Huntington Beach Junior Lifeguard Program
21073 Pacific Coast Highway, Huntington Beach, CA 92648
About
The Huntington Beach Junior Lifeguard Program includes ocean swimming, safety in the marine environment, First Aids, C.P.R., mutual cooperation, competition techniques, lifesaving methods, and other water activities. Qualified students are divided into three groups based on age: A’s 14–17, B’s 12–13, and C’s 9–11, with surf caps assigned by color for easy identification in the water.
• Ages: 9–17 years old
• Schedule: Summer-long program every year from June to August; full 7-week session from June to mid-August
The Junior Lifeguard program was established in 1964 to educate children to recognize potential hazardous conditions associated with an ever-changing aquatic environment, with emphasis on safety, respect, physical fitness, instruction, and discipline. Students are instructed by Ocean Lifeguards who have been assigned to the role of a Junior Lifeguard Instructor. The program averages 1,200 students per year and is described as world-renowned, with students attending from countries such as Germany, France, England, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, and Mexico, and from states including Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Hawaii, New York, Utah, and Florida. The program has been involved with 11 international educational exchanges with New Zealand, Australia, and Germany. To become a member, students must be between 9 and 17 years old as of July 1 of that year, be able to swim 100 yards in 1 minute and 50 seconds or less, tread water for 5 minutes, and swim underwater 10 yards at a depth of at least three feet. Surf caps are assigned by color, including a Captains Corp. (white caps) for Junior Lifeguards who have the drive to become Ocean Lifeguards or who wish to challenge themselves both physically and mentally, and Safety Aides (pink caps) who assist younger students in water activities and act as an extension of the instructors by providing additional flotation and safety. The Safety Aides group has been recognized by other Junior Lifeguard agencies for its role in maintaining the safety of fellow Junior Lifeguards and has been utilized in regional and national championships.
Last updated July 12, 2026.
• Ages: 9–17 years old
• Schedule: Summer-long program every year from June to August; full 7-week session from June to mid-August
The Junior Lifeguard program was established in 1964 to educate children to recognize potential hazardous conditions associated with an ever-changing aquatic environment, with emphasis on safety, respect, physical fitness, instruction, and discipline. Students are instructed by Ocean Lifeguards who have been assigned to the role of a Junior Lifeguard Instructor. The program averages 1,200 students per year and is described as world-renowned, with students attending from countries such as Germany, France, England, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, and Mexico, and from states including Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Hawaii, New York, Utah, and Florida. The program has been involved with 11 international educational exchanges with New Zealand, Australia, and Germany. To become a member, students must be between 9 and 17 years old as of July 1 of that year, be able to swim 100 yards in 1 minute and 50 seconds or less, tread water for 5 minutes, and swim underwater 10 yards at a depth of at least three feet. Surf caps are assigned by color, including a Captains Corp. (white caps) for Junior Lifeguards who have the drive to become Ocean Lifeguards or who wish to challenge themselves both physically and mentally, and Safety Aides (pink caps) who assist younger students in water activities and act as an extension of the instructors by providing additional flotation and safety. The Safety Aides group has been recognized by other Junior Lifeguard agencies for its role in maintaining the safety of fellow Junior Lifeguards and has been utilized in regional and national championships.
Last updated July 12, 2026.
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