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Southampton Town held the largest ever junior lifeguarding tournament on Saturday, with 150 kids taking to the sands of Ponquawag Beach in Hampton Bays.
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Future lifeguard candidates will have kids competing in events such as running and swimming relays, simulated rescues, paddleboard races and more.
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It was to teach safety to the youth in and around the water, which should be a good sign. Future, generations
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There are three different age groups that are part of the program. The youngest group, the Nippers, is for 9-10 year olds. Which is run by lifeguard Elena Mugno
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Led by lifeguard Mackenzie Mahoney, 11 and 12 year olds become more involved in small scale rescue and the different techniques used to save people in the water.
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The largest group of 13- to 15-year-olds are shown the most realistic scenarios of water rescue, led by both Zafuto and Kylie Kaiser.
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Help prepare the oldest guards to take the lifeguard test at age 16. So that people can be saved from water in trouble, it can be a bit difficult.
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One of the most popular children's programs offered by the Town of Southampton is the Junior Lifeguarding programme, first introduced in 1995.
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The program runs for five weeks at various beaches in the city and is the culmination of what the juniors have learned up to that point.
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This program includes direct lifeguard curriculum and testing. Children applying for jobs are prepared to become real lifeguards.
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