Trying to Certify as a Lifeguard

[monster]

So now the cat is out of the bag and it's in many many threads (as it completely dominates my life this week.......)

I'm training to be a lifeguard. For the first time. At the ripe old age of 41. With the highschoolers.

Why? Well I ended up being a middle school swim team co-coach, and neither of us are certified so we have to hire a guard. i figure after 4 years it's time one of us was. And my kids do various water activities, I'm involved in the management of various pools and teams and occasionally stuff they want to do has to be cancelled/rescheduled because we can't get a lifeguard. And because maybe I can and I will feel a great sense of accomplishment if I do. i was never a "swimmer" as a kid. I was actively encouraged to think of myself as a non-swimmer.....

It's 9-5 Mon-Fri this week -testing Friday.

As a recap, Monday's start got delayed because they were doing something with the transformer and there was no power at the school. So I had more time to fret about the prerequisites -specifically swimming 20y, surface dive, retrieve 10lb weight in one attempt, keep hold with both hands, swim back, put weight on side, get self out of pool. Then, when we started at 1pm, the pumps had only been operational for a few hours, so we did hours of bookwork and tested at the end of the day. Failure means you can't continue.

Despite this being Swimmer Girl's pool, I have never actually swum in it before and I can't get out! Well I managed twice before I had exerted myself any, but now I can't do it and I have injured myself trying. There's nearly 2 feet between the deck and the water, and the gutter is under the pool curb and recessed 12". I can get out of most pools, but not this one. But I fudged it enough to get out and pass the test yesterday.

Today, after a couple hours book work, we rescued each other for five hours solid. I lost both of my contact lenses the minute we moved to needing to dive down and keep eyes open, and by 3pm, I had a white chlorine haze going on. I wasn't alone. No goggles are allowed. We learned that i am the most buoyant person in the history of the world. The instructor (who is the assistant coach of swimmer girl's team) can see that I'm a strong swimmer and try hard to stay at the bottom when pretending to be a submerged victim, but submerged victims are generally supposed to be passive and I need to move all 4 limbs to stay down at 7 feet. And it's an extra buoyant pool. I know I can tread water for hours, I hardly have to move. In this pool i don't have to move at all. Pencil straight, i have mouth and nose above water. Anyone else sensing a major chemical issue here?

But I rescued people from all required positions perfectly adequately .....and I got my whistle. I am so proud of myself. 10 years ago I didn't put my face in the water when I swam

it's going to be touch and go on Friday. The book exam, first aid and CPR will be a doddle, the rescues should be OK, but I may fail on technicalities. I think/hope not -mostly my problem is getting out of the pool (unaided, no ladders). The instructor knows I can get out of most pools, am fit and lifeguarding exams are held in pools with much easier exits.....