For some athletes, the end of the school year does not herald an end to their athletics. Outside of school sports, there are many opportunities in Annandale to participate in sports. At the Wakefield Chapel Recreation Center, many students are a part of the Wahoos, the Wakefield Chapel Pool swim team.

“I am [on the Wahoos],” sophomore James Barker said. “Because it’s just really fun to do, and it’s really fun to have a neighborhood rivalry.”

“I’ve been swimming for the Wahoos since I was four,” freshman Molly Keck said. At the Wakefield Chapel Pool, kids can start taking lessons at the age of four, with the Minnow Program, which focuses on teaching young children the basics of swimming. Some students, such as Barker and Keck, also teach young children at the pool how to swim.

“I coach five-year-olds,” Barker said. “They cry a lot.”

The Wahoos compete during the summer in meets against other pools, such as teams from the Overlee Community Association and Lakevale estates.

Besides the swim team at Wakefield Chapel, there are other opportunities to participate in sports during the summer, such as the tennis lessons offered at the Wakefield Chapel Pool, and a multitude of sports offered through the Annandale Boys and Girls Club.

“I have been playing tennis for five years,” sophomore Alana Buto said. “[The Wakefield team] is a really great way to improve your skills.”

Like the Wakefield swim team, the tennis team is also called the Wahoos, and the tennis team’s mascot is the shark. In addition to playing tennis with the Wahoos, Buto has also played on the AHS Varsity Girls’ Tennis team.

“I really like to stay active, whether it’s running, swimming, or tennis,” Buto said. “What I most like about tennis is that it’s a very fast-paced sport.”

Whether it’s tennis, swimming, or another sport, AHS students have many opportunities to stay active and have fun through the long summer months.