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Lifeguard-In-Training
Surf City Beach Patrol
Lifeguard-In-Training Program
Updated 2024 Season
About the Program
The Surf City Beach Patrol Lifeguard-In-Training Program
(LIT) is a lifeguard preparatory program designed to
prepare 10 to 15 year old individuals who are motivated to become ocean lifeguards
for the duties of that job. The areas emphasized in the program include
water safety and basic rescue techniques
Participants will also have the opportunity to compete against each other and
other LBI LIT programs in ocean lifeguarding events, which include running,
swimming, and paddling. On tournament days, the LITs will meet at the beach of
the tournament (e.g. Barnegat Light, Ship Bottom, Harvey Cedars). Even if your
child is not competing, they will still meet at the tournament location.
No
instructors will be at the Surf City Borough on tournament days. Please
note that the application fee for this program does not include tournament fees,
which are the responsibility of the competing participant. Competing in
tournaments is encouraged but not required.
Requirements for the Applicants
The program is open to applicants from the ages of 10 through 15. Some activities will encompass all of the participants while for other activities the participants will be broken out into two age groups. Participants are expected to engage in active and challenging fitness and team building activities on a daily basis. Parents, please make sure your child is willing to actively participate in this program.
Fees
2024 fees are $300 for one session and $500 for two sessions. T-shirt, sweatshirt, and
shorts will only provided for
one session if attending both.
Do not send any fees until you have received notification that you have been
accepted into the program. Fees are nonrefundable and no fees will be accepted before May
1.
The Application Process
All applicants, both returning and new will need to sign into the Application Queue (Step #1 below), which will go "live" Saturday February 17, 2024 from 10AM to 3PM EST.
On Saturday Saturday, February 17 at approximately 10AM EST the Google Forms link (below)
will become active. Click on this link and enter the required information to
begin the application process. If you have more than one child signing up
please make sure to submit a separate Google form for each child.
The Queue sign up opens Saturday, February 17, 2024 at 10AM EST and closes that same
day at 3PM
Step #2 - Complete and Submit your Introduction/Swim Skills Video by Sun. March
10,
2024
Please send a good quality video or link of the Introduction/Swim Skills
indicated below to
surfcitylit@gmail.com.
Please name the video and e-mail subject as follows so we may easily identify
it. “Last Name, First Name - Age, SCBP LIT 2024” For example, “Smith, John,
11 - SCBP LIT APP 2024”
The last day to submit the Introduction/Swim Skills Video is Sunday March 10,
2024
All new
applicants must submit a video of themselves doing the following:
1. Introducing
themselves by stating their name and why they want to be a part of the Surf City
Beach Patrol Lifeguard-In-Training Program.
2. Starting
at the deep end of the pool, swim 4 lengths of
a 25 yard pool (total of 100 yards) without stopping (note that there isn't a
time limit; see notes below for what a swimmer must demonstrate).
3. Treading
water for one minute in the deep end of the pool directly
after the completion of the 100 yard swim.
We will be looking at the following during the swim skills video:
a) Swimming
crawl (freestyle) stroke
b) Not
stopping or touching the sides or bottom of the pool during the entire skills
test
c) Swimming
with head in the water, proper breathing technique
d) Strong,
consistent kick and stroke, keeping hips high
e) Ability
to swim straight down the lane
f) General
comfort in the water
Step #3 - Notification of Status and Completing the Application
By end of day Sunday March 17, 2024 you will be notified of your
application status, which will either be accepted or wait list.
If you are accepted into the program you will receive via e-mail the forms that
need to be completed for participation in the program.
About Our Instructors
Program
Director
Ashley graduated from Villanova in 2006 with a degree in Communications and
subsequently earned her teaching degree from the College of St. Elizabeth.
Ashley is currently working as a middle school English teacher in Morris Plains. She has over fifteen years of experience on the Surf City Beach Patrol and often
supervises workouts and trains the new lifeguards in rescue procedures.
Ashley truly loves teaching young people and has coached Track and Field,
Cross-Country, as well as High School Swimming. She also has experience
teaching 4 through 12 year olds how to swim. Ashley is also an
accomplished swimmer herself being part of the highly successful Surf City
women's competition team and having won the pretigious Long Beach Island
Championship Female Swim event.
Lauren graduated from The College of New
Jersey with a Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education and Technology with a
minor in Communication Disorders. Lauren was a stellar student-athlete at
TCNJ, making the Dean's list each semester, earning the Lowell Johnson
scholarship, and being inducted into two honor societies while competing for the
TCNJ swim team, where she earned All-NJAC First Team honors in two events.
Lauren is currently an elementary school teacher on Long Beach Island and has
been a Surf City lifeguard for ten years. As an ocean lifeguard, Lauren has
been a key member of the outstanding SCBP Women’s Team, which has won
championships both on and off LBI in recent years.
Lauren’s experience as a teacher and ocean
safety specialist makes her an excellent instructor for the LIT program
Instructor - Ross Reynolds
Ross graduated from Ithaca College with a
Bachelor of Science in fitness cardiac rehab/exercise science and a Masters of
Science in Sports Pedagogy with a Health/Physical Education teacher
certification. He also was the Assistant Men’s Soccer coach at Ithaca.
Since 2001, Ross has been a MS Health/PE teacher in the Southern Regional School
District as well as the Head Coach for the varsity girls’ soccer and middle
school track and field team. His ocean lifeguarding experience dates back
to 1993 and even includes time spent guarding the big waves and rough surf of
Hawaii. Besides playing soccer in college, Ross is an outstanding athlete
and waterman. He is an elite level triathlete and has been an integral member of
some of the best lifeguard competition teams in the area. While paddling
has been his area of expertise, Ross is also a skilled rower and swimmer.
Ross's athletic prowess and coaching experience will be a great addition to the
SCBP LIT Program.
Scotty grew up in Surf City and graduated magna cum laude from Ithaca College
with a Bachelor of Art in Anthropology with a minor in Outdoor Pursuits. His
Anthropology concentration was on the developmental, social, and physical
benefits of outdoor education in comparison to western education. He was later
inducted into the National Anthropology Honor Society. Scotty was a co-founder
and president of the Ithaca Outing club. Currently he is working for Wells Mills
County park taking clients on hiking and historical trips all over NJ as well as
working under a sculptor in Brooklyn NY. Scotty has 8 years of experience on
SCBP and received the 2021 Life Saving Award from Ocean County.
Besides spending his summers protecting the bathers in Surf City, Scotty has
been a key member of our competition team. A true "Iron Man," Scotty is
competitive in all lifeguard competition disciplines with his specialty being
the paddle board.