Do we have the wrong priorities when selecting heroes?

I was sitting on my lounge chair on Saturday watching the highly disappointing AFL grand final capitulation and the post-game medal presentation. The young boy who handed Hawthorn Luke Hodge his premiership medal told him "you are my hero" and it got me wondering, do we have the wrong priorities when selecting heroes?

Having never met the guy, I have no doubt Luke Hodge is a good guy, we all know he is a splendid captain and exceptional footballer. However, he is a footballer first and foremost; he is not a scientist, a doctor, engineer or lawyer.

He is not quietly researching bio-medical solutions, tackling the big issues of eradicating the world of preventable diseases, a civil rights activist or fighting poverty. Yes, I understand the club requires players to perform community service as part of their contracts, this is a positive outcome for the community in some respects.

There are a worthy number of worthy unheralded heroes in the professions such as science, engineering and medicine to name just a few. I only hope we change our priorities as a society placing less emphasis on the achievements of sportspeople and more on the achievements on our unsung heroes.