When high school graduates look back on their time spent playing school sports, they remember more than how many games they won. They remember the chants they did with the team every day before a game, the multiple sleepovers, and the teammates who became a second family. While every team shares unique customs and traditions, the boys and girls swimming team stands out as a group of kids unlike any other.

“[Our traditions] make us closer to each other and boost our confidence,” junior Lauren Cocozza said. “It makes you feel like you’re part of something special.”

The swimming team shares an abundance of special traditions that have existed for years. Each year the seniors introduce the traditions to the freshmen, and they later become responsible for passing them on.

“They’ve been going on for so long that I don’t know when they started,” Cocozza said.

Most of the traditions inspire and motivate the team before the important meets.

“Before every meet we all get together and do a cheer as a team,” sophomore Gwen Kylish said. “We usually have pasta parties before swim meets.”

Perhaps the most notable traditions include the time leading up to districts. Every year the boys team bleaches their hair a few weeks beforehand. The day before the meet they completely shave their heads, as well as the rest of their body.

“Even our legs,” junior Kevin Publicover said. “We’re guys so it’s a little weird.”

The girls participate in the district preparations by dying a streak of their hair or the tips of their hair any color they wish and having shaving parties the Thursday before the meet.

In addition to the hair removing festivities, the team also preps for districts with a spirit week.

“Each day of the week we do a different spirit day,” Cocozza said. “We’ve done mismatched day, cowboy and Indians, and girl or guy cross-dressing day.”

The team traditions go beyond celebrating games; they spend a lot of time outside of school getting to know each other and having fun.

“We have movie day at our coach’s house just for fun,” Kylish said. “On some weekends we all just hang out as a team.”

“[The boys team] also has a sleepover [at the end of the season] where we tell the guys what ‘Stoyle’ means,” Publicover said. “It’s a big tradition. Stoyle is like a top secret word that goes back to the 90s.”

The boys’ team also adorns tracksuits and beanies for their shaved heads with the word “Stoyle” plastered across the apparel.

The team believes that the traditions have brought them closer together, making them more like a family than just a group of students. They all share a bond that unites them as a team.

“[My favorite part of being on the swim team is] my teammates because some of them are pretty amazing, and if it weren’t for swimming I wouldn’t even be friends with them,” Cocozza said.

So far this season the swim team has been successful. Both the boys and the girls teams anxiously await districts and remain excited about the talented freshmen that have joined the team.

“The guys’ team is having one of the best seasons it’s had in a long time,” Publicover said.