Aquatics
Become a Lifeguard
Upcoming courses
Red Cross Lifeguard Certification class • October 16-18
Red Cross Lifeguard Recertification class • October 18
Red Cross Lifeguard Certification class • November 13-15
Become a lifeguard
The Ann Arbor YMCA offers lifeguard training, certification, and recertification courses at our downtown Ann Arbor facility.
Learn lifesaving skills to keep swimmers safe in the water! Take part in blended learning courses from the American Red Cross and learn how to recognize and respond to aquatic emergencies that take place in and around the water.
Certification and recertification courses are offered regularly throughout the year to ages 15 and up. Participants are required to pass a swim test prior to registration.
Start your lifeguarding journey!
Step 1: Lifeguard Certification Swim Test
e-learning
To attend the certification courses, participants must complete all e-Learning before the registered course date. If participants do not complete the e-Learning, they will be removed from the course and will not receive a refund. This applies to all lifeguarding courses offered at the Ann Arbor YMCA
Hands-on Assessment
The hands-on skills assessment will cover, train, and test participants on core skills like CPR and AED use, emergency and entry approaches, spinal injury management, water rescues, extrications, and more.
Lifeguard Certification
Becoming a lifeguard builds communication and leadership skills, giving you the tools to respond in emergencies and work as part of a team to provide support in an emergency.
The American Red Cross Lifeguarding course provides participants with the knowledge and skills to prevent, recognize, and respond to aquatic emergencies. Covering how to provide professional-level care for breathing and cardiac emergencies, injuries, and sudden illnesses until emergency medical service personnel take over.
Course Details
The lifeguard certification course is a hybrid learning course with 20+ hours of in-person training over three days (Friday-Sunday), during which students learn and practice essential lifeguarding skills.
To successfully complete the lifeguard course, participants must:
- Complete all online eLearning before the first day of class
- Attend the entire course and participate in all class sessions
- Actively participate in all course activities, including assuming various roles during scenarios.
- Demonstrate proficiency in all required skills
- Pass the final written exam with a minimum of 80%
- Pass the final skills assessments
Participants who successfully complete the Lifeguard certification course will receive a certification in Lifeguarding (including Deep Water) with CPR/AED for Professional Rescuers and First Aid. Certifications are valid for 2 years.
Course Cost: $325
Member Cost: $225
Re-certification
Swim testing is required for registration.
Need to refresh your skills or renew an existing certification? The Lifeguard Re-Certification course through the American Red Cross gives participants the opportunity to review the knowledge and skills to maintain their certification.
To register, participants must have a Red Cross certificate in Lifeguarding with CPR/AED for Professional Rescuers and First Aid. You must present your certification for verification before registering for the lifeguard recertification course. Certifications must be current or expired by no more than 30 days. Once your certification expires, you will have a 30-day grace period to re-certify. If the re-certification course takes place after the 30-day grace period, you will not be eligible to participate.
To participate in this course, all e-Learning must be completed prior to the start of class. If the required e-Learning is not completed, you will not be able to participate in the course, and you will not receive a refund.
Course Cost: $150
Re-certification
Swim testing is required for registration.
Need to refresh your skills or renew an existing certification? The Lifeguard Re-Certification course through the American Red Cross gives participants the opportunity to review the knowledge and skills to maintain their certification.
Course Cost: $150
Certification Status
Participants must possess a Red Cross certificate for Lifeguarding with CPR/AED for Professional Rescuers and First Aid. Certifications must be current or expired by no more than 30 days.
You must present your certification for verification prior to registering for the lifeguard re-certification course. Once your certification has expired, you will have a 30-day grace period for re-certification. If the re-certification course takes place after the 30-day grace period, you will not be eligible to participate.
Requirements
To participate in this course, all e-Learning must be completed prior to the start of class. If the required e-Learning is not completed, you will not be able to participate in the course, and you will not receive a refund.
Upcoming Courses
- Sunday, October 18th – 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Details:
- Open to ages: 17+
- Course Price: $150
Contact Us
Have questions about re-certification? Reach out to our course instructor, Jane Finn.
Becoming a lifeguard instructor
Love your work as a lifeguard and want to teach others these lifesaving skills? Become a lifeguard instructor!
The American Red Cross Lifeguard Instructor course trains instructor candidates to teach American Red Cross Lifeguarding courses, including Lifeguarding, Shallow Water Lifeguarding, Aquatic Attraction Lifeguarding, Waterpark Skills, Waterfront Skills, CPR/AED for Professional Rescuers, and Bloodborne Pathogens Training.
To participate in this course, all online e-learning must be completed prior to the start of class. If the e-learning is not completed, you will not be able to participate in the course, and you will not receive a refund.
Prerequisites:
- Must be at least 17 years old
- Possess a current Red Cross certificate for Lifeguarding with CPR/AED for Professional Rescuers and First Aid
- Ability to successfully demonstrate all Lifeguarding and CPR skills, including a pre-course assessment to perform a water rescue (submerged drowning) extrication and single rescuer CPR for 3 minutes.
instructor review
The Ann Arbor YMCA offers a blended learning course required for all Lifeguarding Instructors looking to re-certify. In this course, Lifeguarding Instructors and Instructor Trainers will participate in an in-water practice and polish skills session and practice teaching in addition to a classroom-based review of Red Cross administrative policies and procedures.
Review Course Cost: $100
How to Prepare for Your Course
All-course Prerequisite: Swim Testing
Prior to registering for any lifeguard courses, participants must complete the following swim test:
- Complete a swim-tread-swim sequence without stopping to rest:
- Jump into the water and totally submerge, resurface, then swim 150 yards using the front crawl, breaststroke, or a combination of both (swimming on the back or side is not permitted).
- Maintain position at the surface of the water for 2 minutes by treading water using only the legs.
- Swim 50 yards using front crawl, breaststroke, or a combination of both.
- Swim goggles are permitted.
- Complete a timed event within 1 minute, 40 seconds:
- Starting in the water, swim 20 yards (face may be in or out of the water).
- Surface dive (feet-first or head-first) to a depth of 7-10 feet to retrieve a 10-pound object.
- Return to the surface and swim 20 yards on the back to return to the starting point, holding the object at the surface with both hands and keeping the face out at or near the surface.
- Exit the water without using a ladder or steps.
- Swim goggles are not permitted.
Upon successfully completing the required swim test, you will be eligible to register for the certification course.
Register for your Swim Test
Swim tests are required for lifeguard certification, re-certification, and lifeguard instructor courses.
Join the team
Already certified?
Join our team of aquatic safety professionals and make a difference in your community today!
Join the team
Join our team of aquatic safety professionals and
make a difference in your community today!