After months of uncertainty and changing plans from the VHSL regarding return to play, high school athletics return this week with the start of winter tryouts for a variety of sports which include wrestling, gymnastics, basketball, swim, and indoor track. 

For most student-athletes, these tryouts will mark the first time back in a West Potomac building since instruction turned online last March.

“It feels great to be back,” said Dominic Cianciolo, a sophomore guard who was on campus this week trying out for the Varsity boys basketball team. “I never thought I would want to go back to school,” he explains.  Boys and Girls basketball will each play a condensed season, with just 14 regular season contests respectively, all without in-person spectators.

‘No spectators?’ You may ask, well the VHSL has come up with a unique solution to that problem. All VHSL sporting events will be livestreamed online where anyone and everyone can view at their leisure.

“It’s going to be a whole different game without spectators” said Dominic, “I would prefer a big crowd with all the excitement, but again we are in a pandemic so we need to be safe.”