Frequently asked questions What steps should I take to become a JG? What is the cost of the program? The cost of the 2026 Program is $606 per junior lifeguard. Scholarships are available through Long Beach Unified School District to those who qualify. Please contact us at LBJG@longbeach.gov for more information. Are there scholarship opportunities available? Yes, we offer full and partial scholarships based on household income. If you are interested in applying for a scholarship please email LBJG@longbeach.gov. What is the program's refund policy? We issue full refunds of $596 (there is a $10 non-refundable processing fee), but we do not issue refunds for the AAU insurance. The last day to request a refund is Friday, June 26th (Friday of the first week of the summer program). You can send an email to LBJG@longbeach.gov and we will reach out to Parks & Rec to issue the refund. The refund will be credited to the card used to pay for the program. When are the registration deadlines? Summer 2026 registration deadlines are TBA. There are three separate registration deadlines. Please see below for tentative dates: April 17th: Priority Registration (JGs that participated in 2025) April 26th: Morning Lottery Registration May 24th: Last Chance Registration What is the difference between Priority registration and Lottery registration? Due to the high demand for our morning session, we have a strict policy for the selection of the morning group through Priority Registration and Lottery Registration. Priority Registration: RETURNING Junior Lifeguards are given priority for the selection of their preferred session but MUST submit registration packets by the designated registration deadline. Lottery Registration: All other junior lifeguards (including returning JGs that have NOT submitted registration by the priority deadline) who would like to be in the morning session will be placed in a lottery to determine which session they will be in. To be placed in the morning lottery, registration packets must be submitted by the Lottery Deadline. Families will be notified of their session placement via email. I have one child who is a returning JG and one child who will be new to the program this year, do both of my children qualify for priority registration? No. Only your returning JG qualifies for priority registration and ONLY if their registration packet is submitted by the priority registration deadline. Your child who will be participating for the first time this year will be entered into the lottery for session preference. Are uniforms included in the program cost? The program fee includes one t-shirt and one pair of swim trunks. If you would like to purchase additional uniform items you will need to pay for those separately. We highly recommend purchasing additional uniform items before the summer program. The link to our online store will be available before the 2026 summer program begins. My child is young/old for their grade and we would like to move them down/up to a different age group (age group change request). Is this possible? Returning JGs can request to move up/down a group pending approval from the JG Coordinator. If your JG is requesting to move age groups in the morning session, you must request the switch BEFORE the priority registration deadline. For new JGs, you are encouraged to remain in your true age group. For female junior guards what type of suit do you recommend? We recommend a well-fitted, competitive style, one or two-piece swimsuit. Solid navy blue in color is highly preferred. Any brand is acceptable, however the suit must be full coverage. Our paid lifeguards are issued JOLYN suits. On a two-piece, it's best if the bottoms have a drawstring. For tops and one-pieces, both fixed and tie-back are permitted. If purchasing from JOLYN: Recommended bottoms include, but are not limited to: Andy, Ally, or Bali. Recommended tops include, but are not limited to: Ryan, Tomcat and Heidi. Recommended one-pieces include, but are not limited to: Chevy, Brandon, and Jackson. Our family is planning a trip during the program. Can my child still participate in Junior Lifeguards? Yes, the program does not have a strict attendance policy. All absences must be submitted via the "ABSENCES" page of the JG website. We do not accept excused absence notifications through email or phone call. What is the Ironguard? The Ironguard is a 4 mile run and 2 mile swim that covers the entire Long Beach oceanfront. It starts at 1st Place and goes all the way to 72nd Place. Participants run the beach and swim almost every buoy, as well as the pier. Our goal is for every Junior Lifeguard to finish the Ironguard, but to complete it in under 2 hours is considered to be the ultimate JG accomplishment. Does my child need to attend a tryout? YES, if..... They did not participate in Summer 2025 (regardless if they have participated in summers prior) NO, if... They participated in the Long Beach Junior Lifeguard Program in 2025 My child passed the swim test and participated in the Junior Lifeguard Program last summer, do they need to tryout again to participate this summer? No, if your child passed the swim test and participated in the program in 2025 they DO NOT need to tryout again. When summer registration opens, you're able to register them without having to attend a tryout. However, if your child has not participated in the program before or took a year off of the program (e.g., due to traveling, injury, etc.) they will need to tryout again in order to register. Can my child tryout again if he/she does not make it on his/her first try? YES! We allow 3 attempts at each tryout, but even if you don't make it after 3, you are more than welcome to attend the next scheduled tryout! Our instructors are happy to provide coaching on ways to improve. What are the tryout requirements? Prospective JGs must swim 100 yards (4 laps in a standard sized pool) in under 2 minutes. If the pool is 25 METERS, the time standard is 100 METERS in under 2 minutes and 13.2 seconds. You must pass the swim test BEFORE registering for the program. How do we get back to the start once the event is over? The JG program does not provide transportation between the finish and the start. If you want to run the course with your child, one option is to find a friend in the program and drop one car off at 72nd Pl and leave one at the start. Or, you can get your child checked in at the start then drive to the pier or finish area to cheer them on! Where is the start line? The Start line is at the 1st Place Lifeguard Tower located south of the Alamitos Beach Parking Lot (380 E Shoreline Dr. 90803). We will have separate start funnels and first buoys for A's, B's, and C's. The C's will be closest to the rocks on the west side, B's will be in the middle, and A's on the east side. Each funnel will be marked with the corresponding age group. If parents are planning to do the event with their JG, we ask that they skip the first buoy. Is there gear transport from the start to the finish? The JG team is all hands-on-deck for coordinating this event and we are unable to offer gear transport from the start to the finish. If your JG has a backpack or other gear - you are responsible for getting it down to 72nd Place! Please be sure to coordinate this ahead of time. Are there any water stations along the event route? There will be water stations at Beach Operations, the east side of the Pier, and the JG station. The water stations are for JGs only! Please do not fill your water bottle at the JG water stations. How will my JG get their Ironguard time? Be sure your child is listening for their time as they cross the finish line. After they cross the finish line there will be tables for each age group where they report their time. Can I participate with my Junior Lifeguard? Yes, parents are welcome to run alongside their junior lifeguards! If you do decide to participate, please be sure to stay out-of-the-way of other JG competitors. Can I run alongside my JG to cheer them on during the event? Many seasoned parents or other supporters will run the course with their child (don't worry you get to rest while they swim). If you do so, it helps to have water, as well as mints or small candies for your child, as the salt water can dry out their mouths. Most importantly: this event is hosted for our junior lifeguards. Be sure to leave space on the hard pack sand for our competitors to run past you. Are their any prizes for the Ironguard? The top 3 male and female finishers in each age group will receive a medal at our annual Awards Ceremony. Those individuals will also have their names added to our perpetual top 3 trophy that was created in 2009. All participants that finish the event under 2 hours will receive an event hat. Any recommendations to prepare my JG for the Ironguard? Our JG instructors spend the whole summer preparing the JGs for this challenging endurance event. Below are a couple of helpful tips for race day: -Applying Vasoline or Aquaphor on your child will help prevent chaffing -Apply sunscreen prior to arriving on the beach -Be sure your JG eats a nutritious breakfast

