Throughout the years of school sports, players and coaches change but one thing remains the same each season: team traditions.

At AHS sports teams have their select traditions which they take part in each season. Some traditions are known and seen by the whole school whereas others are kept between the teammates themselves.

One team tradition is an event that takes place during the fall sports season known as the Dig Pink volleyball game. This is held by the Atoms volleyball team each season in order to raise awareness for breast cancer.

“I think the dig pink tradition is really good because it’s for a good cause,” junior Efrata Tecle said. “It’s fun that a lot of people come to the event to watch and there’s a lot of spirit in the crowd.”

Raising awareness can be a common theme in any team traditions as seen with the dig pink volleyball game.

Team traditions are also used as a way to motivate a team before a game. This gets a team energized and ready for a match-up.

“I like participating in the traditions because it gets us pumped up for games and they’re fun to be a part of,” Tecle said.

Another team tradition commonly visible in the halls of school during the winter sports season is the swim teams tradition of dyeing their hair colors. However, the whole team is not required to do so, only those swimmers who are willing.

“Before conference the guys dye their hair blonde and the girls dye the tips of their hair red,” junior Alejandro Casquino said. “We do that so that we can have good luck and swim fast.”

Participating in team traditions can also provide bonding opportunities for teammates. Better bonding can lead to an improvement in communication which will help the team during swim meets.

“It was fun dying our hair because you get to bond with your teammates and everyone looks at you funny the next day,” Casquino said.

A team tradition that takes place during spring is a collaborative effort between the boys and girls lacrosse teams.

Each season the boys and girls lacrosse teams have a dinner prior to their respective games against the Woodson Cavaliers. At the dinner, the girls select a boy and take his home jersey.

The following day, the boys team wears their away jerseys and the girls team wears the boys’ home jerseys.

“I love switching jerseys and having the big team dinner before the Woodson game,” junior Kayla Holcomb said. “It really brings us all together as a team to have fun and hang out with each other.”

All in all, traditions are truly an essential part of being able to be a team. They are special things that are unique to each individual team.

“Having a tradition really makes you feel like a close team,” Casquino said.

Traditions bring players together, create bonding and enhance communication between teammates which is important and will show both on and off the field.