Woodlands lifeguards win fourth state championship

THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- The Woodlands Township lifeguards ended a great competition year, successfully defending their title at the 2011 Texas State Lifeguard Championship in Waco, on August 1. This is the fourth year in a row that Township lifeguards have won the state championship. In addition to the first-place team, another Township team placed second as the State Runner-Up.

“The Woodlands Township is so proud that our lifeguards have won a fourth consecutive state championship,” said Aquatics Superintendent John McGowan. “The competition results show the dedication that our lifeguards have to continuous training and making the pools safe for residents.”

Lifeguard teams must qualify to attend the lifeguard championship competition. Only the top three teams from North Texas Guard Games, Texas Superguard, Central Texas Lifeguard Competition or Texas Open Lifeguard Competition qualify. The Woodlands was represented by three of the eleven teams that qualified.

Other competing teams were from Conroe, Sweetwater Pool Management (Houston), Brushy Creek (Round Rock), Schlitterbahn - New Braunfels, Plano, McKinney and Great Wolf Lodge (Grapevine).

The team-based competition consisted of these scenarios: CPR, first aid, active/passive rescues and spinal management.

The three Township teams consisted of:
Team #1 – State Champions
Hannah Sherlock (Harper’s Landing)
Ana Forero (Rob Fleming Aquatic Center)
Andrew Novak (Creekwood)
Julien Clayton (Alden Bridge)

Team #2 – State Runner-Up
Allison Roberts (Lakeside)
Michelle Nicholson (Rob Fleming Aquatic Center)
Austin Mankiewicz (Cranebrook)
Ashton Johnson (Sawmill)


Team #3 - The Woodlands Township Karina Mankiewicz (Bear Branch)
Caroline Pierce (Zone Coordinator)
Brock Gerard (Creekwood)
Tom Gleason (Ridgewood)