Angel Island State Park Junior Lifeguards
Guard Aide Tryouts will be held on JG Volunteer Day!
Parents must sign a waiver form that I will have available at the drop off. Parents are also welcome to attend the tryout to watch and support.
Please see Guard Aide related page by clicking link to the right under Related Pages.
Please submit interest: kevin.selna@parks.ca.gov
Don't Forget to Register Your Participant!
Registration is open for new and returning participants . If you want to ensure your participant gets a spot in the 2025 Program, act now at www.reservecalifornia.com. Please see the Registration Related Page in the upper right of this page for more information. Don't forget that we have scholarships available too! See Related Page link.
If you know someone who's interested in joining the porgram but missed the tryouts, please tell them to email me at kevin.selna@parks.ca.gov or call 949-426-0508.
New Participants may join as well! Guardians will sign a Volunteer Waiver/Release when they drop off their child.
May 17, 2025.
Drop-off in Tiburon: 0830 hrs.
Pick-up in Tiburon: 1715 hrs.
Overview:
- Participants will take the Ayala from Tiburon to the island, and be transported in vehicles to Quarry Beach, where we will clean out our equipment storage area, build temporary board/kayak storage racks with the help of experienced carpenters, and other tasks such as moving picnic tables (team-lifting).
- Fully supervised by park staff and volunteers.
- If we get enough participants that only want to do a partial day, we may offer transportation back to Tiburon at an earlier time, so let me know.
- Please have your participant bring: swimsuit, wetsuit if desired, uniform if desired, lunch, snacks, water bottle, sunscreen, towel, footwear, warm clothes depending on the weather.
- We will be outside and in and out of buildings all day.
- Please note: this is not a regular Junior Lifeguard day, and the primary focus will be on accomplishing tasks instead of our usual physical exercise and recreation. That being said, we will try to make it fun, kids will have time to get to know instructors and there will be time for exercise and activities.
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 2025. Visit the registration information tab for more information.
Visit ReserveCalifornia.com to register.
2025 Program Details:
This program is designed for participants ages 9-15. Returning participants under 9 years old will be allowed to register.
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.
2025 Program Dates:
July 7-18
Returning participants do not need to tryout. RETURNING PARTICIPANT registration will OPEN at 8am on April 6th at 8am and close on April 13th at 12pm.
2025 TRYOUT DATES: NO REGISTRATION NEEDED FOR TRYOUTS (DATES AND LOCATION SUBJECT TO CHANGE)
- Tryout 1: April 12, 2025, 2pm-4pm
Cavanagh Pool at the corner of 8th and G Streets, Petaluma, CA.
426 8th St., Petaluma, CA. - Tryout 2: April 27, 2025, 10am-12pm
College of Marin - Indian Valley Campus
Miwok Aquatic and Fitness Center
1800 Ignacio Boulevard, NovatoParking Lots 3 or 4; No Parking Fee on Sundays.
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.
TO QUALIFY:
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.
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.
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:
$500 (Sibling Discount for subsequent children $450 each).
Program fees listed above due not include the purchase of the uniform and are subject to change.
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.
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 them. 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.