It is our pleasure to announce the continuation of the Ellis & Associates Lifeguard Challenge for 2008.

Basic information for the Lifeguard Challenge is as follows:

• Only 1 team per client will be allowed to participate.
• Teams from participating client facilities will be made up of 2 male and 2 female lifeguard competitors (lifeguard instructors are not eligible to compete). Each scenario will intermix participants from multiple teams.The mindset behind the mixing of teams is to force teams to train to the standard that is set forth in the text book. Instead of creating facility specific protocols that are heavily drilled, teams will benefit from working with as many different lifeguards as possible during their training period. The newly created teams for the scenarios will be decided on site and will all have the same amount of time to “prepare” with their new team.
  
  
• Each team will also provide one guest in distress and one judge. A focus will be placed on having judges focused on a particular event that will unfold within the scenario instead of the entire scenario. It is recommended that the judges hold a current Lifeguard Instructor License. The goal is to ensure that the judging is conducted in the fairest possible manner. Considerable attention and focus will be paid to the judging side of the Challenge.
  
  
• The Lifeguard Challenge will continue to reward both individual and team efforts by awarding the top 5 mixed teams that place in each scenario and the top 5 teams that place in the team relay and the overall event. There will also be the coveted Spirit Award recognizing the team with the most spirit voted on by all the teams.
  
  
• The registration fee for the Lifeguard Challenge is $150/ team and $25 for each judge, guest in distress, and alternates (if applicable).

Lifeguard Challenge Schedule for 2008:

Southwest Regional: NRH2O-North Richland Hills, TX

Dates: June 18-19

Dates: July 1-2

Dates: July 14-15

Greatlakes Regional: Wheeling Park District, Wheeling, IL

Dates: July 17-18

Dates: July 21-22

Northeast Regional: Morey's Piers-Wildwood, NJ

Dates: July 24-25

Lifeguard Challenge Finals:Six Flags Great America Gurnee, Illinois

Dates: July 30-31


Contact information:

Each client will be contacted by your regional Lifeguard Challenge coordinator with information detailing your regional challenge later in the spring.

If you would like additional information, please contact your regional host site or:

Kara Cieri ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it )

Nick Landry ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it )