more than branding. It reminds her to stay positive and shine God’s light, even on hard days. That alignment is about shared values, which matter deeply to her.

At the end, I asked Colee about legacy ~not in a grand sense, but in what people remember after she leaves a room. She hopes to be remembered as someone who was positive, smiled, and shone Jesus’ light.

She has already faced surgeries, setbacks, grief, and quiet battles. Her understanding runs deep; it is chosen, not shallow.

And maybe that is what stays with you most after talking with Colee Cox.

Yes, she is talented, driven, and capable. Yet beneath it all is something more compelling ~a young woman learning that peace comes not from escaping pressure, but from being anchored more deeply. Her life moves fast, demands are real, and the pace is unlikely to slow.

But for Colee, peace runs deep, and her strength and joy, yes, they are most definitely found in the Lord.