Recently, the Annandale Atoms hired new head coach Juliann Branch to lead the swim team for this upcoming season.
Branch has been swimming since she was three years old, and also coaches a variety of other water and land sports, including water polo, synchronized swimming, and volleyball.

Although it is Branch’s inaugural season with the Atoms, she “believe[s] all athletes have something to contribute to the team regardless of if they are the biggest, fastest or strongest,” Branch said. “Being a part of a team is in my opinion what sports are about.”
Tryouts for any sport is always a stressful but important time of the year. This time around, swim tryouts are no different. Tryouts ran from Tuesday, November 12th to Thursday, November 14th. Tryouts assess athletes’ stamina, strengths, and leadership qualities.
Testing athletes time in the 50 and 100-meter events are common and a easy judgment of an athlete’s skill and potential in the pool. Swimmers are evaluated on many strokes, including freestyle, breast, and butterfly.

An important aspect of all sports, but for swimming in particular, is being able to control emotions and nerves.
This is often overlooked because when it comes to trying out for a team, a majority of athletes struggle with balancing their nerves, especially because they are pushing themselves outside of their comfort zone.
For sophomore swimmer Colton D’Ambrogi, making friends and staying positive are the best ways to remain calm and enjoy the moment. He loves the connections he’s built with his fellow swimmates. “Friends you can call upon to help you with certain situations or to spend time with is always great to have,” D’Ambrogi said. “It feels good and almost intuitive to have a diverse group of friends.”
Last year as a highly touted freshman, D’Ambrogi earned respect among his teammates because of the significant positive contribution to the varsity program through his outstanding performances. Now as a sophomore with a year of experience under his belt, he has a whole team to call his friends.

Captain Finn Sample has set high expectations for his senior year campaign. The new coaching staff and incoming talent has helped pick up momentum and spark interest for this upcoming season.
Interest meetings have only fueled this enthusiasm.
“My expectations for this season were set pretty high when I went to the first interest meeting,” expressed Sample. “With our new coaches and new team, I, along with others are very excited.”
Sample, who has swam for 12 years total, including 4 years for Annandale, has noticed a new energy and buzz throughout the swim program.

Now, as a captain, Sample’s responsibilities have increased significantly.
“As a captain, my number one priority is to make sure everybody on the team knows each other and creates lasting friendships,” Sample said.
Last year, the boys’ team placed third in districts and the girls finished fifth in districts. Sample and D’Ambrogi are working diligently and challenging their teammates to beat last year’s record and district placement.
“We’re working our hardest to improve our placements, win meets, and qualify for regionals and states this year,” noted Sample.
For junior Melanie Decareau, spending time with teammates and creating new friendships are some of the most fun and impactful aspects of the swim season. She adds that events like team dinners and hangouts “Really help improve team chemistry and cultivate a supportive environment,” Decareau said. “We all cheer for each other no matter what which is one of the best things about our team.”
Although Decareau has not been named a captain in her first two years of participating in the varsity program, she is hopeful to acquire that role and the responsibilities that come with it. Decareau, like many others, has a great opportunity to demonstrate her leadership and communication at tryouts.

Many returning varsity swimmers will help lead the team and bring the group together. With Coach Branch leading the team from the deck, it is clear our swimmers will be well prepared to tackle the obstacles this season poses and have a triumphant season.
The first swim meet is Friday, December 6th, at Audrey Moore Rec Center. Show up and support our Atoms! You can stay up to date with other swim events and news by following @atomsswimdive on Instagram.