Athletic success built long before lights go on

Even if you are not a sports fan, we hope you took a moment to glance at our fall high school football preview section that published on Thursday.

More than just an Xs and Os overview and roster roundup, the section looked at the offseason work that goes into being an athlete in 2015.

Some argue that society glorifies athletes too much, even locally. And perhaps it's true that the attention to athletic stars is disproportionate to the praise of our best scholars. But what can't be argued is that our athletes don't have discipline or dedication.

High school athletes today are working year 'round to become stronger, to build up their endurance and learn their sport. The performance Friday night crowds see is backed up by grueling physical dedication and long hours. This includes 6 a.m. weightlifting sessions during the summer, when most teens are sleeping the day away.

We want to remind everyone that while football draws the biggest crowds (and therefore coverage), our football players are not alone in work ethic. Many fall sports programs, for boys and girls, are underway, and require intense dedication all year long.

On Friday night, football fields are lit up all over Missouri. We hope each community drawn in by the lights finds ways to support their teams and schools. The result on the scoreboard is only part of the story. The foundation of any program is built years before the first varsity kickoff.

And let's not forget the risk that each athlete takes by participating in any sport. Injuries are part of the games, and it can be emotionally devastating for athletes to suffer an injury after they've put in so much work. Even injuries, and the subsequent recovery, can teach lessons.

Our athletes are out there giving all they've got. Let's be sure that we treat them well, win or lose, during and after competition. Remember to practice good sportsmanship.

The lessons learned by athletes, on the field and off, will stay with them for the rest of their lives. Here's to everyone who helps nourish positive messages and habits for those who work so hard to play so well.