Last Friday night I was alone. Well, almost. My wife was out of town. Our kids are grown. Either married, in grad school or working on that undergraduate degree.

By almost alone, I meant I was home with the family dog, Zoe. Zoe, however, was impatiently awaiting my wife's return from Colorado. Four days alone with me -- as unfathomable as it might sound -- can be trying.

I  was anxious, too, for that change in routine that comes with mid-to-late August (nowadays). It used to take place the first or second week of September. The routine change I refer to is the start of the high school sports season. The games. The competition.

I've gladly endured this late summer transition for a shade better than a quarterof a century. This Friday, Aug. 19, it begins anew. Football on Friday nights. Desert Vista and Maryvale are two teams that kick off their season then. The 6th annual Sollenberger Classic, a doubleheader this year on Saturday Aug. 20 at University of Phoenix Stadium, features two of last year's Arizona football champs (Chaparral and Show Low). They'll go against a pair of top schools from Nevada -- Bishop Gorman and Moapa Valley, respectively.

The next Friday (Aug. 26) virtually everyone else joins in the fray. The other fall sports follow suit in earnest  the week after with volleyball, cross country, swimming, golf and badminton.

For me, prep sports never get old. High school athletes, although different than they were 25 years ago in terms of exposure to sports, specialization, club opportunities and preparation, still play for the love of the game.

They still have, for the most part, the zeal of the amateur. Play for fun and competition. Not a paycheck. Not yet. Most still compete without their top priority being themselves and who or what  institution they can impress.

It's a long haul, the high school sports season. Continues through the middle of May. And of course, it's more than just Friday nights. Heck, it's five or six days a week for nine months.

After 25-plus years of viewing prep athletes for a living  -- in my book -- it remains worth the investment. Hopefully, parents, coaches and the various school administrations feel  the same.