BANGOR -This fall, Bangor area children will have a new team to swim for.

The YMCA and YWCA will co-sponsor a team, according to Rob Reeves, executive director of the Bangor YMCA.

The Bangor YMCA and Bangor-Brewer YWCA Competitive Swimming Program will begin Tuesday, Sept. 3. A “Meet the Coaches” informational session will be held 6:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29, at the YMCA Sports and Fitness Center on Taft Street.

The joint project is a great idea, Reeves believes.

“It’s about two organizations working together to serve, to give opportunities to kids,” he said. “There is a desire from current leadership to work closer together in general.”

Reeves said staff at the YMCA and YWCA want to get people excited about swimming and help them achieve “the ability to swim efficiently, lose weight, stay healthy and have fun” with the activity. Young people of any age are welcome to participate.

Depending on skill level, practices will range in time from one hour a day, three days a week, to two hours a day, five days a week.

The swim year commences with a preseason starting in September. In October, the competitive swimming begins.

For the child who is interested in swimming but may not be up to the competitive level yet, there are exhibition matches.

The team will compete in Bangor and at other locations against YMCA and YWCA teams during the season, which concludes with New England championships in mid-March.

The team will take April off, and begin again in May with summer swimming, participating in the United States Swimming Summer League.

With that season concluding in July, the children will have August off. The cycle will begin again next September.

An appealing aspect for the new swim team is its home.

The team will be able to swim at the YWCA’s Aloupis pool year round. The use of the bigger pool will encourage even more youngsters to take part, Reeves said.

Another advantage of the program is character building, he added.

The YMCA focuses on spirit, mind and body, and works to instill in children honesty, caring, respect and responsibility.

The YWCA encourages and supports individuals and families in attaining physical, social and emotional well-being.

It’s a great match, Reeves said, adding that the new team needs a name. He is hoping a child or parent will come up with one “that we can be proud of.”

Anyone interested in doing volunteer work with the new team is encouraged to attend the informational meeting.

For information on the new swim team, call the Bangor YMCA at 941-2815.