There are few things in life better than a good seat at a major sporting event.

Whether the seat is courtside, right behind home plate or on the 50-yard line, fans appreciate being in the middle of the action.

But ticket holders at professional games know those seats don’t come cheaply. Courtside seats for the family to see the Lakers? Forget it. You’d have to take out a second mortgage on your house.

Most of us are content with the view from the couch.

Local sports are a different ball game, however. At Simi, Royal and Grace Brethren high schools, most athletic contests can be seen for free. And if you have to pay, it won’t be much. High school sports offer the best-bang-for-your-buck family entertainment you’ll find anywhere.

Throughout this week sneakers will squeak and whistles will blow as high school gyms across the region come alive with the hard-fought intensity of boys’ and girls’ basketball.

Finding a seat is rarely a problem, and the price of a ticket is less than the cost of a soda at Staples Center. Better yet, the money goes right back into the school’s athletic programs to make sure players have a uniform to wear, a bus to ride and a field to play on year after year.

If basketball isn’t your sport, try catching a soccer game. California features some of the most talented players in the country. Wrestling and girls’ water polo—perhaps two of the most demanding high school sports—are also in full swing this winter.

Okay, it’s not the World Cup or NCAA March Madness, and you won’t see slam-dunking mascots, fireworks or the Laker Girls, but high school sports are fun and the atmosphere can be electric. These young men and women give their hearts and souls to the games they love. They play for school pride and oldfashioned hometown bragging rights, and around here, that still counts for a lot.

So the next time you’re feeling cheated that you won’t be sitting next to Jack Nicholson or rubbing elbows with Tommy Lasorda, remember that the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat might be playing out on a court right down your street.

A good high school game is something you can’t put a price tag on. So please, don’t miss out.