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The girls volleyball team wears rainbow attire. Provided by Claire Bialek.

Teamwork is an essential part of every sport, but how is team bonding incorporated?

From war paint to onesies, team rituals provide ways for teams to come together.

Sophomore and boys varsity soccer player Sammy Guttell said that once the team made it to playoffs, most of the soccer team got blonde mohawks.

“It’s a tradition that the team has been doing for a long time,” Guttell said. “I guess it really brings us together; everyone with a bad hairdo.”

Junior Courtney Carroll said that the high school girls swim and dive team uses different types of spirit, from T-shirts with motivational catchphrases to Wonder Woman socks.

“For states, it’s kind of empowering to wear Wonder Woman socks because it shows that we’re a team and everyone sees everyone wearing Wonder Woman socks,” Carroll said. “It’s different; not a lot of teams do that.”

Team spirits helps motivate athletes for upcoming games.

“I think it brings us together a bit more because we know we’re all in it together,” Guttell said. “We’re all really happy that we’re in playoffs and going to achieve something.”

Varsity soccer player junior Liz Dumas also said that team spirit during the school day provides motivation.

“I think it really gets you pumped up throughout the day because you look down and you see yourself in clothing you normally wouldn’t wear and it gets you excited for your game later on,” Dumas said.

Sophomore and volleyball player Olivia Brown also said that team spirit puts her in the mood to play a competitive game.

“You’re thinking about it before you go to school, about the game later on that day,” Brown said. “When you’re choosing what you want to wear, it puts the day in a different perspective.”

For many athletes, such as Brown, team spirit gives their team a chance to show confidence in upcoming games. Brown’s volleyball team wears all black when going against rival Newton North.

“It’s been going on for many years, but it’s supposed to represent their funeral, in a way,” Brown said.

Dumas said she also enjoys the “blackout” tradition when playing Newton North.

“It’s definitely fun on blackout because you’ll see a lot of teams play Newton North on the same day or same week,” Dumas said. “If you see other people in just all black, you know they’re playing Newton North, so, you’re excited to see them; it makes a fun little community.”

For freshman cheerleader Richard Lee, bonding is a way to build up confidence and trust with new people.

“For me, it makes me feel that I have the capability of doing things and everyone supports everyone on the team to do certain things,” Lee said. “If you can’t do a certain thing, everyone supports each other until someone hits it.”