YMCA Southcoast has announced a new addition to the Gleason Family YMCA team. Melissa Dyer is stepping into the role of Aquatics Director at the Wareham Y.

Dyer has more than 10 years of aquatic experience and comes to Wareham from the the Littleton Family YMCA in Colorado, where she was their Aquatic Director for past seven years and part of the aquatic program since 2002.

Dyer is a nationally recognized Y-USA Faculty/Trainer in Aquatics. In addition, she holds a bachelor's of fine arts degree from Metropolitan State College of Denver. Her role as the Aquatics Director will be to develop and maintain programming that will engage in youth development, develop healthy living and foster social responsibility.

“We are pleased to have Mel on board and welcome the positive energy she brings to the Gleason Family YMCA and YMCA Southcoast, said Nancy Bonell, COO and Vice President of Operations at YMCA Southcoast. "We’re confident our members will be well served by her.”

Dyer has strong ties to the area. Her parents were born and raised in Massachusetts. She is a graduate of Old Rochester Regional High School.

“I’m passionate about aquatics because swimming is a life skill!" Dyer said. "I truly believe that aquatic activities allow people to pursue health for their entire lifetime ... [and are] so vital to the South Coast community, living as we do on the shore."

The Gleason Family YMCA is located on Charge Pond Road. For more information about the Y, visit ymcasouthcoast.org.