Is your child interested in a summer swim team near Ann Arbor, but your family doesn’t have a pool or country club membership? No problem, we’ve got the list of local Ann Arbor swim teams that don’t require you to belong to a pool.
We live in a neighborhood that has a small pool, so we don’t need to have a pool membership. But, my daughter wanted to join a swim team. So these options would have been perfect for her.
She swam with the Buhr Park Sharks for 4 years from 2016-2019. Joining a swim team at the city pool without joining a club was definitely the right choice for us. Since that time, the Buhr Park Sharks, Vets Dolphins, and Mack Manta Rays (where she also swam in the fall/winter) have combined into one team – The Octopods.
WISC Swim Meets
I swam on swim teams in Virginia and Delaware as a kid. When my daughter started swimming for WISC as a 10 year old I was shocked at how short the meets are.
WISC teams are broken into 3 divisions and have 5 dual meets against other teams in their division. Instead of featuring all events at each meet, each dual meet features freestyle (25 yard for 8 & under, 50 yard for ages 9+) and one specialty event. This makes events considerably shorter than I was used to.
The 2026 specialty event schedule:
- June 20 – 25 yard backstroke (8 & under), 50 yard backstroke (9 & up)
- June 27 – 25 yard breaststroke (8 & under), 50 yard breaststroke (9 & up)
- July 4 – 25 yard butterfly (8 & under), 50 yard butterfly (9 & up), 100 yard Free (11 & up)
- July 11 – 50 yard free (8 & under), 100 yard free (9-10), 200 yard Free (11 & up)
- July 18 – 100 yard free (8 & under), 100 yard IM (9-12), 200 yard IM (13 & up)
I am shocked that they have meets scheduled on July 4! The years my daughter swam there was always a weekend break near July 4th even when the meet didn’t fall on the 4th. It would not surprise me if the meet was moved up or delayed. Although, with it being the Butterfly meet, my daughter would have happily skipped that meet.
Swim Championships
2026 WISC Swim Championships will be held at Skyline High School the week of July 20. Each day will feature one group of ages:
- Monday, July 20 – Ages 13 & Up
- Tuesday, July 21 – Ages 9-10
- Wednesday, July 22 – Ages 8 & Under
- Thursday, July 23 – Ages 11-12 (plus Coaches Relay)
The meet will start at 9a each day with warm ups at 8a. The years that my daughter swam at WISC championships, each team would have a pop-up tent outside.
Team Activities
Each team has their own culture and traditions. When she was on the Buhr Sharks, her two favorite activities were painting the rock before championships and team movie night at the pool after it closed to the public.
Many teams host a swim-a-thon fundraiser and various team parties.
Swim Teams
The teams below are part of WISC during the summer season. They allow anyone to register for the summer season. You do not have to belong to the pool or club to join the swim team (although you may pay more.
The Octopods offer evening practice times at Buhr Park! This is a great option for kids who are attending summer camps to still compete on a swim team.
Ann Arbor Octopods
Since my daughter swam, the City of Ann Arbor has consolidated their teams to the Octopods.
- Practice Locations:
- Buhr Park – Morning & Evening Practice options available
- Veterans Memorial Park – Morning Practices
- Cost – $100-150
- Dive Team – No
- Outdoor Pool
- Meet Only Option
Only at Buhr for 2026?
Due to the tornado damage at Veterans Park, the pool opening may be delayed. As of May 5, Ann Arbor Parks is only offering registration for Octopods practices at Buhr Park.
Forestbrooke F.A.S.T Flying Fish
Forestbrooke Pool allows both members and non-members on their swim team. 2026 is their first year in their new 25 yard pool! Previously their pool was only 20 yards.
- Pool Location: 2609 Yost Blvd
- Practices – morning for swim, afternoon for diving
- Cost – $125/members, $185/non-member – Discounts for siblings
- Dive Team – Yes
- Outdoor Pool
Orchard Hills Athletic Club
Orchard Hills Athletic Club (OHAC) welcomes OHAC members and non-members to join their swim and dive team. New for 2026 is a new evening only practice option!
