It may seem unusual to see Atoms sporting blue and orange jerseys, but thanks to a unique arrangement, two Annandale athletes are able to play ice hockey under the West Springfield team. Despite the fact that Annandale doesn’t have an ice hockey team, athletes still have the opportunity to play that sport on another VHSL sanctioned team in the Capital Scholastic Hockey League. Senior Max Jordan and Sophomore Oskar Carlosn play with the West Springfield Spartans. Local high schools in FCPS play games on Friday nights at the St. James and Prince WIlliam Ice Center. Most schools in FCPS have a team or are combined with another team. Along with Annandale, Falls Church High School also has players on this team. Jordan says, “Playing with a school that is combined with other schools opens up a lot of opportunities for kids who already play or kids who want to start playing and it’s a great way to meet new friends.” Despite playing for another school, Jordan does not have a hard time adjusting. “I’m friends with most of the guys on the team and not being the only one that doesn’t go to West Springfield kind of helps with fitting in,” Jordan says. This team has been playing since October and have had some success. Jordans says some highlights of the season so far have been “My goal scoring success and beating one of the best teams on their senior night.” The Capital Scholastic Hockey League offers a great opportunity for kids who want to play the sport in high school at a competitive level.