Meet Lifeguard Brencis Navia

If you look up "All-Around" in the dictionary, chances are you'll see a picture of Brencis Navia. The fourth-year lifeguard at the Summit Family Aquatic Center knows how to juggle numerous responsibilities: lifeguard, volunteer, coach, student, college athlete, and more.

Navia graduated from Summit High School in 2009, where he played baseball his freshman year, ran track his sophomore and junior years, and was a four-year varsity letterman on the swim team. He was the captain and MVP of the swim team his senior year and helped the Hilltoppers win the State Sectional Championship.

The 19-year old is a rising sophomore at Gettysburg College, where he swims the 200 IM, 100 breaststroke, and freestyle in the relays for the Bullets. He is a Political Science major and English minor hoping to attend Law School after graduation. As if schoolwork and swimming weren't enough to fill his plate, Navia also works as a lifeguard at Gettysburg College. He commented on the transition from high school to college athlete, and the importance of time management in college.

"It's different; it took a while to get used to–all of the training–but it was really fun," Navia said. "Our (college swim team) works really hard but we have a lot of fun too. In terms of studies, you've really got to step up to the plate. Most of the time, you can't afford to make a bad grade on a test, so it takes a lot of discipline. If I get home at 7 o'clock at night and want to relax for 30 minutes before studying, it can only be 30 minutes; otherwise, the next thing I know, I'm up until one in the morning."

Navia's love for the water started at an early age and continues to this day.

"I was the biggest pool rat growing up," Navia said. "I would come here with my friends every single day. When I swam for the Sharks, I'd be here for practice at nine in the morning and stay until eight at night."

Navia has now made the transition from Summit Sharks swim team member to the Sharks' assistant coach.

"It's weird because for the past two years as a coach, I was also able to swim for the team," Navia said. "Now that I'm 19, I'm only able to coach. Time goes by so quickly. I feel as though I only have three years left in my swimming career, which makes me appreciate it even more."

In addition to helping out with the Sharks swim team, Navia has also volunteered his time at The Connection in Summit and with the Special Olympics, where he taught handicapped children how to swim.

"I believe in giving back," Navia said. "It's important to do your part for the community."

His natural love for the pool led him to the lifeguard stand as a sophomore in high school. He received his original certification from his high school swim coach, Mr. Pease. Now, four years later, Navia still enjoys working at the outdoor pool alongside his friends. While much of the job is fun and fairly stress-free, there are those select moments as a lifeguard that require the utmost poise under pressure.

"My second year, a young girl went down the slide into the deep end and panicked, so I jumped in to save her," Navia recounted. "My second save happened just a few weeks ago. A kid went down the swirly slide into the shallow end and started jumping up and down. I didn't think anything of it at first–I thought he was just being a kid, goofing around–but then I noticed something was wrong. He stopped jumping and started leaning to the side. Luckily I was already in the water, so I swam over to him and handed him the buoy. He grabbed it immediately and started coughing up water. It was pretty scary, but he was fine in the end."

This summer when he's not lifeguarding at the SFAC or helping coach the Sharks swim team, Navia plans to take a trip to Vermont, hang out with his friends, and grab a few slices at his favorite Summit restaurant, Village Trattoria.

Stay tuned to Patch this summer for more profiles of SFAC senior lifeguards.