Kensington Lakes Activities Association

The Kensington Lakes Activities Association (KLAA) is an athletic conference for high schools in Michigan. It was formed in the 2008-2009 school year as a result of the merger of the Kensington Valley Conference and the Western Lakes Activities Association, plus two other schools joining from the Oakland Activities Association and the newly built South Lyon East.[1] The league started in 2008 with 23 teams. Howell Parker was to join the KLAA when the conference was first created, but closed after only one year of operation and later re-opened as a middle school. Grand Blanc joined in 2009 to give the league 24 teams.[2] The conference currently sits at 16 teams, split into two divisions with eight schools each.

As of the 2023-2024 academic year, 13 of the 16 schools reside in Division 1 of the Michigan High School Athletic Association. The few exceptions all reside in the East Division of the conference, as Livonia Franklin, Livonia Churchill, and Wayne Memorial are all in Division 2.[3]

Member schools

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Current members

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Team Location Enrollment Joined Previous Conference
West Division
Brighton Bulldogs Brighton 2,079 2008 Kensington Valley Conference
Canton Chiefs Canton Township 1,977 2008 Western Lakes Activities Association
Hartland Eagles Hartland Township 1,935 2008 Kensington Valley Conference
Howell Highlanders Howell 2,200 2008 Kensington Valley Conference
Northville Mustangs Northville Township 2,500 2008 Western Lakes Activities Association
Novi Wildcats Novi 2,070 2008 Kensington Valley Conference
Plymouth Wildcats Canton Township 2,050 2008 Western Lakes Activities Association
Salem Rocks Canton Township 2,019 2008 Western Lakes Activities Association
East Division
Belleville Tigers Belleville 1,701 2018 Western Wayne Athletic Conference
Dearborn Pioneers Dearborn 2,115 2018 Western Wayne Athletic Conference
Dearborn Fordson Tractors Dearborn 2,756 2018 Western Wayne Athletic Conference
Livonia Churchill Chargers Livonia 1,396 2008 Western Lakes Activities Association
Livonia Franklin Patriots Livonia 1,456 2008 Western Lakes Activities Association
Livonia Stevenson Spartans Livonia 1,790 2008 Western Lakes Activities Association
Wayne Memorial Zebras Wayne 1,621 2008 Western Lakes Activities Association
Westland Glenn Rockets Westland 1,665 2008 Western Lakes Activities Association

Former members

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Team Location Joined Previous Conference Departed Successive Conference
Grand Blanc Bobcats Grand Blanc 2009 Big Nine Conference 2018 Saginaw Valley League
Lakeland Eagles White Lake Township 2008 Kensington Valley Conference 2017 Lakes Valley Conference
Milford Mavericks Highland Township 2008 Kensington Valley Conference 2017 Lakes Valley Conference
Pinckney Pirates Putnam Township 2008 Kensington Valley Conference 2017 Southeastern Conference
South Lyon Lions South Lyon 2008 Kensington Valley Conference 2017 Lakes Valley Conference
South Lyon East Cougars Lyon Township 2008 None (school opened) 2017 Lakes Valley Conference
Walled Lake Central Vikings Commerce Township 2008 Western Lakes Activities Association 2017 Lakes Valley Conference
Walled Lake Northern Knights Commerce Township 2008 Western Lakes Activities Association 2017 Lakes Valley Conference
Walled Lake Western Warriors Commerce Township 2008 Western Lakes Activities Association 2017 Lakes Valley Conference
Waterford Kettering Captains Waterford Township 2008 Oakland Activities Association 2017 Lakes Valley Conference
Waterford Mott Corsairs Waterford Township 2008 Oakland Activities Association 2017 Lakes Valley Conference

Membership timeline

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Dearborn High SchoolDearborn Fordson High SchoolBelleville High School (Michigan)Grand Blanc Community High SchoolWalled Lake Western High SchoolWalled Lake Northern High SchoolWalled Lake Central High SchoolWaterford Mott High SchoolWaterford Kettering High SchoolSouth Lyon East High SchoolSouth Lyon High SchoolPinckney High SchoolMilford High School (Michigan)Lakeland High School (Michigan)John Glenn High School (Westland, Michigan)Wayne Memorial High SchoolPlymouth-Canton Educational ParkPlymouth High School (Michigan)Novi High SchoolNorthville High SchoolAdlai E. Stevenson High School (Livonia, Michigan)Franklin High School (Livonia, Michigan)Winston Churchill High School (Wayne County, Michigan)Howell High School (Howell, Michigan)Hartland High School (Michigan)Plymouth-Canton Educational ParkBrighton High School (Michigan)


On March 13, 2017, Milford, South Lyon, South Lyon East, Walled Lake Central, Walled Lake Northern, Walled Lake Western, Waterford Kettering, Waterford Mott, and White Lake Lakeland announced plans to leave the KLAA to form a new conference entitled the Lakes Valley Conference, effective starting the 2017-2018 school year.[4] Pinckney also left the KLAA in 2017 to join the Southeastern Conference. These departures prompted the KLAA to switch from a four division system of North, South, West, and Central divisions to a two division system of Black and Gold divisions, and later, East and West divisions.

The next day, on March 14, 2017, Grand Blanc was voted out of the KLAA effective for the 2018-2019 school year (due to how isolated it is from the other schools in the division) where it proceeded to join the Saginaw Valley League.[5] In its place, Belleville, Dearborn, and Dearborn Fordson joined the KLAA in 2018.

References

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  1. ^ "New KLAA adds intrigue to football season". mlive.com. 22 August 2008. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  2. ^ Khan, Bill (17 October 2008). "Grand Blanc to leave Big Nine Conference for Kensington Lakes league next fall". The Flint Journal. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
  3. ^ "Churchill Varsity Boys Football | Michigan High School Athletic Association". www.mhsaa.com. Retrieved 2024-10-27.
  4. ^ Emons, Brad. "It's official: Lakes Valley Conference launched". Hometown Life. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  5. ^ Khan, Bill. "Grand Blanc voted out of KLAA". Livingston Daily. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
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