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.
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 2025 specialty event schedule:
- June 21 – 25 yard backstroke (8 & under), 50 yard backstroke (9 & up)
- June 28 – 25 yard breaststroke (8 & under), 50 yard breaststroke (9 & up)
- July 5 – 25 yard butterfly (8 & under), 50 yard butterfly (9 & up), 100 yard Free (11 & up)
- July 12 – 50 yard free (8 & under), 100 yard free (9-10), 200 yard Free (11 & up)
- July 29 – 100 yard free (8 & under), 100 yard IM (9-12), 200 yard IM (13 & up)
Swim Championships
2025 WISC Swim Championships will be held at Skyline High School the week of July 21. Each day will feature one group of ages:
- Monday, July 21 – Ages 13 & Up
- Tuesday, July 22 – Ages 9-10
- Wednesday, July 23 – Ages 8 & Under
- Thursday, July 24 – Ages 11-12 (plus Coaches Relay)
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
Forestbrooke F.A.S.T Flying Fish
Forestbrooke Pool allows both members and non-members on their swim team.
- Pool Location: 2609 Yost Blvd
- 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.
- Practice Locations:
- OHAC Pool – 2300 Yorktown Dr, Ann Arbor – ages 11 & up
- Dolfin Pool – 2050 Prairie St, Ann Arbor. – ages 10 & under
- Cost – $250/members, $300/non-members – Sibling Discount Available
- Dive Team – Yes
- Outdoor Pool
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 – Members: $150, Non-Members $350
- Dive Team – Yes
- Outdoor Pool
Lincoln Riptides
Lincoln Riptides practices at the Lincoln High School Pool
As of May 12, 2025 they are in their spring season (through 5/21) and do not have Summer registration available yet. They are listed on the WISC site for 2025 meets. We assume 2025 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 – No
- 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.
2025 registration will be released mid-May. They will be offering mid-morning and evening practice options.
- Pool Location: Wylie Pool – 3060 Kensington St, 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 – 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 12, 2025 they are in their spring season (through 5/30) and do not have Summer registration available yet. They are listed on the WISC site for 2025 meets. We assume 2025 summer information will be available shortly.
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 – $145-265
- 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 12, 2025 registration will open for returning families soon. As a new family, you can join the waitlist now to be contacted if they have an opening.
- 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
- 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 Country 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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