Arrival time is 8:15 – 8:30 am. During this time participants will check in and have a few minutes to socialize with friends. At 8:40 am the Jr. Guards will separate into assigned groups and walk down to the beach for morning stretching and calisthenics (push-ups, sit-ups, jumping jacks, etc.). At approximately 9 am, the groups move onto their first round of activities. Following the activity, the junior guards are given a short break time to drink water, eat a snack, reapply sunscreen, etc. After this, at about 10:30 – 11 am, the groups move on to their second round of activities that takes them to free time/lunch time which happens around noon.

Activities include swims, runs, paddles, or any combination of the three, rescue training, discussions about first aid / CPR, competition practice, and beach games. The younger groups, the D’s and C’s, will have shorter swims, runs, and paddles especially early in the summer as the junior guards become accustomed to the physical rigors of the camp. The older groups will have longer runs, swims, and paddles in addition to more rigorous lifeguard training to prepare them for becoming a lifeguard in the future should they choose that path. 

Junior Guards are allowed to move up a group, but we strongly encourage them not to step down a group. For example, a junior guard may move up from the C 11 group to the B 12 group, but a junior guard may not move from the C 11 group down to the C 10 group.

If your child is sick we ask that you keep them home for the day to allow time for rest and healing. If your child has an injury that will keep them from participating in some activities, talk to their instructor or send a note with the child to inform the instructor about the nature of the injury. For example, if your child has an ear infection, they will be excused from swimming and will do an alternate dry land activity instead.

Drop-off is at the grass lawn across from Lot 6 on the UCSB campus from 8:15 – 8:30 am. Pick is in the same place from 12:15 – 12:30 pm unless otherwise noted on the JG Calendar. Check the Calendar and JG Journal weekly during the program for updates.

No. Participants are not required to attend any of the special days (such as Raging Waters or the end-of-the-year banquet) or the competitions. However, junior guards and their families are strongly encouraged to attend any and all of these events possible, especially the local competitions and the banquet. Please note that on days of all local competitions, the program meets at the competition venue – no program is held at Campus Point on those days.  Please refer to the JG Calendar for meeting dates and locations.  We encourage parents & children to carpool to these events.

Every day the Jr. Guards should arrive at the beach in their uniform, which consists of a JG T-shirt and navy blue swimsuit/trunks with NO pattern or design on the suit. In addition, the junior guards should bring a bottle of water, lunch, sunscreen, and a towel. It is also highly recommended that they bring a sweatshirt as the mornings can be cold. Wetsuits may also be brought as the water can be cold and wetsuits provide some junior guards with the encouragement to participate in water activities.

All Jr. Guards are encouraged to participate in all the day’s activities. Only if an instructor has spoken with a parent or received a note from a parent will a junior guard be excused from an activity and provided with an alternate workout.

Every day after camp an instructor will walk the Day Camp children over to the Rec Cen pool using a predetermined route and confirm that the children have been checked in with their correct groups.

Junior guards are allowed to bring their own equipment including boogie boards and surfboards. However, the security of the equipment is the responsibility of the child. Additionally, no personal equipment will be allowed in the storage bin over night.

Absolutely. The families of junior guards are encouraged to come down to the beach and observe the program and their child in action. Additionally, families are welcome down on the beach during any competition during the summer.

Help is always appreciated especially during the 'special days', such as competitions and awards days. If you would like to help please contact Ryan Collins (aka “Buzz”) at ryan.collins@essr.ucsb.edu.