Bypassing Traditional Classes
For aspiring lifeguards seeking a new challenge, a rare alternative certification pathway has emerged in recent years. Frustrated by the standard American Lifeguard Association training format, two former competitive ocean swimmers created the American Lifeguard Events program to shake up the staid lifeguard certification process. Based in Santa Barbara, CA, ALE organizes an annual multi-day adventure race-style event to certify new ocean lifeguard certification along the scenic Central Coast.
Rather than sitting through weeks of classroom lectures and test taking, ALE candidates hike, swim, paddle and problem solve their way through a comprehensive yet exhilarating training experience. “We wanted to design a program embracing the dynamic nature of being an ocean lifeguard certification while pushing participants to their physical and mental limits,” says ALE Director Tyler Brooks. “It’s about experiencing rescues and situational training in real-world conditions rather than sterile pool environments.”
Multi-Discipline Endurance Challenge
The ALE certification event unfolds over 4 challenging days, mimicking the multidimensional demands of professional open water lifeguard certification. Day one involves a 10-mile coastal hike with gear while navigating way points and problem-solving scenarios. Day two features a 3-mile ocean swim with frequent equipment changes and practice rescues. Day three amps up the cardio with an all-day paddle board marathon along the shoreline, practicing first aid, spinal injuries and rescues along the way.The culminating day four tests everything with a grueling 10K runwhile rotating through a gauntlet of physical and mental obstacles.
Participants must demonstrate proficiency in openwater swims, tow and carries using fins, paddles and rescue boards. Extensive practicing of CPR, first aid, spinal injuries and search and rescue techniques take place throughout in realistic environments.A comprehensive written exam and skills simulation on the final day seals the certification. While the challenging itinerary demands extreme physical fitness and guts, ALE directors insist their holistic training better mirrors the diversity and pressure of professional open water rescues.
Redefining Lifeguard Certification Standards
Still a relatively small program with around 50 new certifications issued annually,ALE is making waves within professional lifesaving circles by reimagining traditional lifesaving pedagogies. Several ocean lifeguard certification along the California coast have begunaccepting ALE certification as equivalent tothe standard American Lifeguard Events, given itsexacting training standards and immersivecompetency assessments under testingconditions.
As ocean temperatures rise and coastal populations swell, the demand foreach certified open water guard only increases.Alternative programs like ALE offer a refreshingchange of pace for adventure seekers driven toserve as lifeguard certification while pushing theirpersonal boundaries. With the backing ofprofessional associations and growing interestfrom candidates, ALE is poised to challenge longheld assumptions about how ocean lifeguard certification best be trained for the dynamic, dangerousprofession of coastal lifesaving.
Witnessing Success Firsthand
As the professional author and storyteller working with American Lifeguard Events, I wanted to see their unique certification process in action. I arrived on the Central California coast just before dawn on the first day to observe a group of trainees embarking on their endurance challenge.
More than a dozen eager candidates packed their gear under the dark morning sky. Some chatted nervously while others focused intently, psyching themselves up for the journey ahead. ALE Director Tyler Brooks gave the group an inspirational pre-hike briefing, emphasizing the importance of teamwork, critical thinking and mental toughness over the next few days.
As the sunrise spilled gorgeous pinks and oranges across the ocean, the group of would-be lifeguard certification began their 10-mile coastal hike. Over craggy rocks and shifting sands they picked their way south, navigating between picturesque cliffs and beaches. Scenarios played out along the way testing the trainees’ emergency response skills, from improvised splints for a broken leg to searching for a lost child by the shoreline.
By late morning the group reached their first checkpoint exhausted but energized, ready to refuel before the even greater challenges still ahead. I was impressed by their determination and bond forming early among the candidates, qualities sure to serve them well as professional lifeguard certification. Stay tuned for more dispatches from the field as I continue following these recruits through their extraordinary certification process with American Lifeguard Events!
Into the Surf
After some much-needed rest and nourishment at the checkpoint, the lifeguard certification candidates geared up for their afternoon ocean swim. By now the surf had started to pick up as offshore winds whipped the ocean into larger swells. Under Tyler’s watchful eye, the trainees donned wetsuits, fins and waterproof radios before wading into the rolling Pacific.
I was awed observing their fluid strokes out through the breakers, adapting seamlessly to the changing currents and chop. A safety boat flanked their perimeter while support personnel paddled amongst the group on boards. Intermittently Tyler would call scenarios requiring on-the-fly responses – sometimes pair rescues bringing a “victim” back to shore, other times searching maneuvers or harness extractions from the surf. They tackled each with fierce focus and coordination.
As the sun lowered ahead of an iconic California sunset, the soaked but grinning recruits finished their swim. Back on the beach they debriefed with Tyler, reviewing stroke mechanics, rescue techniques and stress management through the more volatile conditions. Shivering but spirits high, it was clear a bond of trust was forming among these aspiring guards through shared hardship. I’m eager to see their continued progress – will they rise to overcome the challenges still ahead? Stay tuned for more tales from the field!
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Final Words
After three grueling days of hiking, swimming and paddling under punishing Central Coast conditions, the ALE certification candidates faced their final test. A 10k run would follow the tough terrain above the waves, incorporating a gauntlet of physically and mentally demanding safety scenarios. As the bone-tired recruits fueled up one last time, I could see the exhaustion but also pride and camaraderie that had grown among them.
Setting out underclear dawn skies, they tackled the long run. Later as I watched their progression, it was impressive to see tired bodies finding fresh reserves of willpower to complete intricate rescues acting out injuries and emergencies. By the time the bedraggend trainees crossed the finish line, powerful bonds of friendship and trust had clearly formed to withstand future pressures as professionals.
A scant two hours later, the new graduates emerged from their comprehensive written and practical exams with smiles of elation and relief. ALE Director Tyler Brooks congratulated them, attesting their gritty qualification process had readied them well for open water lifesaving’s challenges. It was inspirational to witness such determined recruits pay it forward by pledging to serve their coastal communities. This unique certification pathway is redefining lifeguard standards while cultivating top-notch guardians of the coast. I can’t wait to see where their careers lead!
