I saw my school bus dropping off back-pack clad youngsters the other day.

As a matter of fact, I noticed the lines at Chick-fil-A are smaller, and the drive to the mall parking lot has become less erratic from Monday through Friday from around 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

That all means school is back in session, which - now that I'm not in school - is great news. It not only signals the end of saying Hail Mary's every time I approach a fast food or mall parking lot, and preparing to hear the latest Twilight news while waiting in line to see a late night movie but also the beginning of a new sports season.

Since I was brought over to The Covington News in February, the 2012-13 year also marks my first full year delving into all that is Newton County prep sports. Sure I've done the end of winter and all of spring season but now that I am here from the first game to the last I am able to get fully acquainted with the coaches, players and fans of Alcovy, Eastside and Newton High Schools.

It will also give coaches, players, fans and our readers a chance to get acquainted with The News' coverage this year.

This upcoming year will mark my 13th involved with prep sports as a journalist, and hopefully it won't be an unlucky one. Since this is my first full year in Covington, I'll give you a quick background.

I have covered high school sports in Central Florida, the Tampa area, south Georgia, metro Atlanta and Rockdale, seeing several state championships and several "rebuilding years."

I have been around sports long enough to know that the score, and your interest in it, will last only until the next day. But if I can bring to life the players and coaches, tell you what Eastside did to pull off the dramatic fourth-quarter win or why the Eagles are in a four-game skid, than you'll look for more.

I would also like to bring the community to the forefront a little more, and hopefully, as we did with the Dixie Boys World Series, work with Newton County Recreation Commission to bring their sports and the faces of their athletes to the paper through as many pictures as possible.

Since I've been here, The News has implemented such things as my columns in this space, which I hope to use as another tool in breaking down the story of Newton County sports, Covington Collegiates, where you are free to see what the area's former standouts are doing and are also free to let me know what they are up to and an outdoor section where the pictures of your hunt are welcome.

Along with all those things, one of my goals will be to start a dialogue through Facebook and Twitter.

The Dixie Boys World Series started that trend with some feedback from you.

Hopefully, during football games, if you're not in attendance, you can check The Covington News' social media pages for score updates, or if you are in attendance reach out and see what I see on the sidelines or hear in the press box.

For insight into what the coaches think after a game, we would like you to come to The Covington News first through CovNews.com and social media.

Since I first started in this business, it has become more of a two-way street than ever. I would like to expand on that in my first full season here, so feel free to comment, send in suggestions and keep up with us at CovNews.com, Facebook and Twitter to make 2012-13 not only a memorable first year for myself but one that will capture memories in print for generations to come.