3 minute read

& Safe Soaked Junior Lifeguard Programs Teach Ocean Safety, Confidence for Kids in the Water

By Zach Cavanagh

Summer in South Orange County means sandy, salt-crusted, sunsoaked days cooling off in the waters of the Pacific Ocean. For safe, fun and organized beach expeditions, many youths and their families choose from a selection of junior lifeguard programs in San Clemente and Dana Point.

Advertisement

For kids of all ages, junior lifeguard programs offer a way to introduce them to ocean waters in a fun and safe way. These programs can give kids confidence in jumping into waves by teaching them a safe way to do so.

In addition to marine safety, first aid taught through a slew of fun activities, these programs can also help young watermen and waterwomen develop leadership skills. Here’s a quick look at the area’s several junior lifeguard programs:

City of San Clemente Junior Lifeguards

One of the most popular and well-regarded programs in South Orange County is the junior lifeguard program run by the City of San Clemente down at the Pier beach.

Over 800 boys and girls between the ages of 9-16 take part in the program each summer. The program has activities like pier jumping, pier swims, bodyboarding, body surfing and plenty of other swims. The priority of the program is education and experience in ocean safety, along with first aid and rescue techniques.

For kids new to the junior lifeguard program, a swim test must be passed to be eligible for registration to the program. The swim test, which costs $5, will have kids swim four lengths of a pool, which is 100 yards, in under two minutes. These swim tests take place on Saturdays (March 25 and April 1 and 8) at the San Clemente Aquatics Center from

9:30-11 a.m. and Wednesdays (March 29 and April 5) at the Ole Hanson Beach Club from 6-7:30 p.m.

Registration begins on April 26 at 8 a.m. for one of three program sessions (June 5-23, June 26-July 14, July 17-Aug. 4).

For families wishing to enroll in the program but have a financial hardship, scholarships may be available if there is enough funding through the San Clemente Lifeguard & Junior Guard Foundation. In 2022, the foundation funded 10 scholarships, including programming supplies.

More information on the program, registration and the scholarship application can be found at san-clemente.org/JG.

San Clemente State Beach & Doheny State Beach Junior Lifeguards

The California State Parks runs its own junior lifeguard programs at San Clemente

State Beach and Doheny State Beach.

The state programs offer six hours of instruction per day in four two-week sessions. The programs teach general aquatic safety, team-building and physical fitness. There are recreational activities like surfing, bodyboarding, paddleboarding and dodgeball. There are also educational activities such as CPR, first aid, rescues and other beach operations.

The state programs make sure to state they are not “learn to swim” schools, which means, like the City of San Clemente program, there are swim tests prospective junior guards must pass to register. The tryout requirements are based on age. For 8-10-year-olds, they must swim 100 yards in under two minutes, 10 seconds. For 11-12-year-olds, the time standard is two minutes, and for 13-15-year-olds, the time is one minute, 50 seconds. The tryouts also include swimming 10 yards underwater and treading water for five minutes.

The tryouts for both the San Clemente and Doheny programs will take place at San Clemente High School from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 15, April 29 and May 13.

The four sessions for junior lifeguards will be June 5-16, June 19-30, July 10-21 and July 24-Aug.4.

Both state beaches also hold a Summer Surf Camp from Aug. 7-11. Doheny offers a three-day surf camp July 5-7 and a Spring Break Surf Camp from April 3-7.

More information for the San Clemente State Beach program can be found at parks. ca.gov/?page_id=21967. More information for the Doheny State Beach program can be found at parks.ca.gov/?page_id=30324.

California Junior Lifeguards & Mini JGs at Salt Creek

There are one- and three-week options for junior lifeguards ages 8-17 and a one-week program for Mini JGs ages 5-7 offered by California Junior Lifeguards at Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point.

Unlike the City of San Clemente or State Beach programs, California Junior Lifeguards sets itself apart with a younger session for kids 5-7 years old. This Mini JGs program runs from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. in 10 different one-week sessions from June 8-Aug.21. There are no tryouts, and the program allows for more fun time for these younger guards.

In the main three-week programs for 8-17-year-olds, junior lifeguards are taught in an educational and recreational environment on how to safely handle ocean situations. Kids are taught on emergency situations, teamwork, self-respect and an awareness of the environment. There is instruction on CPR, first aid, ocean safety, rescue techniques, surfing and bodyboarding, among other skills. There are also activities for marine biology, oceanography and nutrition and diet.

Unlike the other programs, there are no tryouts. The California Junior Lifeguard programs are open to swimmers, surfers and bodyboarders of all ability and skill levels.

The three sessions will be held June 5-23, June 26-July 14 and July 17-Aug. 4.

More information on both programs can be found at jrlifeguards.com.

This article is from: