Iowa State center Audi Crooks (55) shoots over Iowa forward Hannah Stuelke last year in Iowa City. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

They’re superstar athletes, and although they’re of course not superhuman away from the action of major-college athletics, I’m here to speak more to the simple decency of Audi Crooks, Drake Ayala and Aaron Graves in a world often short on real humility and leadership.

There’s always been something special about these home-grown standouts. Crooks was the Bishop Garrigan basketball star who grew up in Algona with deep Fort Dodge roots. Ayala was the three-time Dodger state wrestling champion with a maturity level far beyond his years. The same could always be said about Graves, the Dayton native who led Southeast Valley on a magical run to a state football championship in 2021.

They’ve thankfully never wandered too far from their own backyards, with Crooks committing to Iowa State and Ayala and Graves both choosing Iowa. Their storybook careers kept adding new chapters after high school; Crooks is now arguably the most dominant player in women’s college basketball, Ayala is a two-time NCAA national runner-up, and Graves recently received second team all-Big Ten honors as a senior captain with the Hawkeyes.

Not a bad trifecta for our immediate area.

The success stories on the court, mat and field at this point are more than enough. Crooks, Ayala and Graves have taken something incredibly difficult — living up to the hype or even exceeding expectations at the Division I level — and made it look easy in the face of intense pressure, adversity and criticism.

Photo courtesy of Iowa Athletics: Drake Ayala reacts to a victory over Lucas Byrd of Illinois last year in Iowa City.

Being an elite talent alone doesn’t make a person special or unique, though. And in today’s world of college athletics — filled with transfers, bags of cash disguised as NIL deals and so many other tell-tale signs that big money and big business now coldly dominate the landscape — we need people like Crooks, Ayala and Graves to remind us there are still traditional, loyal student-athletes making their schools and communities better places.

Crooks scored a program-record 43 points last month in a home win over Valparaiso — a mark she has since shattered again — yet was in Fort Dodge the next morning, visiting schools throughout the community with the help of Kemna Auto to fill food pantries and speaking to Fellowship of Christian Athlete students. Ayala and Graves both return home frequently as well, offering camps and activities to get the youth of our area more engaged and involved.

The academic awards also come with the territory for all three, which should be no surprise. Crooks has twice landed on the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll. Ayala is an NWCA Scholar All-American and Academic All-Big Ten recipient. Graves graduated with a 4.03 grade point average in just two years, and is currently working on his Master’s degree as an Academic All-American.

Despite their myriad accomplishments, the last thing any of them actively seek is attention for it. Crooks, Ayala and Graves aren’t doing the right things in public for the wrong reasons behind closed doors. This isn’t for show, or clout, or ulterior motives. They work hard, revere their teammates and serve others because they’re wired that way. We saw this behavior very early on here locally, and nothing has changed.

Simply put, this is who they are. What you see is still what you get. Strong, yet vulnerable. Focused, yet approachable.

Iowa defensive lineman Aaron Graves (95) runs against Wisconsin in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Andy Manis)

Crooks will light up a room with her smile. Ayala frequently speaks of his loyalty to Fort Dodge and the DNA of the community that defines his very core. Graves teared up during a recent press conference when describing the birth of his son on Thanksgiving with his newlywed wife, Aubrey.

There are a hundred reasons for youngsters to try and emulate the drive and commitment we see from Crooks, Ayala and Graves in the competitive arena. Yet that pales in comparison to the example they’re setting for all of us in the real world.

The best part? We may not be able to hit a drop-step basket like Crooks, land a trademark Ayala slide-by, or pressure a quarterback the way Graves does, but we can all follow in their footsteps by being kind, helpful, selfless and respectful to others. If there’s any lesson they would want us to take away from their time in the spotlight, it’s the tone they set as human beings — not their athletic dominance.

Audi Crooks, Drake Ayala and Aaron Graves aren’t perfect. But that’s the beauty of it. You don’t have to be. The secret is there isn’t one. Just be the kind of person to leave a lasting impression long after everyone forgets what they thought they’d remember you for most.

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