Bring it on!: Kicking Off the 2018 Summer Lifeguard Challenge

AI's annual lifeguard competition includes 5 demanding drills. Here's a rundown and a cheat sheet to get your team up to speed. Game on!

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Welcome to Aquatics International’s 2018 Summer Lifeguard Challenge. Here’s how it works:

· Watch the monthly challenges
· Have your staff replicate the challenges
· Video your challenges via camera/phone
· Send them to me at: pdequincy@ebparks.org

We’ll announce a winner each month and the overall winner at the end of the season.

For the first time since we began this annual competition — can you believe it was three years ago? — we’re allowing you to have a sneak peek of each drill well in advance of their deadlines (see videos below). Consider it a cheat sheet, giving your team more time to master the drill before submitting a video.

Also, we’re throwing in two bonus rounds for extra credit. Completing these could help improve your team’s overall standing.

We are aware that some agencies have multiple aquatic facilities under their jurisdiction. Those agencies will be allowed to send up to three submissions per challenge. However, each rescue team within the submission must be composed of a different set of rescuers. Example: Team Alpha from Rescue City can submit for the June, July and August challenges. Team Bravo from Rescue City can submit for the June, July, and August challenges as well. However, Team Bravo cannot have any members from Team Alpha on its team.

The deadlines to submit videos:

June Challenge: July 10

July Challenge: July 31

August Challenge: Aug. 31

Extra Credit Challenges: Aug. 31

Good luck, and let the games begin!

June Challenge

July Challenge

August Challenge

Extra Credit, Round 1

Extra Credit, Round 2

About the Author

Pete DeQuincy

Pete DeQuincy is aquatics manager at East Bay Regional Park District in Oakland, Calif. He is an American Red Cross Instructor Trainer in water safety, lifeguarding, and emergency medical response. He serves on the Association of Aquatic Professionals board, and enjoys training lifeguards all over the country.

Pete DeQuincy is an aquatic supervisor for the East Bay Regional Park District in Oakland, Calif. He is president of the Bay Area Public Pool Operators Association and the Aquatic Section of the California Parks & Recreation Society. DeQuincy is a lifeguard instructor for the American Red Cross and the United States Lifesaving Association.