84 student athletes tried out for the swim and dive team, battling it out to make one of the 56 spots.

Some walked in anxious, while others felt at ease.

Sophomore Travis Swann, who tried out for the team, already knew that he would be on the squad prior to tryouts.

“If you made districts last year, you’re on the team,” Swann said.

Swann wasn’t worried about tryouts, but is more concerned with swimming in the A relay, which is the fastest relay group.

Not all potential swimmers were of the same confidence.

“Before tryouts I felt really nervous because there were people I didn’t know,” sophomore Enrique Aguilar said. “And swimming competitively is a new sport [for me].”

Swim had 90 people submit interest forms, with 84 potential team members coming to the first day of practice.

“Everyday less and less people came,” junior Amy Hallameyer said.

As of Wednesday, Nov. 9, there were 75 potential swimmers vying for 56 spots – 28 spots for boys and 28 spots for girls.

According to Head Coach Neal Jarvis, 40 to 50 percent of the spots were already pre-determined based on the number of swimmers that participated in the district tournament last year.

“I don’t think I’ll make the team because I’m not as good as the other guys and I didn’t show up for the next day of tryouts,” Aguilar said.

“A lot of the people that tried out were really good,” sophomore Jasmine Pringle said. “The ones that weren’t quit after the first day.”

Most winter sports coaches have required all potential members of their sports teams to attend the entirety of tryouts in order to see who is committed enough to play.

This holds true for indoor track, which is only keeping 160 runners, leaving slots for 80 girls and 80 boys.

This season will mark the first time that indoor track has had to make cuts. Last year the team was too large to maintain itself financially and make sure all athletes got to compete.

The tryouts will take place over the week of Nov. 14 with boys and girls each having two separate days for tryouts. The tryouts will come a week after those of other teams to allow students who didn’t make the cut for other sports to get a chance to be part of the team.

Runners from cross country had special track tryouts on Wednesday, Nov. 9 with distance coach David O’Hara.

“I’m more confident about the tryouts because I ran cross country and I know I can do well,” sophomore Eric Lien said. “I’m looking forward to bringing down my mile time.”

Others aren’t as confident as Lien and are anxious about not making the cut.

“I’m nervous because I’ve never done track before,” sophomore Amanda Singh said. “I’m afraid of not making [the team].”

Unlike track, basketball has already held their tryouts , which took place during the four-day weekend.

There are 15 spots for each team – freshman, JV and varsity – which adds up to 45 people for girls basketball and 45 for boys basketball.

“This year, [tryouts] were pretty competitive. Last year there weren’t as many people,” sophomore Carly Klima, who made the varsity girls basketball team, said.

Tryouts weren’t as competitive for the gymnastics team, which had less than ten girls trying out. Gymnastics tryouts started during the four-day weekend on Nov. 7 and continued through November 11. The AHS team is sharing gymnastics coach Ellen Hagan with Lake Braddock.

“When I talked to the coach she said that if there weren’t enough girls, everyone [that went to tryouts] would make the team,” sophomore Tiara Lockett-Jones said. “I just hope to improve.”

The wrestling team has already been filled, varsity and JV alike. Tryouts were held this past week.

“I’m really excited to see how our team does this year,” junior Justice Garrish, who tried out for wrestling, said.

The winter sports season officially started Nov. 7, but tryouts will continue until Nov. 17.