- Practice Locations:
- OHAC Pool – 2300 Yorktown Dr, Ann Arbor – ages 11 & up – mornings
- Dolfin Pool – 2050 Prairie St, Ann Arbor. – ages 10 & under (mornings), ages 12 & under (evenings)
- EMU Jones Natatorium – Dive practices, evenings
- Cost – Sibling Discount Available
- Morning Practices – $250/members, $300/non-members
- Evening Practices – $200/members, $250/non-members
- Dive Team – Yes
- Outdoor Pool
- Meet Only Option
Travis Pointe Country Club
Travis Pointe Country Club offers swim and dive team for both members and non-members.
- Pool Location: Travis Pointe Country Club – 2829 Travis Pointe Rd, Ann Arbor
- Cost –
- Swim & Dive – Members: $200, Non-Members $400
- Swim or Dive – Members $150, Non-Members $350
- Dive Team – Yes
- Outdoor Pool
Lincoln Riptides
Lincoln Riptides practices at the Lincoln High School Pool
As of May 5, 2026 they do not have Summer registration available yet. They are listed on the WISC site for 2026 meets. We assume 2026 summer information will be available shortly.
2024 Information:
- Practice Location:
- Lincoln Aquatic Center (in the High School) – 7425 Willis Rd, Ypsilanti
- Cost – $150-225 by age
- Dive Team – Yes
- Indoor Pool
Dexter Community Aquatic Club
Dexter Community Aquatic Club offers a competitive USA Swimming team. During the summer season, teams compete at WISC meets.
Summer 2026 registration will be released mid-May. As of May 5, they are currently in their Spring Season
- Pool Location: Dexter High School Pool – 2200 N. Parker Rd, Dexter
- Cost – $200-300 Depending on level
- Dive Team – Yes
- Indoor Pool
Chelsea Aquatic Club
Chelsea Aquatic Club runs a team year round. They are offering morning and evening practice times.
- Practice Location:
- Chelsea Recreation Aquatic Club – Beach Middle School – 445 Mayer Dr, Chelsea
- Cost – $350 for summer season
- Dive Team – Yes
- Indoor Pool
Milan Swim Club
Milan Swim Club offers both a club level team and a competitive USA Swimming Team. Swimmers can opt to do just club level or can add the USA Swimming level.
As of May 5, 2026 they are in their spring season (through 5/29) and do not have Summer registration available yet. They list meet dates for summer 2026, so we assume summer information will be available soon.
2024 Information:
- Pool Location: Milan High School – 200 Big Rd Dr, Milan
- Cost – $130-636 Depending on level and frequency of practice
- Dive Team – No
- Indoor Pool
Whitmore Lake Waves
Join Whitmore Lake Waves to swim year round including summer.
- Pool Location: Whitmore Lake High School – 7430 Whitmore Lake Road
- Dive Team – Yes
- Costs – $100-200
- Indoor Pool
Ypsilanti Otters
Ypsilanti Otters is a year round swim club. They operate their summer season at Forestbrooke Pool. They offer both a morning and evening practice option.
As of May 5, 2026 no information is available for summer 2026 swim team. They mention the waitlist for spring 2026.
- Pool Location: Rutherford Pool, 975 N. Congress, Ypsilanti
- Cost – $175
- Dive Team – No
- Outdoor Pool
Ann Arbor YMCA
The Ann Arbor YMCA Barracudas team is open to both YMCA members and non-members. All of their practices are held in the evenings.
- Practice Location – Ann Arbor YMCA Lap Pool, 400 West Washington St
- Evening Practices
- Cost – $115-170/members-$230-340/non-members
- Dive Team – No
- Indoor Pool
Other WISC Teams
There are additional WISC Teams that only open their membership to pool or club members or are further from Ann Arbor (Dundee/Tecumseh).
- Barton Hills Country Club
- Huron Valley Swim Club
- Racquet Club
- Georgetown Country Club
- Chippewa Club
- Liberty Athletic Club
- M50 Dragon Sharks (combines Dundee Dragons and Tecumseh Tigersharks) – started May 6
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