FREEPORT — The Casco Bay YMCA Stripers swim team kicked off its 15th season.

Recently, head coach Dan St. Pierre began a new decade after just finishing his first 10 years as the head coach of the team.

During this time, St. Pierre has seen the team grow from 60 swimmers in 2003 to 137 in 2013.

The past 10 years were highlighted by five age-group championships at the YMCA State Championship meet and one in the Maine Swimming/USA Swimming Championship Meet, all of which have occurred since 2008.

The team has also had three different swimmers, where one swimmer has gone each year, qualify and compete in the YMCA National Championship Swim Meet every year since 2006.

The highlight of the National YMCA Championships came when Matt Libby finished 17th in the 100 backstroke.

There also have been swimmers who have qualified for the Eastern Zone Championship Meet in nearly every year since 2003. A few competitors won or placed in the top-eight at the YMCA New England Championship Meet, and several Strippers have won events in both the Maine YMCA and Maine Swimming Championship Meets.

“It has been a great 10 years, and we are looking to build on it for the next 10 years,” said St. Pierre, who has a “great coaching staff to back me up. You can’t build a program from 60 swimmers to 137 plus unless you have some great help, and that we have.”

St. Pierre is assisted by Tom Green, who won the Maine Swimming Assistant Coach of the Year Award last spring.

“Tom has been around this sport his whole life, has been a head coach of several YMCA and high school teams as well as an assistant coach for a few others. His father is even in the Maine Swimming Hall of Fame,” said St. Pierre.

Patti Drew was the longtime head coach for the Seacoast Swim Club out of Cumberland until she had her first child and wanted to focus on being a mother.

“She was looking to be involved on a limited basis,” said St. Pierre.

Nicole Gagnon is in her second year as being an assistant coach with the Stripers, and is the director of the before-and-after school programs for RSU-5. She also swam for the Westbrook Seals and Westbrook High School, as well as the University of Maine.

Also, Mary Estabrook and Ben Morse will help out. Both are accomplished Masters Swimmers, with Morse coming up through the Long Reach Swim Club in Bath when he was in school, and Colby College and Dartmouth College.

The Stripers are offering a two-week free trial for anyone new wishing to try the swim team out. For swimmers ages 10 and under, practices are held from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, as well as on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Swimmers are not required to be a member of the YMCA of Southern Maine, but preregistration is required.

Preregistration can be done at Membership Services at the YMCA of Southern Maine, which includes the Casco Bay branch in Freeport, the Pineland Branch in New Gloucester, the Greater Portland Branch in Portland or the Northern York County Branch in Biddeford.

For more information, contact. St. Pierre at 865-9600, ext. 214. INFORMATION supplied by Casco Bay YMCA