BANGOR – He’s got the experience and he’s got a way of sharing what he knows, and it’s already working for the Barracuda Swim Team.

At a swim meet on Oct. 30, the Bangor-Brewer Y Barracuda swim team proved that what head coach Skip Nitardy teaches them is working.

The swimmers, ages 8-17, competed against PenBay Y and Downeast Y swimmers in Rockport. The Barracudas were the highest point winners.

First place highest point winners were Brynn Williams, Wells Tisdale and John Quinn, all of Bangor, and Tara Nitardy of Old Town.

Second place highest point winners were Alyissa Thibodeau of Winterport; Taylor Rogers, Tynesha Dias, Alicia LaFlamme, Bernard Wu, and Mike Rubin, all of Bangor, and Donovan O’Reilly of Hampden.

Third highest point winners were Courtney Prue and Jaime Williams of Bangor, and Kevin Trainor of Veazie.

“They did an awesome job and some swimmers really surprised us,” said Nitardy. While veteran swimmers are redefining their techniques, the new swimmers are just finding their comfort zone. “The swimmers are working hard on lots of stroke work. The first meet tells us what we need to work on, like starts and turns.”

Nitardy joined the Bangor-Brewer Y in August, bringing with him experience that takes swimmers to national competition more times than not. He started his Y career as the

aquatics director at the Mobile, Ala., YMCA in 1987. His most recent position was with the Darien, Conn., YMCA.

Erika Norris, a longtime Y swim lessons coach, is working with Nitardy.

The Barracudas’ next meet is at the Aloupis Pool at the Bangor-Brewer Y on Second Street, Nov. 20. New swimmers are always welcome to join the program. Practice is Monday through Friday with different skill levels at different times from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Call Coach Nitardy at 941-2808 for more information and to sign up.