Gurnee Park District lifeguards earn top honors in games
Submitted by Jennifer Gilbert
The lifeguards and junior lifeguards of the Gurnee Park District recently traveled to the St. Charles Park District to compete in the Illinois Park and Recreation Association’s annual state lifeguard competition, “Lifeguard Games.” All participants went with high expectations, being the defending state champs for both divisions, and their expectations did not go unfulfilled.
This year’s event featured 33 Lifeguard Teams and seven Junior Lifeguard Teams representing many organizations in the state. Teams of four competed in eight events that test their proficiency in rescue skills, CPR skills, teamwork, communication, speed, strength and endurance.
The Gurnee Park District sent three lifeguard teams and three junior lifeguard teams. The competitors were as follows:
Ÿ Lifeguard Team 1: Ben Abejuela, Zach Drennan, Bethany Drebing, Anne Wright.
Ÿ Lifeguard Team 2: Willis Mathews, Ashley Mitrovic, Anna Pollard, Chris Victorian Jr.
Ÿ Lifeguard Team 3: Debbie Dy, Kevin Keefe, Colin Toyra, Anna Trout.
Ÿ Jr. Lifeguard Team 1: DJ Bearnod, Ryan Quilty, Ashwin Sanzgiri, Demi Sjong.
Ÿ Jr. Lifeguard Team 2: Natalia Winkle, Michael Harrigan, Emily Paschal, Alex Prentice.
Ÿ Jr. Lifeguard Team 3: Parker Reinhard, Natalie Schuler, Rachel Hood.
The Gurnee Park District Lifeguards on Team 1 completed the event with the top overall score in all events and won first place for the third consecutive year.
The team finished in the top five in six of the eight events, including Ben Abejuela, who took first place in the “male” submerged victim rescue, and Anne Wright took second place in the “female” division of that event.
In addition, the other two teams finished in 14th place and 16th place. Lifeguard Team 2 was third place in the Cold-Weather Relay.
The Gurnee Park District Junior Lifeguards on Team 1 completed the event with the top overall score in all events and won first place for the third consecutive year. Team 2 finished in third place, just one point behind the second place team from Chicago.
This event gives lifeguards the opportunity to showcase many of their rescue skills in a nonemergent, yet highly stressful (competitive) environment, which allows them to perform these skills under similar conditions as they might experience in a real aquatic emergency.
The Gurnee Park District employs approximately 65 lifeguards and about 55 other aquatic staff to supervise, instruct and otherwise deliver services to activities held at Hunt Club Park Aquatic Center, Gages Lake Pool and the Warren High School Pool.
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