Competition is only part of the reason high school sports are important for students.

Sports can teach valuable lessons about leadership, perseverance, the importance of existing as part of a group and sportsmanship. As his freshman year of wrestling comes to an end, it’s safe to say Dru Abbey of Warren Area High School has aced the final part of the high school sports test.

During a wrestling match against Harbor Creek on Jan. 28, Abbey competed in the 114-pound weight class against a wrestler with special needs. It was a situation Abbey and his coach discussed briefly before stepping onto the mat, with the focus not on strategy or scoring points, but on respect and doing what is right.

“All my coach told me was that I’d be wrestling a kid with special needs and to just do the right thing,” Abbey said. “Doing the right thing is what came natural to me, and it wasn’t too hard.”

Abbey opened the match with a takedown on his opponent before ultimately allowing himself to be pinned.

The result was a moment that resonated far beyond the final whistle. Abbey recalled the reaction of his opponent as the most memorable part of the match.

“He was more than overjoyed,” Abbey said. “It even brought a smile to my face seeing that. Being a part of that was just an amazing feeling for everyone there.”

Abbey will have three more years to earn wins on the mat. But he showed on Jan. 28 that he has learned many of the lessons needed to be a good human. And that’s the real value of high school sports.

The world can be a gloomy place. Every day we see instances of people acting in their own self interest rather than what’s best for the community at large. Occasionally, we see flashes of sun that cut through the gloom. Dru Abbey’s performance on Jan. 28 is one of those flashes.