Our Junior Lifeguard Program offers a perfect blend of education and fun through competitions and summer camps for children ages 9-14. Camps are held throughout the summer break, providing a week-long progression that includes learning to surf, beach and ocean orientation, surf survival, lifeguard skills, first aid, and competitions.
For those with a keen interest in the competitive aspect, we encourage participation in our clinics, which prepare juniors for our competition series. This series includes preliminary events with local juniors, regional competitions with participants from around Florida, and a national event. Sunday clinics will start in March and during spring break. Competitions focus on running, swimming, paddling skills, and ocean knowledge and ability.
Click here to register now for 2025 camps & clinics!
Fun
Juniors will learn to surf using a crawl, walk, run approach. After lunch, they will be divided into three groups, each rotating through three stations. At the ocean swimming station (crawl), juniors will acclimate to the ocean by swimming and body surfing. At the prone paddle boarding station (walk), they will practice effective paddling techniques, which are crucial as paddling constitutes about 90% of surfing. Juniors will learn to paddle towards and into breaking waves. At the surfing station (run), they will put their learned skills together on surfboards. While assistance is provided, juniors are quickly encouraged to paddle into waves using their own power. Our goal is to teach juniors to surf "down the line."
Beach and Ocean Orientation
Junior Lifeguards will undergo a situational awareness exercise every morning to orient themselves to the beach environment. This exercise aims to help them recognize and mitigate present risks on the beach and in the ocean. Juniors will learn about the formation of waves and their impact on shoreline topography. They will also gain a comprehensive understanding of rip currents, including their anatomy, mechanics, and how to swim out of them safely. Additionally, they will learn how to educate their friends and family on how to survive rip currents. Juniors will become familiar with fixed rip currents caused by sand bars and permanent rip currents at their local inlet jetties and piers.
Surf Survival
Junior Lifeguards will learn how to safely enter the ocean and navigate shore breaks and incoming waves within the surf zone. They will be taught rip current survival techniques, including treading water and floating on their backs. The program will introduce surf crafts, covering all aspects of design and safety to prevent injuries. Rescue and self-rescue techniques, such as board rescues, board rolls to assist surfers in need, and surf leash removal in case of entanglement will also be taught.
Lifeguards Skills
Junior Lifeguards will be taught the definition of drowning and how to recognize its signs. They will also enjoy hands-on learning with professional lifeguard equipment, including rescue buoys, tubes, and boards to practice making rescues.
First-aid
Juniors will be taught the importance of hydration and proper sunscreen application. They will learn bleeding control techniques through demonstrations and hands-on practice with direct pressure bandaging and tourniquets. After learning lifeguard rescue skills, juniors will advance to life-saving techniques, including rescue breathing and CPR, with the addition of using an automated external defibrillator (AED).
Competition
Juniors will be introduced to the international "Surf Lifesaving Sport." Each day, a different surf lifesaving competition event will be featured, including long-distance running races, swim races, and paddling races on prone boards. All these disciplines culminate in the "Iron Guard" event, a triathlon of running, swimming, and paddling, where juniors can prove they have what it takes to be the "Top Guard." Additionally, the popular "Flags" game will keep the juniors entertained and engaged.
Free added benefits of our summer camp: custom long-sleeve jersey, day pass to Sailfish Splash Water Park, and tubing behind Waverunners.
2025 Summer Camp Dates:
- June 9 - 13
- June 23 - 27
- July 14 - 18
- July 28 - August 1
Register now for 2025 Summer Camps!
Keep up-to-date with program schedules and events by regularly checking communications on Macaroni KID or www.juniorlifeguards.org.
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