Tri-town swimmers dove head first into the pool as they competed against some of New England's best swimmers.

The Riptides swim team is based out of the Gleason Family YMCA in Wareham and serves kids ages 6 to 22 from the surrounding area. The team gives kids an opportunity to compete in swimming competitions throughout the state.

The season begins in early September and ends in mid March with the New England Swim Championship being held March 16 in Worcester.

A number of tri-town kids compete on the team and earned medals during last weekend's meet.

Noella Michaud of Rochester finished third in the 50 meter butterfly and second in the 100 meter butterfly.

Charlie Hall of Mattapoisett placed fourth in the 100 meter free style, eighth in the 50 meter freestyle and fourth in the 50 meter breast stroke.

Ava Gagliardi of Rochester finished sixth in the 50 meter backstroke.

Peter Voci of Marion and Henrik Obrebski of Rochester helped the eight and under boys relay team take home third in the medley and freestyle relay.

Ava Gagliardi and Emelie Michaud of Rochester helped the girls relay team take home fifth in both the medley and freestyle relay for the girls eight and under relay team.

The Riptides competed with around 50 other swim teams from across New England but Riptides Coach Brooke Michaud said she was confident going in that the team will swim well because they have put together a strong season and the feeling among the kids is excitement — not nerves.

Michaud said the season can be defined in two words: growth and accomplishment. She said the team has many new members and they have proven no team record is safe.

"We've had four 8 and under records broken, two 9 and 10 records broken and eleven 11- and 12-year-old records broken," she said. "We're definitely close to 20 records broken this season."

These broken records have earned kids medals in competitions too.

"We had a lot of our kids place top five in our league championship meet," she said.

Growth and accomplishment has not just appeared on a stopwatch or standing on a podium. Many of the kids have swam the 500 meter, one of the most challenging events in swimming.

The race requires competitors to swim 20 lengths of the pool and Michaud said five kids between the ages of 8 and 13 swam the event for the first time.

"Seeing all those kids be confident enough to swim the 500 was awesome," Michaud said. "We have a number of older kids who have been on the team for multiple years who haven't swam it."

While the kids have been swimming well and pushing themselves in the pool, Michaud said what makes the Riptides who they are is their team dynamic, not their results.

Nine-year-old Ben Reece of Rochester and 8-year-old Peter Voci of Marion said their favorite parts of the season have been sharing meals with the team during meets. The two agreed nachos and meatballs were the best mid-meet meal.

Michaud is not just a coach, but also a parent to kids who have swam for the Riptides and she said the team dynamic from the oldest, most advanced swimmers to the youngest and newest swimmers is what made the Riptides who they are.

"My daughter swam here four years ago and we stupidly left for a year and quickly came back because the team environment is unlike anything else," she said. "During meets this pool deck is not quiet and the oldest seniors are cheering for the 6-year-olds. You won't find another team where your 18-year-old knows the name of their 6-year-old teammate."