What you think is "non-important" may be truly important to someone else. Don't judge what you don't know. If someone believes in God and prayer, they are able to pray for whatever they believe they need or want.
Why do people pray at all when it has failed empirical investigation time after time?
Why not? If you think there's a guy-in-the-sky-who-grants-wishes, why not put him to work for you? You might as well get something out of your faith.
Like football players? Becuase they have a big ego.
Different individuals attach various degrees of importance to different things.
A "big ego" is not necessarily involved.
People CAN pray for what ever their heart desires .. But that does not mean their prayers will be answered. God is not a magic genie granting wishes willy nilly. It just doesn't work that way.
That is because there spiritual be life's are different than yours or mine so they deal it important to them.