Life Saving at 16

When I was Sixteen I some how got a job as a lifeguard in Waco, Texas.

Was working on getting my junior life saving badge at the Sun Pool in Waco so I could get some free pool time. Remember something about junior lifesavers being able to get one free pool admission if they had a junior life saving patch on their swimsuit.

The swim class at the Sun pool was made up of 10 boys and 5 girls. The Senior Lifesaving Instructor was about 6’ tall and one of those Greek god types. He towered over all of us. I was the next largest swimmer at 5’11″ and should have known that would be a problem.

For a week we swam, treaded water, learned swim techniques, life saving techniques, practiced the rescue techniques, and watched films and read books on life saving. The second week we swam and treaded more water and practiced saving folks.

The end of the second week we were tested. We had to jump into the pool using the correct technique, swim out to the victim (Greek God), use the correct rescue hold on him (depended on if he was facing away or facing toward you), swim the victim (Greek God) back to the side of the pool (20 yards away), and then get the victim out of the pool. Once all this was accomplished we would pass our test and get our junior life saving patches.

Everyone did well all during the test. That should have been my clue that all would not be well when it was my turn. I was the last of the class to be tested. Should have known that was not a good thing,

All the others swam out to the victim; he was facing away, got the victim in side hold, and swam back to the poolside using the modified breaststroke. Once at the pool the victim assisted the junior lifesaver to be in getting them out of the pool. Easy.

When it was my time to save the victim the victim changed position and was some 50 yards out! I entered the pool, used the breaststroke on the 50-yard approach, was just about to use the appropriate grab on the victim from behind. The victim turned quickly catching me off guard and engulfed me in a giant bear hug! Yep, the Greek God decided the last student would have to fight him. I did remember to take a deep breath since the Sun Pool was 20 feed deep in the deep in. We were in the deep in. This pool was an Olympic size pool for swim team training for the city.

On the way to the bottom I had a moment to think about how to get out of this situation. Remembered all the holds, swim techniques, and such. Remembered to turn my head side ways so as not to get caught in a death lock. It was obvious the Greek God was going to make and example out of me and let the others use me to practice mouth to mouth breathing. We were on the bottom and were not going back up. Seemed it was time to jump into action, safe the Greek God and me and do it quickly. Was just about ready to pass out when I noticed the hairy under arms of the Greek God. Yep, you guessed it, I reached up with both hands and latched onto those hairy under arms and yanked, and yanked hard. The Greek God tightened his hold in hopes I would give up but I yanked all that much harder and all at once we were on our way to the surface like a rocket. As we neared the surface I maneuvered the Greek God into position for the side carry and modified breast stroke, but kept a good hold on one hairy arm pit just in case.

The Greek God was yelling at me all the way to the side of the pool and trying to break my hold on him but I won out. Once at the side of the pool the Greek God called the save over and we both got out.

Figured that was that and I was not going to get my junior life saving patch. When all was said and done we all got our Senior Life Saving Patches. Imagine my surprise, they were all Senior Life Saviors and 18, the Greek God was 21, while I was only 16.

Not only did I get the junior and senior life saving patch but I got a job at the Sun Pool as a LifeGuard.

Life is stranger than fiction at times.