Tuesday, May 22, 2012

"County Recurrent Op-Ed; Re: 2012 LACo Recurrent Recheck Swim"

(Photo by & Copyright Will Maguire 2012. All Rights Reserved.)  

The above photo shows the 2012 LACo Recurrent Lifeguard Recheck Swim Course at 26th St. in Manhattan Beach at the Training Center.  The two buoys have been highlighted with red ink so that they are more easily visible.  They are small, however, and challenging to see when swimming the course.  The total distance of the recheck swim has been increased this year with no adjustment in the time limit.  The distance between the two buoys is also longer this year.

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"County Recurrent Op-Ed; Re: 2012 LACo Recurrent Recheck Swim":
1. The distance of the swim course is fair but it is, indeed, a much longer swim than has been customary in the past at this same venue. Historically, at this same venue my finish times have typically been under 10 minutes and often under 9 minutes. Today I did it in 12 minutes, leaving a minute to spare. Thus, there is a two plus minute increase/difference, generally speaking, in the total distance of this year's recheck swim course.

2. My principal concern with respect to this year's recheck swim distance is for the veteran recurrents and otherwise that have typically finished the customary recheck swim distance in the 11 plus minute range. In my opinion, these guards will have difficulty making the time limit of 13 minutes.

3. Dramatically increasing the distance of the recheck swim and not adjusting the time limit seems unfair.

Respectfully submitted,


Will Maguire, Editor
"County Recurrent" News
 Service • Training • Commitment

*** Keeping the County Recurrent "in the loop"..... whether he/she likes it or NOT ! ***

DISCLAIMER: County Recurrent is not affiliated with nor sponsored by LACOLA or LACoFD. 
The views expressed herein are solely those of the author.

*** PLEASE forward to other Recurrents, past and present, so that we can add them to our mailing list. ***

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8 comments:

me said...
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me said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
me said...

My concern is for safety of the public
Your primary concern is for veterans?
My advice drop swim time to 11 min and add a run swim run. Should we not be challenged? Last years fail was the saddest day of my lifeguard career watching paid OCEAN lifeguards fail a low tide head high surf recheck.
Will is it really that hard for you?

William Maguire said...

Dear "Me": You know who I am but I do not know who you are? Why is that? Please call me on the phone so that we can discuss this man to man, as it were. Please note that my opinions are my own and I reserve the right to express my opinions as I am entitled to do under the First Amendment. By the way, I did pass the recheck this year as I have done each and every year for approx. 38 years. I train regularly because I understand the necessity for fitness and yet I am not as fast as I once was when I made the Taplin and Intracrew teams as a swimmer. We have veteran lifeguards who are exceptional and still struggle with the time limit. I admire your professional pride and hope that you will continue to encourage your colleagues to maintain their fitness. I hope that you will continue to do so with enthusiasm but less vitriol in the future. All the best!

William Maguire said...

This blog will no longer permit "anonymous" comments. If you have a comment, we want to hear it. You will have to identify yourself, however. That will help to keep the discussion cordial and respectful. We reserve the right to remove offending and/or anonymous comments.

me said...

Attn Will, IVAN WILKINS is "me. I did not pay attn to the fact that your blog did not show my email address which is my name. I have no reason to be anonymous, as you know. I think 90% of our guards don't lift a finger to pass our recheck.
Thank YOU
Ivan L Wilkins

me said...

Please note that my opinions are my own and I reserve the right to express my opinions as I am entitled to do under the First Amendment. I have never witnessed a veteran lifeguard who is exceptional struggle with the time limit. Can you name one? I watched you pass last year without a struggle, guards less than half your age failed. This is not about veterans, it is about out of swimming shape. This is your blog and YOU brought it up. It is your right to delete my comments.
Ivan L Wilkins

William Maguire said...

Hi Ivan: Yes, I can name one or more Exceptional Recurrent Lifeguards who have struggled with the customary recheck distance in the past but I am not going to name names here on this blog or on the internet out of respect. Thanks for identifying yourself. I respect you and admire you, as you know. I also respect your opinions and I am not suggesting that you not express them. Keep them coming. As a lifeguard, my primary concern is, of course, for the safety of the public. Separately, I've taken up the challenge of advocating for the recurrent lifeguard and communicating with the recurrent lifeguards because of the need for same. Guards are now more in the loop as a result of my efforts.

In my opinion, if the distance of the recheck is increased dramatically (as it was this year by perhaps 200 yards), for whatever reason, there should be communication in advance. I sent out a blog and email reminding guards to be in shape a couple of months ago. Unfortunately, I do not have access to the entire LACOLA email list. I do the best I can but it is not getting to every recurrent. Recently, I also sent out an email and blog post on the distance having been increased this year so that recurrents would have prior notice and do what they can to prepare. Some people need to be encouraged and reminded.

I know that you will continue to champion Swimming Fitness, Ivan, and I would personally like to see you as someone leading an off duty ocean training workout session, which I understand is hopefully in the works by the Dept and Training Center. 10-4 p.s. Full Disclosure: I got hammered in the surf line last year and kept going and made but it was definitely a struggle on the day we have come to call "Big Wednesday" (2011). Mother Nature was esp. in charge that day.