Lifeguards Show Off Skills at Town of Clarkstown Lifeguard Competition

The third annual Town of Clarkstown Lifeguard Competition ended with a frenetic six-member relay, and when the ripples had settled, the Germonds team came away victorious Tuesday at Germonds Pool.  Germonds was able to reclaim the championship after losing it to Lake Nanuet last year.    

The Germonds team competed against the Congers team and the Lake Nanuet Team in a series of events that tested each lifeguard’s rescue skills, athletic prowess, and ability to work as part of team. 

“I implemented this two years ago to boost morale and to get the people sharper in their skill,” said Aquatic Director Joan Neuendorf.  “Get all the facilities cheered up about it.”

Neuendorf said she obtained input from each team about which events to include and which not to include. This year, the event started with a four-person hill run relay and a treading exercise where lifeguards had to hold a brick weighing 10 lbs. above their heads. Saving a submerged victim was next, followed by a double drowning rescue event and a brick recovery event.    

Event six was the shallow water backboarding event, which measured each team’s efficiency at rescuing a swimmer who has gotten injured as a result of diving into shallow water. The competition concluded with the relay, which saw a team member swim 25 yards across the pool in a swimsuit to waiting teammates. The teammates would then take the suit off the swimmer, dress another team member up in the suit, and send them to the other side.               

Brian Foley, a Germonds lifeguard, said the event was meant to show which team has the best lifeguarding skills. 

“It gets us to become better lifeguards,” Foley said.

According to the Neuendorf, the winning team gets an engraved trophy shaped like a cup, T-shirts, and bragging rights within Clarkstown. The trophy was brought onto the pool grounds by defending champion Lake Nanuet as they made a late entrance and paraded over and through the gates surrounding the pool area.      

Although it was a competitive event, it was also a chance for each lifeguard to show pride in his or her respective team and in being a lifeguard. At the same time, residents could watch and give support to the lifeguards; the event was free to the public.

“This is one of the funnest things that we do as a staff,” said Claire Neville, the head coach and head lifeguard at Germonds Pool. “All three staffs work together to show our skills off to the public. We had a really great showing of people who came to watch us and supported us at all three pools. People made signs and stuff. It was really cool.”

Each team put on individual colors and clothing, signifying team unity. 

“They all make their shirts,” Neuendorf said. “They all come in with their face painted. So it’s good.”      

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