The purpose of a challenge is to give individuals the opportunity to demonstrate knowledge and skill competency outside a full-course setting. Participants have the sole responsibility to prepare for the knowledge and skill evaluations. Each participant will be required to successfully complete the swimming prerequisites (see list below), pass the final written exam with an 80% on each of three sections, demonstrate competency in all required skills (water and land), and demonstrate competency in the final skill scenarios. There is NO teaching in a challenge.
Prerequisites must be successfully completed or you will NOT be allowed to enter the challenge or receive a refund. See the list of prerequisites for each program below. Students not successfully completing the prerequisite testing, the final written exam and all skills testing including final scenarios will not receive a refund.
Lifeguarding - Ideal for facilities with traditional pools.
Waterfront Lifeguarding - Ideal for facilities with non-surf, open-water environments such as lakes and rivers, as well as traditional pools.
This program will offer an optional skill practice session on Saturday (reminder - the new program began January 2007 with changes in water and land skills) and the challenge on Sunday.
Fee/Time 1:$100.00 - Optional Skill Practice Session - 8:00am to 6:00pm
Fee/Time 2:$125.00 - Challenge - 8:00am to 6:00pm - includes new text
Fee 3:$10.00 Shipping and Handling to mail textbook (Textbooks may be picked up or mailed. After registration please call the Red Cross to let us know which option you choose so that books will be either mailed or left for pickup under your name).
It is strongly recommended that all challenge participants read the text and complete the Self-Study Exam prior to attending the challenge Course, this will help in successfully completing the written exam. There is no teaching in a challenge program. Each participant must come prepared to take written and practical skills exams (land and water). Students not prepared or qualified to take exams may be asked at any point to leave the class and will not receive a refund. Attending the Optional Skill Practice Session will help, but not guarantee, successful completion of all required skills.
Lifeguarding Prerequisites:
*Minimum age 15.
*Swim 300 yards continuously (NO STOPPING), using these strokes in the following order:
- 100 yards of front crawl using rhythmic breathing and a stabilizing propellant kick.;
- 100 yards of breaststroke using a pull, breathe, kick and glide sequence;
- 100 yards of either front crawl or breaststroke or combination. Also,
*Starting in the water, swim 20 yards using fron crawl or breaststroke, surface dive 7-10 feet, retrieve a 10-pound object, return to the surface, swim 20 yards back to the starting point with the object and exit the water without using a ladder or steps, within 1 minute, 40 seconds.
Waterfront Lifeguarding Prerequisites:
*Minimum age 15.
*Swim 550 yards (about 500 meters) continuously (NO STOPPING), using these strokes in the following order:
-200 yards front crawl using rhythmic breathing and a stabilizing propellant kick;
-200 yards breaststroke using a pull, breathe, kick and glide sequence;
-150 yards of either front crawl or breaststroke or combination. Also,
*Starting in the water, swim 20 yards using front crawl or breaststroke, surface dive 7-10 feet, retrieve a 10-pound object, return to the surface, swim 20 yards back to the starting point with the object and exit the water without using a ladder or steps, within 1 minute, 40 seconds. Also,
*Swim 5 yards; submerge and retrieve three dive rings placed 5 yards apart in 4 - 7 feet of water; resurface, and swim 5 yards to the side of the pool.