Notice in the photo with the story on this page that former Chilton County soccer player Noe Chavez held a ceremony to announce his acceptance into the 365 Sports Summer Training Academy that looked an awful lot like the ceremonies held when local athletes announce their college of choice.

We’ve covered plenty of those type of events over the last several months as well. And we’re always glad to do so, because this type of announcement is what high school sports are all about.

Too often, players, parents and coaches can get caught up in the rivalry or the practice or the game next week. Sure, winning is important, because it demonstrates that it takes hard work and determination to be successful.

But at this level of athletics, the first priority should be on preparing athletes for the next level. Not every player is going to be offered a scholarship, of course, but sports can still teach important life lessons—how to juggle time, how to stick to a routine, and how to work toward a goal.

For those lucky few that are good enough to earn a scholarship—or, in Chavez’s case, acceptance into a academy—all the better. They’ll be able to obtain an education paid for by their athletic prowess.