JG TRYOUTS TRYOUT SIGN-UPS Who needs to tryout? New Junior Guards are required to pass a swim test before they can register for the program. JGs who took a year off are not considered returning and must re-test. If your child participated in summer 2025, they are not required to try out. There is no fee to take a swim test. What is the tryout swim? All age groups must complete 100 yards under 2 minutes (100 meters under 2:13.2). All swim tests must be supervised by a member of our staff. The swim test is a safety standard and there are no exceptions. If your child may need some extra help before attempting the swim test, we recommend looking into our FREE JG Prep Class. When can my child tryout? We host 8 tryouts throughout the Spring. Hopeful JGs can check in anytime from 8 AM-12 PM. Once assigned a lane, participants will be given 3 attempts to pass the tryout, but are more than welcome to attend multiple tryouts if they don't pass the first time. Use the links below to sign-up for a tryout! 2027 TRYOUT DATES Belmont Plaza Pool 4320 E Olympic Plaza, Long Beach, CA 90803 Feb 6th March 6th April 17th May 8th Silverado Park Pool 1540 W 32nd St, Long Beach CA 90810 Feb 20th March 20th April 24th May 22nd Tryout Sign-Ups 109 days to the event Saturday, February 6th Sat, Feb 06 Belmont Plaza Pool More info RSVP 123 days to the event Saturday, February 20th Sat, Feb 20 Silverado Park Pool More info RSVP

