There was screaming, splashing and even some arms flailing at Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area on Saturday, but all the commotion wasn’t an emergency. ADVERTISING There was screaming, splashing and even some arms flailing at Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area
There was screaming, splashing and even some arms flailing at Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area on Saturday, but all the commotion wasn’t an emergency.
The ruckus was more than 200 junior lifeguards from around the state participating in the Junior Lifeguard State Championships.
Athletes representing Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island tested their might on the sand and in the water in running, swimming, paddling, beach flags and other various lifeguarding events.
The junior lifeguard program is offered during the summer to boys and girls ages 12 to 17 around the state and at five different locations on the Big Island — Hapuna, Kahaluu, Hilo, Ka‘u and Puna.
“The purpose of the program is to educate and expose our young children to ocean safety and basic lifesaving skills,” Hawaii County Fire Department Battalion Chief Gerald Kosaki said.
Junior lifeguards learn everything from ocean rescue techniques, to CPR and reading ocean currents in the program. However, the state championships were all about the competition.
“There are a lot of bragging rights between the islands on the line,” Kosaki said.
Hapuna won the island championships held last weekend and Saturday’s state championships were somewhat of a finale for the junior lifeguard season. However, the influence of the program often reaches far beyond the beach.
“We have had some people who have come through the junior lifeguard program and become lifeguards in our ocean safety division,” Kosaki said. “It exposes them to what the job is and some of them really take to it and enjoy it.”
Kauai (712 points) finished first and was followed by Oahu (636), Hawaii (543) and Maui (357).
Lako Delovio, a 15-year-old from the Big Island, is one of those up-and-coming junior lifeguards. He has done the program for two years and could see a future in it.
“I’ve always been interested in lifeguarding and one day I could see myself becoming one,” Delovio said. “The competition is great and I love coming out here. The paddling is my favorite part of it.”
