Every kid who grew up on the beach has wanted to be a lifeguard at one point and many
of those kids tried out to be a Pensacola Beach lifeguard on February 10.

At the UWF Aquatic Center, the lifeguard tryouts began with a difficult start of swimming 600 yards in 10 minutes or less. Right after this, participants were required to run 1 and a half miles in 12 minutes or less out on the UWF track.

Those were just the bare minimum requirements to be considered for the job. Those who
passed tryouts were contacted to do an oral interview and the whole process takes a stressful 3-4 weeks for final decisions to be made.
With there already being an astounding 36 on the team, they are still looking for about 30 more according to a sergeant monitoring the tryouts.

“The thing we do better than anyone is water,” he says. Moreover, he said that the job itself is extremely “strenuous and physical” requiring peak physical condition.

Many students from GBHS along with quite a few other schools were there to become a
lifeguard.

Michael Tiller, a student at Gulf Breeze, was trying out for his second year as a lifeguard. He really enjoyed being a lifeguard the previous year and “being on the beach all day.” Tiller, like many of his co-workers, are very close friends all because of the program. Alexis Montgomery, another Senior at Gulf Breeze who was captain of the swim team this past
year. This is also her 2nd year as a lifeguard and loves being a lifeguard at the beach, after
“growing up surrounded by it” she still enjoys being out there and helping people.

Not all of the people that tried out were on the swim team at their school though, anyone can do it!

The starting pay to be a lifeguard at Pensacola Beach is $18.35 per hour and requires you to be 16 years or older.

The beginning of the tryouts was the swimming portion where 6 people at a time did 12 laps back and forth in less than 10 minutes proving their physical fitness.
Although it is recommended to have an American Red Cross Lifeguard Certification, it is only preferred.

Being a lifeguard is a fantastic way to help in your community and every person who attended tryouts were in for a long ride. Pensacola Beach lifeguards are a very important program that keeps the entire beach running.