File photo/UNI Athletics: Cayd Lara of Northern Iowa has missed significant time with a litany of injuries and illnesses since arriving in Cedar Falls after a decorated high school career in Fort Dodge.

It all seems so glamorous at first blush: the life of a collegiate athlete.

After all, this is what many kids dream about and parents make sacrifices to attain, right? Wearing the colors of a high-profile school, having the spotlight on them at all times…a lifestyle of recognition, achievement or even glory, as their education — at least in some capacity — is covered financially.

Who wouldn’t pursue such a path if readily available? Across the country today, talented high school football and basketball players, or wrestlers, or softball and volleyball stars, are pouring their heart and soul into their respective crafts. They’re up early and going to bed late. They meet with coaches, trainers and specialists. They travel thousands of miles and spend thousands of dollars in hopes of someday receiving that golden ticket: a recruiting letter or, better yet, scholarship offer.

Parents go all-in. Fans love them from afar. Journalists and scouts make a living tracking their every move. Programs generate a seemingly-endless stream of revenue for their institutions and communities.

Big business at its charismatic best.

Here’s what often gets lost in the shuffle, though: the grind. The physical and mental toll a sport will take on a young man or woman, whether they’re suiting up for a junior college or a Div. I powerhouse. The scrutiny they face, behind the scenes or in broad daylight on social-media platforms. The pressure they feel. The politics that are involved.

And let’s not forget about the injuries. We hear about the broken bones or torn ACLs when a player is sidelined for a long period of time. The lingering bumps and bruises — stuff that doesn’t go away without rest, so it never really goes away — won’t garner headlines, but significantly impacts the way an athlete performs. It can be either the best- or worst-kept secrets around, but explanations are rarely advertised.

Fort Dodge has produced an inordinate number of next-level talent in recent years. State champions. Record breakers. Collegiate prospects. So many good kids from terrific families who have worked incredibly hard to make a name for themselves beyond the confines of our community.

We cheer for victories and accomplishments, get excited when they’re given an opportunity to capture the national spotlight, and proudly remind everyone who will listen they’re from our own backyard. As we should. It’s what we do.

Let’s always remember the age-old, time-tested mantra, though: everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. I’ve been a college sports enthusiast my entire life, but a flurry of honest conversations with many of our local standouts opened my eyes to so much I didn’t know about the darker side of the business and its never-ending complexities.

I will always advocate for the life-long lessons learned through both the good and the bad of athletic participation. It’s not supposed to be easy — even in high school. Obviously, competing beyond those borders takes a level of commitment and determination very few will understand.

It’s not just a sport. It’s a lifestyle. The expectations are for you to be all-in, as it should be.

However, we should also remind ourselves that 18-22 year olds are still finding their way. Priorities sometimes shift. Passions change or even fade. Ultimately, school is their top priority and responsibility. They should be using their respective sports to get an education — not the other way around.

There is a much colder reality we, as fans, rarely take into consideration. The sacrifices these young men and women make and the adversity they face behind closed doors won’t make headlines the way big wins or clutch performances do, but it is just as much a part of the game as the memorable moments we celebrate.

Our society has always embraced the romance of college sports. That love should be unconditional, though: for better or worse. It’s time we all take a step back and start respecting these athletes as human beings more, rather than just names and numbers on a roster who are expected to entertain us at every impulse.

Eric Pratt is Sports Editor at The Messenger. Contact him via email at sports@messengernews.net, or on Twitter @ByEricPratt