2026 SWIM TEAM REGISTRATION

2026 Swim Team registration is open for RETURNING swim team members ONLY – see TEAM SNAP link sent to your email.  Prior to May 18/19, registration is open for returning swim members only; any new swimmers to BHAC must first complete a swim evaluation. [Refunds will only be made until June 1, 2026.]

ALL NEW 10 and under swimmers (have not swam on BHAC Swim Team, or any other swim team, in previous seasons) must complete a swim evaluation PRIOR to registering for the team. This includes those who swam on pre-team last year.

Please do not register new swimmers until after they have successfully completed the evaluation for the swim team; Refunds can not be issued until September 2026

RETURNING SWIMMERS
TEAM SNAP registration link – please register through the link sent to your email.

NEW SWIMMERS (interested in their children trying out for Swim Team OR Pre-Team)

All kids are required to complete an evaluation, which will determine if they are ready for the swim team, pre-team, or recommended for lessons.

Please do not register your child until they have passed an evaluation with our coaches. Refunds will not be provided until September for those who register prior to evaluations and do not make the team.

There is no limit to the number of swimmers we can have on the team. If your swimmer meets the requirements for the swim team, there will be a spot available for them!

Swim team requirements – must be able to swim a full length of freestyle and backstroke safely and comfortably without assistance

If they are 7 and under, and not quite ready for swim team, we have a Pre-Team with a requirement of swimming the width of the dive well in freestyle and backstroke, safely and comfortably without assistance, and can tread water in the deep end. Pre-team will start the week of June 15.

Any questions, please contact BHAC Swim Team Chairs – Laura O’Brien or Kristen Grake @ bhacswimteam@gmail.com

SWIM TEAM PRACTICE SCHEDULE

Monday, May 18 through Friday, June 12 (M-F)

• 8 & Under: 4:30-5:00 pm (Practice starts May 20, 2026)
• 9-12: 5:00 – 6:00 pm
• 13 and up: 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm

NO PRACTICE – Friday 5/22, Memorial Day 5/25, and Friday 6/12 (last day of school for BPS)

Monday, June 15 through Friday July 24 (M-F)

• 13 & Up:  7:00 am – 8:30 am
• 11-12:  8:15 am – 9:45 am (includes 15 min of drylands)
• 9-10:  9:30 am – 10:45 am (includes 15 min of drylands)
• 8 & Under (A Group):  10:30-11:30 am ** (includes 15 min of drylands)
• 8 & Under (B Group): 11:30-12:00pm **
• PRETEAM : 12:15-12:45 PM (M,W,F only)

*     Practice times are subject to change

**   8 and under groups will be determined by coaches – posted on Friday June 13.

2026 Dual Swim Meet Schedule – TIMES TBD

• Thursday, June 18: BHAC @ Farmington Glen Aquatic Club (away)
• Monday, June 22: BHAC @ Beachwood Recreation Association  (away)
• Thursday, June 25: Forest Hills Swim Club @ BHAC (home)
• Monday, June 29: BHAC @ Huntington Woods Athletic Club (away)
• Monday, July 6: Bloomfield Hills Swim & Tennis @ BHAC (home)
• Thursday, July 9: Cranbrook Swim Club @ BHAC (home)   – SENIOR NIGHT

Click here for directions to all swim clubs.

2026 Mini-Meets

• Saturday, June 13:  8 and under mini meet @ Woodside Athletic Club (WAC)
• Saturday, June 20: 11 & Up Relay Meet @ BHAC – get your Hawaiian gear ready for our team hosted – luau meet!!  
• Saturday June 27:  9/10 Mini Meet @ Farmington Glen Aquatic Club (FGAC) 

2026 Finals Meets

• B Finals: Saturday, July 18 @ SURF  (11 and up – AM; 10 and under – PM)
• A Finals Prelims: Saturday, July 25@ BWRA 
• A Finals Top 12 in each event): Sunday, July 26 @ BWRA

2026 Special Events/Parties

• Blue & White Meet/Time Trials – Friday, June 5, 2026 @4:30-7:30 pm. 
• 10 and Under Party – Tuesday, June 23, 2026 @ 4:30-6:30 pm.
• 11-14 Party – Tuesday, June 16, 2026 @ ?
• B Final Party – Wednesday, July 15, 2026 @ ?
• 15 and up Road Rally – Thursday, July 16 @ 5:45-9pm.
• Pancake Breakfast and Team Pictures – Wednesday, June 24, 2026 @ 8:15-11:30 am.
• Swim Team Banquet – Sunday, July 26, 2026 at BHAC @6:30-8:30pm.  
• SENIOR NIGHT – Monday, July 9, 2026 before/after SURF meet
  

Head Coach:

Nick Valice

Nick Valice is a swimming coach currently serving as the head coach for the Birmingham Groves boys’ swim and dive team in Michigan. He recently led the team to a repeat MHSAA Division 2 state championship title in March 2024. Coaching Experience: Valice has over 11 years of coaching experience. Before joining Birmingham Groves in late 2023, he spent three years in Miami, Florida, as the head coach of the Bravo Swim Team. Valice was a competitive swimmer himself, competing for L’Anse Creuse High School where he was a state qualifier in the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke. He also swam for Pointe Aquatics and Lochmoor Club, achieving MICSA championship status in the 50 freestyle.

Assistant Coaches:

Steve Drinkert

Hi everyone.  This is coach Steve.  Here is some information about me – I recently completed my 23rd year of teaching for the Dearborn Public Schools.  I’ve also completed over 20 years of coaching swimming in the vicinity of Birmingham, plus coached for many summer swim seasons in the area.  If memory serves me correctly, this will be my seventh season coaching at BHAC.  This is a great group of swimmers, coaches, and parents to work with.  I look forward to meeting the new swimmers and parents.  To the returning swimmers and parents, I have been working on my puns since last summer.

To wrap up my bio, I wanted to share some words of wisdom that came from an ancient Greek philosopher named Mediacrates.  He said, “In the world of gallons, be a litre.”

We have updated and attached our 2025 BHAC Swim Team Handbook.  This is a great resource for new swim families that are trying to navigate the first year of swim team.  There are lot of events and meets that take place over an 8 week period of time, and this will help provide an overview of our team and what to expect at a typical swim meet and throughout the season.  On the last page, we have included a list of our meets with all the start/warmup/arrival times.  Please refer to this or team snap schedule to see when/where each meet will take place.