This may sound sappy. If it does, so be it.

One of the best things about being around sports is the “feel good” moments you come across so often.

There were three such events that struck close to home within the past week.

No. 1, I revert back to last weekend and the boys portion of the Butler Track and Field Invitational. Watching CJ Singleton complete the 3,200-meter run in less than nine minutes, then the Golden Tornado 4x400 relay unit shatter the meet record in the final event of the day was riveting.

Talk about raw emotion.

Singleton’s goal of breaking nine minutes had been on his plate for a while. The relay team of Brayden Young, Lucas Slear, Ryder Kriley and Guinness Brown erupted when they ran the 4x400 in 3 minutes and 19 seconds.

Seeing so many of Singleton’s teammates greet him as he vacated the track after running the 3,200 was a cool sight. They were embracing him, slapping him on the back ... This is a tight team that’s bonded emotionally.

Again, a common thing you see in sports.

No. 2, Pirates Charities answered a request from Mars Elementary school physical education teacher Sara Coon for baseball equipment. Her students asked them if they could be taught the game and she made the effort to acquire the necessary equipment.

When Mars graduate David Bednar, along with the Pirate Parrot, showed up at the Mars Area Primary Center to deliver the equipment — courtesy of Pirates Charities — they were greeted by more than 200 students lining the hallways.

Bednar took the time to put on a brief baseball clinic for the kids in the gym, even though he had a game that night at PNC Park. This guy cares about his hometown and has become a bit of a hero to the kids in the Mars area.

You gotta feel good about that.

No. 3, the Steelers selected Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett in the first round of the NFL Draft Thursday night. Some fans may love the pick, others may hate it, but Pickett himself was overcome by it.

When his name was delivered at the podium by Steeler great Franco Harris, Pickett buried his head in his hands for a few minutes. The guy’s dream was to continue playing football in Pittsburgh.

After leading Pitt to the ACC championship last fall while completing his college career at Heinz Field, Pickett gets to continue calling Heinz Field his football home.

Like the pick or not, it is an interesting one. No matter how his NFL career goes, no one has to worry about Pickett’s motivation to succeed with the Steelers.

Athletes can realize their dreams in sports.

Kenny Pickett gets to play college and pro football in the same town on the same field.

That is “feel good” all the way.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle