Gurnee lifeguards finish first in state contest for seventh straight year

Submitted by the Gurnee Park District

The Illinois Park and Recreation Association held its annual Lifeguard Games July 17 at Pelican Harbor Aquatic Park in Bolingbrook. This event gives lifeguards the opportunity to showcase many of their rescue skills in a nonemergency, yet highly stressful (competitive) environment, which allows them to perform these skills under similar conditions as they might experience in a real aquatic emergency.

This year's competition had more than 30 Lifeguard and Junior Lifeguard Teams. Gurnee Park District entered three lifeguard teams and two junior lifeguard teams this year. Each team competed in seven events to determine a champion. Both the GPD lifeguards and junior lifeguards were defending champions in their respective divisions for the past six years before the event. GPD lifeguards and junior lifeguards took first place again to become the state champs seven years running.

"We are all very proud of all of our teams and all of our lifeguards who most importantly help keep our pool and our customers safe at the Gurnee Park District," said Kara Moss, GPD Aquatic Manager. "Our teams represented us well as they finished in first, sixth, 14th place out of 30 lifeguard teams. I feel that their success represents the hard work of all of our aquatic staff, and we have been fortunate enough to showcase this now for many years with many new competitors each year."

The lifeguard teams are:

• First place: Katie Bell, Annie Hellickson, Sean Stockwell, Jonathan Sweet (Designated Guest in Distress D.J. Bearnod)

• Sixth place: Amelia Condon, Jordan de la Paz, Michael Harrigan, Mason Bell (Designated Guest in Distress Allison Salisbury)

• 14th place: Emily Langtiw, Aubry Grimm, Mikey Aykroid, Steven Brown (Designated Guest in Distress Halley Kenney)

Junior lifeguard teams:

• First place: Justin Elkinton, Jack Foster, Emma Uren, Liz Schuler

• Second place: Lexi Dorner, Ethan Harrigan, Jordan Elkinton, Natan Weiner (Designated Guest in Distress Chloe Berna)

Staff members helped organize a car wash to fund the entry fees and "spirit wear" for the event. Danielle Friedl and Braykur Robinson organized the teams and practices. Jonathan Sweet and Dylan Hellickson taught the junior lifeguards this summer.

The Gurnee Park District employs approximately 60 lifeguards and about 70 other aquatic staff to supervise, instruct, and otherwise deliver services at Hunt Club Park Aquatic Center, FitNation, and Warren High School.

"I am so proud of my staff for performing well each year in this event. They are passing on the tradition set a long time ago when I worked here part-time as a lifeguard," Moss said.

"I am more impressed with their preparation, the connection the community has with them by supporting their car wash each year, and the general level of respect they show to each other, the host facility, and the other competitors each year.

"Gurnee should be pleased to know that these are great young adults with high moral standards and they represent you well every year, not just on the scoreboard."

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