On the job training

Angelique Flores

Sixteen-year-old Nicole Hyink has wanted to be a lifeguard since she

was 9.

“I love the beach and I love dealing with people,” the Surf City girl

said.

With her family cheering her on, Hyink was among the top finishers in

her first crack at lifeguard tryouts on Sunday.

Every year, the city’s Marine Services Department holds open tryouts

for one of the most coveted jobs in lifeguarding.

The one-day event includes three swims: a 1,000-yard pier swim, a

500-yard surf sprint and a 1,500-yard run-swim-run. The top 36 finishers

are invited to the training program.

This year, the surf conditions were great and the water temperature

wasn’t too chilly for the nearly 60 swimmers who made it to the starting

line.

“The surf was not a hazard, but big enough to be challenging,” said

Marine Safety Lt. Greg Crow who also noted the good speed of this year’s

group.

Most of the lifeguard hopefuls hail from Surf City, and are

experienced swimmers, water polo players and surfers.

“To swim that much and that long, you must be a competitive swimmer,”

Crow said.

Besides strength, speed, experience and knowledge of the ocean,

lifeguards must be able to think on their feet and do it under pressure,

Crow said.

Hyink, like many of the other applicants, has been a junior lifeguard

for eight years and was also a part of the competitive Captain’s Court

program.

“All the hard work paid off,” Hyink said.

Frances Tran, 17, of Fountain Valley was also among the top finishers

and felt being a junior lifeguard prepared her for the tryouts.

Still, the training that awaits the two girls and the others is a

rigorous 100 hours that has been likened to a boot camp.

But that doesn’t deter swimmers from flocking to work the shores of

Surf City with dreams of being a lifeguard.

“This is the happening beach: good surf, crowds, warm water . . . It

keeps them busy,” Crow said.

Busy summer days keep the lifeguards on their toes with up to 45

rescues. Huntington Beach lifeguards make about 2,000 rescues a year,

with the greater portion of them occurring during the summer.

But lifeguards don’t only rescue swimmers. They offer first aid to

beachgoers, help lost children and provide beach information about the

tides and safest areas to swim.

“I can allow people to have fun, keep them safe and make sure everyone

has a good time while they’re at the beach,” Tran said. “I’m just looking

forward to doing what I’ve learned a lot about.”

Training will be April 14 to 22, with testing to follow on April 28

and 29. Once training and testing is complete, the new lifeguards are

ranked and offered jobs as they become available. Still, passing training

doesn’t guarantee a job.

Last year, for the second year in a row, lifeguard tryouts were held

for a second time during the summer because more positions opened up.

According to Crow it’s still too early to know what to expect for this

year.

“I know [the training] is going to be really difficult, but good, said

Hyink who hopes to follow in the footsteps of her brother, a lifeguard

and junior guard instructor. “I like to challenge myself.”