One down, one to go! Four lifeguards from Dolly’s Splash Country bested 25 lifeguard teams from seven states in the 2001 Ellis Southern Region Lifeguard Competition in Atlanta on July 13th. The winning team now heads to San Antonio, Texas for the National Lifeguard Championships sponsored by Jeff Ellis and Associates National Pool and Waterpark Lifeguard Training.
Teams consisting of four lifeguards each competed in three events that tested not only their swimming but also their lifesaving skills. Each team was required to “rescue” a patient with a spinal injury, complete a CPR/First Aid scenario and then compete in a rescue relay.
Dolly’s Splash Country lifeguard Team One consisting of Rick Nemitz, Cory Cottongim, Helen Barnfather and Christine Jessel won a silver medal in the rescue relay. Team Two members, Rolando Camacho, Josh Gilbert, Erika Hagy and Catherine Daily, won a bronze in the rescue relay, a silver in the spinal management scenario and placed fourth in the first aid scenario to capture an overall first place in the competition. That win secured Team Two’s place at the 2001 Ellis National Lifeguard Competition at Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio on August 3rd and 4th. Lifeguard Ryan DeGaffenreid coaches both teams.
Joining the Dolly’s Splash Country team at the National Championships are 24 teams from the 8 regions around the nation and teams from Brazil and Canada.
“We could not be more thrilled,” Dolly’s Splash Country Operations Manager Gene Scherrer said. “Safety is our number one priority and by this win you can see how seriously our guards have taken their Ellis training. It’s something they use everyday at the park and are working to consistently improve their skills.”