Junior Lifeguard Program

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JUNIOR LIFEGUARD PROGRAM      june 16 - july  11, 2025

Program Overview

The City of Imperial Beach Junior Lifeguard Program is a comprehensive program, designed to teach youth in our community ages 9 to 17 leadership, self-confidence, and respect for the ocean environment. 

Participants learn leadership skills, basic life-saving skills, physical fitness, water safety, and ocean awareness.  Our educational focus is to prevent injury or loss of life in the ocean environment. This is not a "learn to swim" program and your child will be required to pass the swim test (Swim Test description below).  

Participants will be involved in a variety of activities including competitions, ocean swimming, surfing, body boarding, and beach games. Guest speakers from different specialties organize presentations that pertain to the ocean and its environment. Participants will also be introduced to the profession of lifeguarding through exposure to standard lifeguard equipment and safety information presented by our staff.

2025 Summer Program Details

Throughout the 2025 Junior Lifeguard program and training process, we will be travelling throughout the county. Locations include but are not limited to: Oceanside, Encinitas, Carlsbad, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Torrey Pines, La Jolla Cove, Mission Bay, Breakers Beach on Naval Air Station North Island, Coronado, Silver Strand State Beach and Imperial Beach.  We will be providing transportations to these locations in coordination with the Junior Lifeguard Program via charter buses. Pickup and drop-off will be in the Imperial Beach Pier Plaza each day. 

Cost

The cost is $500 for residents and $540 for non-residents. 

Participants uniforms are not included in the program fee. Basic uniform package, includes trunks, shirt, rash guard and a hat.   There are additional IBJG uniform items available for purchase through Original Watermen. After registering your child, you will be sent information on uniform requirements and how to purchase a uniform. 

Program Dates 

The Junior Lifeguard program is June 16th to July 11th and runs Monday to Friday. 

The hours are 9am-2pm each day. 

*We will be competing in Oceanside on Monday, June 30, 2025. Bus will be leaving at 6:30 AM. Competition begins at 9:00 AM.

* There will be no Junior Lifeguard program on July 4th.   

Summer Program Registration

Registration opens on May 3rd at 6:00 AM, to register click on the link below.

REGISTER HERE

Parents/Guardians, you must create a profile under your name and then add your child as an account member. 

Remember this is not a “learn to swim” program and your child will be required to pass the swim test at one of the scheduled swim test (Swim test description below).  

During registration, please select the day you plan on attending a swim test.  

Enrollment is limited and the program is expected to fill quickly. We strongly recommend that you register as soon as possible during open registration to secure a spot. However, if the program is full, you may add your child's name to the waitlist.  Session vacancies will be filled from the waitlist.   

Time Qualifications 

Group

Age Range

Distance 

Time

Group C

9-11 years

100 yards

Under 2 minutes and 35 seconds

Group B

12-13 years

100 yards

Under 2 minutes and 25 seconds 

Group A

14-17 years

100 yards

Under 2 minutes and 15 seconds

Cadets

15-17 years

500 meters

Under 10 minutes 


All children will be required to swim 10 yards underwater, tread water for 3 minutes and swim 100 yards for time. If your child does not pass the swim test you will be fully refunded minus a $5 processing fee.   You can receive a credit to your Imperial Beach Civic Rec Account or request a check that will be processed within 10 - 30 business days.  

Cadet Program

The Imperial Beach Junior Lifeguard Program offers 6 transitional positions for candidates who are between 15 to 17 years of age.  These positions are designed to mentor and train these select junior lifeguards to become Ocean Lifeguards.

For more information and to register for the "Junior Lifeguards Summer Cadet Application 2025".  Cadet must register prior to midnight April 26th, 2025.

REGISTER HERE

There will be a mandatory 3-day Cadet training program from June 12-14 from 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM.  

Cadets will take on more responsibility and be held to a higher standard within our program. The duties of a Junior Lifeguard Cadet include the following but not limited to:

  • Help Instructors set up in the morning and shut down in the afternoon.
  • Supervise younger Junior Guards when leaving the junior guard area.
  • Understand how to maintain and care for equipment.
  • Understand the dangers of the ocean.
  • Be able to recognize a Rip Current.
  • Help Instructors supervise Junior Guards during skill development and keep them out of dangerous areas.
  • Help Instructors during activities and competition training.
  • Participating in all activities each day.
  • Participating in the Captain PT at least 3 times a week.
  • Supervising Junior Guards during lunchtime and reminding them to re-apply sunscreen.
  • Must give your availability for the summer. Please give us notice in advance if you will be missing time during the session.

Junior Lifeguard Instructors

Instructors are all experienced and certified Marine Safety Ocean Lifeguards and Marine Safety Staff. As lifeguards, they are required to maintain a current Basic Life Support CPR/AED certification, as well as an Emergency Medical Responder certification or EMT.  

Our program’s instructors consist of Marine Safety Lifeguards who also have or had careers in the education and hospital fields making the program unique and first-rate. 

Contact us at jrlifeguards@imperialbeachca.gov or call 619-932-1076