The United States Lifesaving Association (USLA), the professional association of beach lifeguards and open water rescuers, announced the participation of its Youth National Team in Rescue 2014, Life Saving World Championships, held in Montpellier and La Grande Motte, France from Sept. 16-21.
The team is managed Gus Avila and coached by Casey Graham, Chris Nowviskie and Chris Egan. Together the team leadership boasts over a century of experience in professional surf lifesaving, coaching, racing and team management; assembling the finest American Youth National Team possible.
“We conducted an exhaustive nationwide search for the best surf lifesaving athletes born 1996 to 1999, beginning in the spring of this year,” said Coach Casey Graham. “These 12 outstanding young men and women lifesavers who made the team illustrate the high standards for readiness and fitness set by the USLA. The entire staff could not be more proud of this team.”
The 12-guard roster, competing in the bi-annual International Life Saving Federation (ILS) sanctioned event, was chosen by a USLA selection committee based on a variety of criteria, including: past performances at national events, endurance and versatility in the pool and on the beach.
2014 U.S. Youth National Team Roster:
Boys’ Team
Chris Wise – Destin, Fla.
Hayden Hemmens – Newport Beach, Calif.
Spencer Farrar – LA County, Calif.
Ryan Van Til – Avila Beach, Calif.
Ben Coffey – Santa Cruz City, Calif.
Ben Brewer – Santa Barbara City, Calif.
Girls’ Team
Emma Noble – LA County, Calif.
Amanda Calabrese – East Hampton, N.Y.
Tess Farrar – LA County, Calif.
Julia Schulte – Pompano Beach, Fla.
Shannon Snell – Pompano Beach, Fla.
Holly Maine – LA County, Calif.
Manager: Gus Avila
Coaches: Casey Graham, Chris Nowviskie and Chris Egan
These athletes, with an average age of 17, have undergone extensive training to compete in surf events such as paddleboard, surf ski, and ironman, and pool events including manikin tow, obstacle swim, and simulated emergency response.
The group of 12 lifeguards will compete at the same time as the National Team, representing the U.S. in the National Teams Open Competition. Professional lifeguards – six men and six women – from around the country will travel to take on lifeguards from 40 countries in a variety of beach, surf and pool events.
The purpose and mission of the ILS and the 2014 Life Saving World Championships is to prevent drowning and serve as a pillar for aquatic safety supervision, emergency response and sport worldwide. For more information on the National Team Youth and Open Competitions, please visit: www.rescue2014.fr.
About USLA
The United States Lifesaving Association is America’s nonprofit professional association of beach lifeguards and open water rescuers. USLA works to reduce the incidence of death and injury in the aquatic environment through public education, national lifeguard standards, training programs, promotion of high levels of lifeguard readiness, and other means. There are more than 100 chapters of USLA, each affiliated with local lifesaving services and beach patrols, and composed of employees of these organizations. For more information, please visit www.usla.org.
Swimming News courtesy of USLA.