High school football camps open up Monday. Collegiate camps got under way last week.

This is the time of year when every player on every team puts a goal of glory out in front of him and strives to reach it.

The Butler High School football team is no exception to that rule. The Golden Tornado and second-year head coach Rob Densmore will continue to plug away at climbing the ladder in the Quad North.

A few key seniors from last year, who left all they had to give on the field despite a rough 2-7 season, have moved on. Tight end Rob Kunst will play at Grove City College this season. Linebacker Jeremy Hanford is suiting up for Mercyhurst. Safety Reid Werth will play baseball in college.

Lucas Dubyak, who had numerous shining moments on both sides of the ball for Butler as a fullback-linebacker, will not be suiting up for any college team this year.

He is headed to college to pursue an engineering degree, but will not be playing football anymore.

“Lucas got plenty out of playing the game. He’ll turn out just fine in life,” Densmore said.

What Dubyak didn’t get out of playing football was wins — only three in his final two seasons — but he gave tireless effort and consistent production every week.

And he helped lay a foundation in the process.

Dubyak was not a big kid, standing 5-foot-10 and weighing 190 pounds — but he produced 76 solo tackles from his linebacker position during his junior and senior seasons.

And when the Tornado did win, Dubyak was in the middle of things.

He rushed for 124 yards in a 38-27 win at Shaler in 2013, then ran for 165 yards and two touchdowns in a 42-7 triumph over the Titans last year.

Despite limited carries offensively, Dubyak ran for 617 yards and five touchdowns while averaging 6.5 yards per carry the past two years. It seems like this kid should still be playing football. When a guy continues to give every ounce of effort he’s got on the football field despite often lopsided results on the scoreboard every week, it indicates a few things.

He loves the game, is proud to represent his school and understands the importance of respecting himself.

As Densmore said, Dubyak will turn out just fine in life.

Yes, we all yearn for the day when Butler is winning in football again.

In the meantime, kids can experience a camaraderie among teammates that few other sports can match and learn what it takes to work together for a common cause — the continuation of the process of bringing Butler football back to prominence.

Doesn’t sound like much in the way of motivation?

Maybe it’s not.

But it’s not hard to stay fired up, intense and productive on a football field when your team is winning and prepping for the playoffs.

It’s a challenge to do so when your team is rarely winning at all. Count Dubyak among the few who answered that challenge.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle