Angel Island State Park Junior Lifeguards

Welcome to the Angel Island State Park
Junior Lifeguard Program!

Dear Junior Lifeguard Families and Prospective New Participants,

Welcome to the Junior Lifeguard Program here at Angel Island State Park! Our program began in 2024 and we are planning another action-packed educational program for our participants.  

Registration will open April 2026. Visit the registration information tab for more information.

Visit ReserveCalifornia.com to register.

2026 Program Details:
This program is designed for participants ages 9-15.  Returning participants under 9 years old will be allowed to register.  Returning participants do not need to tryout.  

The aim of our program is to provide a safe place where participants can be instructed in a variety of skills pertaining to the lifeguarding profession and the aquatic environment, and to provide natural and cultural education specific to Angel Island State Park. Instructors will introduce participants to basic CPR skills, first aid, lifesaving competition, rescue techniques, and lifeguarding procedures. Ocean recreation and exercise on kayaks and paddleboards is also a fundamental component of the program.

2026 Program Dates:

Week One: July 6-10

Week Two: July 13-17

Week Three: July 20-24

Week Four: July 27-31

Approximate Times of Program:

0815 hrs dropoff in Tiburon, 1445 hrs pickup in Tiburon.
Times subject to change.

TO QUALIFY FOR JUNIOR GUARDS:

The Junior Lifeguard Program is NOT a “learn to swim” school. Prospective students are screened at a tryout test to see if they meet the standards to enroll in the Junior Lifeguard Program. All tryout requirements must be met to enroll in the program.

Important details regarding Tryouts, Qualification, and Enrollment include:

• Returning Junior Guards DO NOT need to tryout. 
• If you can’t attend a tryout and your child is on a swim team, you can email kevin.selna@parks.ca.gov a screenshot of their 100-yd freestyle results or a link to  results from a recent swim meet.
• If you cannot locate results from a swim meet, you can email kevin.selna@parks.ca.gov to request an off-site swim verification form. This form will need to be completed by a coach or certified pool lifeguard.
• Tryout participation is strongly preferred. 
• Enrollment in the junior guard program is filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Completion of the tryout does not guarantee enrollment in the program.  Space in the program is limited.

2026 TRYOUT DATES: NO REGISTRATION NEEDED FOR TRYOUTS (DATES AND LOCATION SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

Dates still subject to change - Please monitor for updates.

• Tryout 1: March 21st, 2026 from 9:00am-11:30am

  College of Marin - Indian Valley Campus

  Miwok Aquatic and Fitness Center
  1800 Ignacio Boulevard, Novato

  Upper Parking Lot 5 at the Indian Valley Campus in Novato is designated as free parking. The area is designated with yellow lines painted on the ground. Indian Valley Campus lots 1 and 2 have 3 one-hour spaces.

  You may purchase your parking permits online. 

  Permits must be clearly displayed or you will be cited.

  Daily $4 Permits

  Daily permits should be placed on the top of your dashboard, just in front of your steering wheel. A daily student permit is good in any student lot, on both campuses for the date the permit was issued.

• Tryout 2: April 25th, 2026 from 9:00am-11:30am

  College of Marin - Indian Valley Campus

  Miwok Aquatic and Fitness Center
  1800 Ignacio Boulevard, Novato

  Upper Parking Lot 5 at the Indian Valley Campus in Novato is designated as free parking. The area is designated with yellow lines painted on the ground. Indian Valley Campus lots 1 and 2 have 3 one-hour spaces.

  You may purchase your parking permits online. 

  Permits must be clearly displayed or you will be cited.

  Daily $4 Permits

  Daily permits should be placed on the top of your dashboard, just in front of your steering wheel. A daily student permit is good in any student lot, on both campuses for the date the permit was issued.

• Tryout 3: TBA

  College of Marin - Indian Valley Campus

  Miwok Aquatic and Fitness Center
  1800 Ignacio Boulevard, Novato

   

TRYOUT REQUIREMENTS:

• 9-10 years: 100 yards under 2:30, tread water 5 minutes.
• 11-12 years: 100 yard under 2:10, tread water 5 minutes.
• 13-15 years: 100 yards under 1:50, tread water 5 minutes.

INSTRUCTORS:

Our staff is made up of currently-employed and fully-trained California State Parks Ocean Lifeguards and Volunteers who are highly-trained Junior Lifeguard Instructional Aides with various backgrounds such as emergency medicine and vessel operation. Lifeguard Instructors possess an intimate knowledge of the ocean, excellent lifeguarding skills, and want to pass along their passion for lifesaving and water recreation to the participants. The ratio of students to Lifeguard Instructors is a minimum of 20:1, which does not include the Junior Lifeguard Instructional Aides.

ACTIVITIES:
A unique aspect of the program is that this is a full-day program (6 hours). The extra time we offer allows our program to go more in-depth in all areas of instruction. Main focuses include general aquatic safety, team building exercises, natural and cultural education and physical fitness.

Recreation:    Kayaking, Prone Paddling, Bodyboarding, Dodgeball, Beach Flags, Swimming, Land-Based Activities such as Carpentry, Running and Hiking.
Education: CPR Skills, First Aid Skills, Mock Rescues, Victim Recognition, Beach Operations.
Interpretation: Marine Mammals, Trees and Plants, Wildlife, Angel Island History.
Competition: Activities designed to increase participation in both individual and team exercises (opportunities to compete against other participants and other programs – including CSLSA Regional Championships and USLA National Championships).

REGISTRATION and FEES (FEES SUBJECT TO CHANGE LEADING UP TO THE START DATE):
Once tryouts are completed all registration will take place on the State Parks reservation system at ReserveCalifornia.com.  The registration page will have all links and instructions that are needed for enrollment. 

Fees for the Angel Island State Park Junior Lifeguard Program are as follows:

$275 per week (Sibling Discount for subsequent children $225 each).

Program fees listed above due not include the purchase of the uniform and are subject to change.

Participants may register for all four weeks, or for any individual weeks.  The more weeks your child attends, the more improvement they can expect to see, and the more comfortable they will feel with the instructors, with other participants, and with being in the water.  

Student REQUIRED Uniform: 
The required Junior Lifeguard uniform is a white t-shirt with the Junior Lifeguard logo and a pair of navy blue “boardshorts”. Female participants are required to wear a navy blue swim suit which can be one piece or two-piece (sport style). Navy blue sweatshirts and sweatpants are recommended for warmth on cold mornings and after aquatic activities.

Shoes and socks for hiking.

Sandals, flip-flops, or “Crocs”-style rubber shoes.

Uniform Items For Sale at the Tryouts:

• Short-sleeve T-shirt $15- Limited sizes in stock.  Other sizes available to order for pickup prior to the start date or on the first day of your child's program.
• Long-sleeve T-shirt $20 - Limited sizes in stock.  Other sizes available to order for pickup prior to the start date or on the first day of your child's program.
• Boardshorts (Trunks) $40 - Sizes 28 and 30 in stock. Other sizes available to order for pickup prior to the start date or on the first day of your child's program.
• Hats $18 - Nylon and Trucker ballcaps in stock.
• Sweatshirts $32- Limited sizes in stock.  Other sizes available to order for pickup prior to the start date or on the first day of your child's program.
• Short-sleeve Navy Blue Rashguards $35- Limited sizes in stock.  Other sizes available to order for pickup prior to the start date or on the first day of your child's program.
• Long-sleeve Navy Blue Rashguards $38- Limited sizes in stock.  Other sizes available to order for pickup prior to the start date or on the first day of your child's program.
• Navy Blue Jammers $30 - For male participants to wear under their boardshorts. Available in numbered sizes (22, 24, 26...) to order for pickup prior to the start date or on the first day of your child's program.

Optional Uniform Items:
Rashguards and parkas do not have to be program logo specific. If you choose not to purchase a Logo hat, then any ballcap worn at Junior Guards must be the color navy and NOT HAVE ANY LOGOS on it.  Lifeguard-style straw hats are recommended to avoid sunburn.

It is HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommended that program participants all have a pair of ocean environment swim fins for completing lifeguard procedures such as mock rescues (Dafin, Duck Feet, Yucca, Viper are all good products).

SF Bay water temperatures, as well as personal thresholds to water temperature, can be highly variable. Wetsuits are not required by the program but are highly recommended.  Short-leg wetsuits (spring suits) are recommended because they are easy to put on and take off.  For male participants, “jammers” or Speedo-style racing suits are recommended for wear under the trunks so that they can easily change into wetsuits.