SUMMER 2027 Registration opens February 2027 Sign up for our email list to stay up-to-date with all of our announcements! EMAIL LIST REGISTRATION About JGs LBJGs is a 6 week summer program for youth age 9 to 17. The program focuses on strengthening ocean swimming skills physical fitness, and beach safety awareness. This program gives students the experience they need for future careers as lifeguards or in various public service professions. LEARN MORE HOW TO JOIN TRYOUTS New JGs must pass a tryout at one of the scheduled Tryout dates or at a prep class before they register. The JG program has 8 tryouts scheduled from February through May. Check the “Tryouts” page of the JG website for dates and to sign up! TRYOUTS REGISTRATION Registration opens in February every year. Due to the high demand for our morning session, we have a priority registration policy. Check the "REGISTRATION" page for more information. REGISTRATION PREP CLASS Is your swimmer nervous about passing the JG tryout? Prep Class is a great opportunity for prosepctive new JGs to improve their swimming stroke, speed, and confidence in the water. PREP CLASS

Volunteer at the Aquarium The Aquarium of the Pacific has volunteer opportunities for people of all ages! See how you can get involved in our community! Learn More Families Volunteer opportunities for our JG's and their families! Learn More youth JG's ages 11+ can volunteer and earn service hours, gain experience, and meet new friends! Learn More VOLUNTEENS The VolunTEEN program is for A's interested in discovering more about ocean science, leadership, and conservation. Learn More

< Back Devon Beebe Junior Lifeguard Coordinator This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. Want to view and manage all your collections? Click on the Content Manager button in the Add panel on the left. Here, you can make changes to your content, add new fields, create dynamic pages and more. Your collection is already set up for you with fields and content. Add your own content or import it from a CSV file. Add fields for any type of content you want to display, such as rich text, images, and videos. Be sure to click Sync after making changes in a collection, so visitors can see your newest content on your live site.

REPORTING ABSENCES Please use the buttons below to report absences. You can use the same google form to fill out multiple absences. Absences sent over email will not be recorded. If your child is running late or needs to leave early, they must bring a note to be submitted to their instructor. If your JG needs to leave early, please send them with a note specifying what time they need to be picked up. Your JG should give their early release note directly to their instructor at the beginning of the session. Advanced notice is required because there are occasions when Instructors plan activities away from the station. On those days, arrangements need to be made for early release requests before the Instructor takes their group to their designated area. Please be aware of the following considerations regarding Early Release: If your JG's Instructor has scheduled activities away from JG HQ, and your JG needs to be picked up early, your JG may be asked to stay with another group or may be on standby at the JG station. If the JG instructor / JG team is not made aware of the early release request at the appropriate time, your JG may not be ready for pick up at the requested time. Early release requests made over the phone or email are not guaranteed.

CADET INTERNS This opportunity is available for high school students who have completed at least one year of the Long Beach Junior Lifeguard Cadet Program. All students regardless of school district are encouraged to appy. Interns will have opportunities to learn more about careers in public safety, work in a professional environment, and develop a better understanding of the operations of the Long Beach Junior Lifeguard Program. Job Details Assist JG Team with administrative work out of Fire Headquarters and JG office Assist Junior Lifeguard Instructors during JG Prep Classes throughout the spring Opportunities to learn about different facets of Marine Safety (ie. Rescue Boat tours, station tours, dispatch shadowing) Participate in weekly physical conditioning Use the knowledge gathered from the internship to complete a group project Application Requirements Applicant must be in good standing with their high school Applicant must have completed one summer of the Long Beach Junior Lifeguard Cadet Program Interested Cadets must email their Resume and Letter of Interest to LBJG@longbeach.gov , addressed to Kylee Yocky APPLICATIONS FOR 2027 ARE DUE: FRIDAY 9/18 2024 Cadet Interns Elizabeth Aydin I am a sophomore at Millikan High School and I am part of the compass pathway. I'm also on the swim and water polo team at Millikan and I have been part of the JG program for 1 year. I am looking forward to learning more about helping my community and getting involved in new things I would have never before. One of my most recent accomplishments was getting a 5 on the AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam. 2024 Cadet Intern What is your favorite place in Long Beach? El Dorado Park What is your hidden talent? I can walk on my hands If you could introduce a new sport in the Olympics, what would it be? Hide and seek in the dark Niko Ponce I am currently a sophomore at Millikan High School and am a part of the water polo and swim team. I was a JG for 5 years and currently working towards doing my 6th year as a Cadet. I am most looking forward to learning about the different skills, techniques, and characteristics that make a good lifeguard. One of my recent accomplishments was being moved up to play CIF varsity for water polo as a sophomore this past season. 2024 Cadet Intern What is your hidden talent? I know how to play the guitar Who is someone you admire? My parents and my grandpa If you could do a lifeguard exchange anywhere in the world, where would you go? Hawai’i Paul Sullivan I am a sophomore at Millikan. I have played water polo and swam for two years at Millikan. On top of my physical training, I maintain a 4.0 GPA and frequently attend the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Club, Law Club, and Childhood Cancer Club. I have been a Long Beach JG for 3 years and I look forward to completing my 4th as a Cadet. One of my most recent accomplishments is participating in a Criminal Mock Trial as a PEACE student at Millikan High School. 2024 Cadet Intern Julia Gisel I am a Junior at Saint Joseph High School and I am apart of of the swim and Water Polo teams, I am also apart of ASB (Student Government) and theatre. I have been apart of the Junior Lifeguard program for 2 years, with one year as a Cadet and I am really excited to continue with this amazing program. One of my most recent accomplishments is ending my last semester with a 4.4 grade point average. 2024 Cadet Intern What is your hidden talent? Crocheting and sewing. If you could add one sport to the Olympics what would it be? Ski Ballet. What is your Favorite place in Long Beach? Bixby Knolls . Sofia Castro I am a junior at Saint Joseph High School and currently do swim and water polo. I have been a part of the Junior Lifeguard program for 6 years, as well as one year in the JG Cadet Program. I am most looking forward to gaining experience on how to best support my community and gaining knowledge on how to be the best lifeguard I can possibly be. I have a passion for serving my community and uplifting others. One of my most recent accomplishments is earning a 4.2 GPA. 2024 Cadet Intern 1. What is your hidden talent? I can make cool jewelry. 2. Who is someone you admire? I admire my friend Julia and my mom. 3. If you could introduce a new sport in the Olympics, what would it be? I would introduce laser tag to the Olympics. Gary Romero Bio coming soon! 2024 Cadet Intern

