Phillip Lindsay would be the first to tell you that the road that leads to greatness, whether at the highest level of athletics or life itself, passes directly through high school.

Specifically, the classroom.

"It doesn't start with how good you are as an athlete," Lindsay said in a telephone interview with The Pueblo Chieftain during a break in training. "It starts with your grades. You have to understand that if you don't get good grades, you can't go anywhere. You can't play football or soccer in high school, or be a cheerleader.

"The biggest thing is taking school seriously. And then it's balancing school with sports."

On June 12, the Denver Broncos star running back addresses the cream of crop among Pueblo County high school athletes as part of the inaugural Best of Pueblo Preps, presented by The Pueblo Chieftain and sponsored by Legacy Bank and Black Hills Energy.

The banquet is slated for 6-9 p.m. at The Pueblo Convention Center.

"We invite the community to join The Pueblo Chieftain as we celebrate and honor the accomplishments of our high school student-athletes over the past year," said Chieftain Publisher Lee Bachlet. "This awards banquet is The Chieftain's way of saying 'thank you' to the thousands of outstanding high school athletes, coaches, and fans who allow us to share their stories, performances and passions."

The Best of Pueblo Preps sees athletes from nine schools, in 23 different sports, recognized. Awards will be presented to the Outstanding Player of the Year in each sport, as well as Male Athlete of the Year, Female Athlete of the Year and Coach of the Year.

The Chieftain has named All-Pueblo County teams encompassing nine schools for each of those 23 sports. The honorees should receive a letter with a code for a free ticket. If an athlete is named to the team but didn’t receive a letter or code – or just needs help claiming a ticket – please call 719-544-3521 or 719-404-2750. Tickets, priced at $50, are available for purchase at gatehouselive.com/expos/sports/pueblo. Free tickets for the All-Pueblo County teams could also be redeemed at that link.

With Lindsay’s brother Marcus a standout in his own right on the Colorado State University-Pueblo ThunderWolves football team, Phillip is no stranger to Pueblo, having visited on several occasions.

He is, however, especially geared up for his next appearance.

"I was very excited when I was asked to speak," Lindsay said. "They take their sports seriously in Pueblo and I think it's a great opportunity for me to talk to the kids, and adults, and tell my story.

"I'm looking forward to getting some one-on-one time with the kids. They are going to be able to ask me questions and it's going to be a blast."

While Lindsay's remarkable rise to NFL All-Pro status, without the benefit of being drafted, would be part of his presentation, so too, would the importance of athletics and academics in a young person's life.

"Sports kept me out of trouble," he said. "I played every sport I could. And the only way I was able to do that was to study. If I didn't get good grades, I wouldn't have been let into the house."

From personal experience, Lindsay knows what uplifting and inspirational words can mean to high school athletes, especially those at a critical juncture in their young lives.

As a standout senior running back at Denver South High School, Lindsay missed his final year due to a serious knee injury.

Already committed to the University of Colorado, Lindsay was understandably devastated.

"That really put me down and into a depression," he admitted.

And then, out of the blue, his phone rang.

"It was Willis McGahee, a Broncos running back who played for the Miami Hurricanes," Lindsay said. "And that brought my spirits up. Willis McGahee didn't know anything about me; he called me out of nowhere at a time when I was down.

"He went through a brutal knee injury in college. He kept my spirits high and that call got me through a lot of things."

Now in a position to similarly influence and elevate, Lindsay takes his status as a role model seriously.

"I want the kids to know that you don't have to be this colossal, big person, or look a part, to do what you want to do," he explained. "If you're good at what you're doing, have your mind set and are mentally strong, you're going to be fine. The biggest thing is believing in yourself and positivity."

Acknowledging the power of study is urgent, too.

"I can't stress enough how important school and grades are," Lindsay continued. "That's the foundation. It gives you discipline, keeps you on the right track and builds character. Then once you have that, you can take that to the football field or tennis court or wherever.

"Then you build on that foundation, and that will enable you to develop into the man or woman you will become when you get to college."

Along with its love of sports, Pueblo is well-known for its unique delicacies.

And Lindsay is anxious to sample one in particular.

"There's a spot down there I want to be sure to try out," he admitted. "I think they call it The Pass Key. That's my goal to try that."

jpompia@chieftain.com

Twitter: @jpompia