Young lifesavers go for gold at 2024 State Titles

Junior Lifeguard Club participants from all over Perth came together at Wanneroo Aquamotion to take part in the 2024 State Titles earlier this month.  

56 children from the Wanneroo Aquamotion, Swan Active Ballajura, Swan Active Beechboro, Aqualife Vic Park, and Waterponyz Merriwa Junior Lifeguard Clubs as well as the Yanchep and Scarboro Surf Life Saving Clubs competed in the event on Sunday 9th June.  

There was a mixture of excitement and apprehension in the air, as swimmers aged between 8 and 14 years old registered and prepared for their events with their teammates and coaches, while proud parents watched on. 

The State Titles consisted of four events: obstacle relay, rescue tube tow, manikin carry, and an all-inclusive rope throw relay. 

The Junior Lifeguard Club program offers a unique aquatic alternative for those who love the water and seek more than standard swimming lessons. It keeps participants engaged and active, particularly those who learn quickly or are between levels and helps develop swimming and lifesaving skills through a personal best approach, rather than traditional assessment checklists. 

The program is a pathway into the sport of Pool Lifesaving, which is competed in at club, state, interstate and international levels – which Australia received the Gold Medal in the most recent International and Commonwealth Lifesaving event. Additionally, the program often acts as a pathway to achieving the Bronze Medallion and future employment within the aquatic industry.

Most importantly, however, the Junior Lifeguard Club builds essential lifesaving skills and knowledge in the community. It is often friends or family members who are first on the scene in an emergency and with the vast amounts of water-based activity enjoyed in WA aquatic rescue skills are priceless. And a bonus - it's fun!  

A big thank you must be extended to Aquamotion, with special mention to Lee Duffy, for hosting the event, to parents, swim school managers, teachers and coaches who assisted with time keeping, marshalling, explanation and demonstration of events, staff from Royal Life Saving WA who volunteered their Sunday to come and help, and to our AWESOME competitors who tried their hardest and cheered the loudest! 

To learn more about the Junior Lifeguard Club and how you can get involved, click the link below!