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SUMMER HANDBOOK The JG Team created the Family Handbook to give JG families as much information as we can about the day-to-day operations of the JG Program, as well as special events. Below are some of the highlights from the handbook. We highly recommend taking the time to go through the entirety of the handbook and reviewing it with your JG before the start of the program. Pick-up/Drop-off JG drop off is located in the parking lot off of Claremont and Ocean Blvd. Your child's instructor will meet their group at the lot every day for drop off, and will accompany your child back to the lot at the end of every day for pick up. What to Bring Everyday essentials include: Backpack Towel Snacks Sunscreen Water JG Uniform Hat If your JG brings their cell phone to the program, it must remain in their bag during throughout the session. Sun Safety We recommend that all JGs bring an SPF 30 or higher water-resistant, reef-safe sunscreen with them every day. Sunscreen should be applied at home before the session. JGs will have time during their session to reapply – typically at the beginning and towards the middle of the program. JGs who burn easily should wear a shirt or rash guard whenever possible. It is also recommended that all JGs wear a hat and sunglasses whenever possible. JG uniform hats and rashguards can be purchased on the JG Online Store. Uniforms Junior Lifeguards are required to arrive in uniform every day. The JG uniform consists of a red JG shirt and navy JG trunks. One shirt and one pair of trunks will be provided with registration . Any additional uniform items can be purchased via the JG Online Store. We have designated Uniform Distribution dates prior to the start of the program. Those dates will be announced in the spring. LEARN MORE Bike Safety JGs who ride their bike to the program are required to wear a helmet. Helmets must be properly secured and buckled while riding. It is required that JGs properly lock up their bikes to the bike racks. Please be sure to discuss bike safety tips with your JG if they will be frequently biking to the program. The link below has important safety tips from the City of Long Beach. BIKE SAFETY Absences All excused absences need to be reported on the JG website. You can fill out the excused absence form on the " ABSENCES " page. We will no longer be accepting absence notifications through email as they get lost in our inbox. ABSENCES

BEACH DAY New junior guards are invited to join us for an introduction to JGs! The goal of Beach Day is to give new JGs the opportunity to get comfortable swimming on the oceanfront prior to the first day of the summer program. DETAILS JGs will be in small groups of up to 10, assigned the day of the event All groups will check in across the bike path at 5400 E Ocean Blvd Groups will be assigned at check-in Instructors will walk groups across the street to Bayshore Beach where they will practice safe water entries/exits Once everyone feels comfortable, instructors will move groups to the oceanfront Additional instructors will be on the beach for support Parents are welcome to observe activities on the oceanfront but are asked not to interrupt instruction time *Registration is capped at 50 participants per session. WHEN & WHERE Session 1: Date: TBD Time: 10:00 AM- 12:00 PM Session 2: Date: TBD Time: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM Please DO NOT RSVP for both sessions to leave space for other JGs to participate