The 2010 USLA National Lifeguard Championship will be held August 5-7 at Huntington State Beach, Huntington Beach, California. Destin Lifeguards assemble a team to compete in this championship each year, and they train very hard to make a name for our small town. This year Destin was chosen to host the Regional Championships which was to be held July 15-17. Due to unforeseen circumstances with the Oil leak threatening our gulf waters the competition was cancelled. Most of the businesses in the Destin area have seen a decrease in their profits over the last couple of months, so fundraising to support our lifeguards going to competition was put on hold.
Destin Lifeguards competed last week in relay races in Jacksonville, Florida, where they took 2nd place out of 17 teams. They actually placed 1st in 5 of the 7 relays so needless to say I think they are definitely ready to represent Destin in the National Championships.
Competitions can get rather costly when there is travel involved and the lifeguards pay for this on their own. They also train hard on their own time. Airfare, hotel, food, gas and misc. is needed for the trip to Huntington Beach. Some lifeguards will be able to fly, but some will have to drive so that they can get their equipment out there safely.
If you are interested in sponsoring a lifeguard to compete in the National Championships please give Beach Safety Chief, Joe D'Agostino, a call at 850-685-0408. Any donation is greatly appreciated and we look forward to seeing our Destin Team on Top.
