Saline Opens Swim and Dive Program to Tecumseh Students

Tecumseh swim and dive students may soon have a new place to compete after Saline Area Schools agreed to open its program to them.

The Saline Board of Education voted 6-0 June 9, with Dr. Lauren Gold absent, to approve a Michigan High School Athletic Association application to form and support a boys and girls swim and dive cooperative team with Tecumseh beginning in the 2026-27 school year.

The agreement still needs MHSAA approval, but Tecumseh Athletic Director Jon Zajac said it would give students a way to stay in the sport after the district’s pool was closed and slated for demolition.

“Our pool is unfortunately getting demolished in the next year or so,” Zajac said. “This leaves our kids with no pool in the area.”

Tecumseh Public Schools announced in 2023 that the pool would close because of structural concerns with the roof. In a January update, the district said engineers had determined the building was unsafe for public occupancy and the board had voted to move forward with demolition.

Assistant Athletic Director Jeff Pike told the Saline board Tecumseh students needed another option after the closure.

“The Tecumseh students, therefore, were asking their athletic director and superintendent, ‘Where can we participate in swimming?’” Pike said.

Zajac said Tecumseh reached out to several districts about a possible cooperative team or renting pool space. Dundee rented its pool to Tecumseh last season, he said, which allowed the students to compete on their own.

“It was a big ask and we are very grateful for that,” Zajac said. “It gave our kids a chance to compete on their own. Now our only option was to form a co-op with Saline.”

Zajac said he has been talking with Pike and Saline Athletic Director Ashley Mantha over the past year about whether a cooperative team could work.

“Thankfully, Saline agreed to form a co-op so our kids can still have the opportunity to participate on a high school swim team,” Zajac said.

Pike said Saline’s boys and girls swim and dive coaches support the arrangement. Though there are still logistical questions, he said Saline saw the request as a chance to help students keep doing something important to them.

“We thought in being good neighbors to try to allow their students to continue to participate in sports,” Pike said.

Board Vice President Jennifer Steben asked for an explanation during the meeting, saying it would be helpful for the community to understand why the co-op was being considered.

“I appreciate the explanation and the support of other students because they want to make memories too,” Steben said.

Pike said Tecumseh students are expected to practice at Saline, though some details still need to be worked out. Swim and dive can include both morning and after-school practices, he said, which could make travel between Tecumseh and Saline more complicated, especially during the winter boys season.

Zajac acknowledged the drive will be a challenge for students who want to participate, but said the proposal has already cleared several local steps. The co-op had to be approved by each district’s board of education and superintendent, as well as the Southeastern Conference.

“There are some great athletic directors in our conference and it was unanimously approved,” Zajac said.

Board President Tim Austin asked whether the arrangement is similar to other cooperative teams, such as ski. Pike said the structure is similar, though the reason is different.

In this case, Pike said, Saline will still have its own boys and girls swim and dive seasons, while Tecumseh students will be added to the program.

“It’s really to add an opportunity for the Tecumseh students to join us,” Pike said.

Featured image: A Saline swimmer competes during a previous season. The Saline Board of Education approved an application June 9 to form a boys and girls swim and dive co-op with Tecumseh beginning in the 2026-27 school year, pending MHSAA approval. File photo by Mike Williamson