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Community Corner

Patch Profiles: A Month in the Life of Three Lifeguard Hopefuls

A trio of Laguna Beach natives compete for a coveted summer lifeguard position.

Saturday marked the first day of training for 46 men and women competing for 15 or so Laguna Beach lifeguard positions. These adversaries , and will continue to endure unparalleled physical and mental challenges each weekend until positions are finalized.

Laguna Beach Patch will follow three competitors throughout this process and share their experiences with you first-hand. If you checked us out a month ago, you’ve already met Austin Silvers, the Laguna Beach High sophomore who loves breakfast burritos and surfing. But there's also Sam Wellsfry, an LBHS junior with deep Laguna Beach roots, and LBHS senior and star water polo player Jessica Shusko.

But we want you to know these three intimately as we follow them through one of the most gruelling months of their lives. Read on, learn what makes them tick, then decide who you think will persevere. Then check back with us in a couple days to see if they survived their first weekend.

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AUSTIN SILVERS 

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Age: 16

Grade: Sophomore at Laguna Beach High School

1000-Meter Swim Time at Try-outs: 15:45

About him: I am dedicated to whatever I do and will try my hardest.

College dreams: Well, I'm hoping to graduate high school and enter Chapman University and study in film and possibly marine biology.

Becoming a lifeguard: Being a lifeguard is a serious position and a position of achievement. To me, it represents hard work and commitment. And the possibility of spending my day down at the beach (working) is an opportunity I have dreamed of since I was very young.

Love life: Ahh, love life. Well, I’m currently working at being a teenager and am not settling down anytime soon. So regarding love life, I'll take what comes my way.

Breakfast of champions: It's probably much different than your typical person. I prefer Lucky Charms and maybe a breakfast burrito or frozen pizza warmed up with some orange juice. I tend to eat a lot.

California lifestyle: To me, a California lifestyle is hanging out at the beach with friends, surfing, pool-hopping, eating, and then finish off the day with a round of golf.

Beach of choice: My favorite beach in the world is Thalia Street. I've gone there since I was five, and hope not to leave it anytime soon. It offers everything—skimming, surfing, swimming, sleeping, food, and anything else you could think of.

Childhood: My childhood has been great! I moved to Laguna Beach from Dana Point when I was five, and have been loving it ever since. I couldn’t ask to live anywhere better.

For fun: I love to surf. It takes my mind off everything and really relaxes me. Besides surfing, I really enjoy hanging out with my good friends!

Snack or candy you can’t resist: I am obsessed with peach rings. I have no choice but to buy them every time I see them on sale.

How do you think this month-long training session (second round of tryouts) will go? I’m very nervous. I realize how hard it will be, but I am dedicated to trying my hardest and not giving up. I hope that studying will pay off and I can place above the more athletic kids with wit over strength.

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SAM WELLSFRY

Age: 17 

Grade: Junior at Laguna Beach High School

1000-Meter Swim Time at Tryouts: 17:00

About himself: “My family has owned a house here since 1927, making me third generation Laguna.”

College hopes: I want to go to Chico State University after my gap year on a foreign exchange to Argentina.

Life dream: My goal in life is to be a mellow guy who everyone loves, and has lots of great and historical stories to tell the younger generations. I want to be that badass old guy who talks about the war he fought in, and be rich enough to be able to help out friends and family in need.

Becoming a lifeguard: My dad, uncle and great uncle were Laguna Beach lifeguards from 1941 to 1979. I want to continue the tradition because my dad passed away. I think he would like to see me doing this.

Childhood: I lived in Moss Beach right near Mavericks, the legendary surf spot, until I was 8. Then I moved to the family house at Crescent Bay where I did most of my growing up.

Beach of choice: I’m ALWAYS down at Crescent Bay Beach.

Friendly support: My friends are training and competing with me, and they enjoy watching me swim against these gnarly water polo player kids.

Breakfast of champions: I love Cap'n Crunch in the morning! It spins my wheels!

For fun: I surf, play tennis, and love to play and compose on the piano.

Snack or candy you can’t resist: I love ice cream! And my favorite drink is horchata, it’s a totally addicting Mexican drink with milk, rice and sugar!

How do you think this month-long training session (second round of tryouts) will go? This training is going to be tough. My goal is to get hired full-time, which means I need to be at the top of the class. I know I will be able to get through it, but it wont be easy!

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JESSICA SHUSKO

Age: 17

Grade: Senior at Laguna Beach High School

1000-Meter Swim Time at Try-outs: 14:30

About her: I'm on the swim team, so I swim five days a week and at least 4,000 yards a day.

College plans: I will be going to Santa Clara University in the fall. I signed a letter of intent with them in November for water polo.

Becoming a lifeguard: I really just want to have a fun summer and make some extra money for college. My older brother, Alex, is a lifeguard in Laguna, so it would be pretty cool to get to work with him.

Life dream: I plan to major in communications and journalism in college, with an emphasis on broadcast journalism. I really want to be a news broadcaster, but I've always had a dream to be a stay-at-home mom and raise lots of kids.

Love life: Yeah, I don't really have one. Seeing as I'm going to college, I figure it's best to not get emotionally attached to anyone right now. I have my eye on a few guys, but it's yet to be seen if anything happens!

Pets: I have a new dachshund named Miley Cyrus.

Beach of choice: At first, my beach of choice was Anita, but my friends like to go to Oak now, which really isn't that big of a difference since they're right next to each other. The problem is, my older brother goes to Oak, and even though we love each other, he tells me I'm not allowed to go when he's there!

Childhood: I've grown up in Laguna, in the same house, my whole life. I had a normal childhood, and was a very active child. My mom was a competitive swimmer, so she really wanted to see both my brother and I in sports. I played soccer, T-ball, tennis, swam, danced, did gymnastics and water polo. In fact, I've been playing water polo since I was nine.

Friends: My friends poke fun a little bit about me having to workout and swim in the freezing ocean, but they support me completely. They said they'll come in the mornings and bring me hot Starbucks to warm me up during the second round of tryouts, so I'm holding them to that!

Workout routine: In addition to my swimming routine, I run on the beach and treadmill during the week until it's impossible to go any further.

Volunteer: I am an active volunteer at the Ocean Institute in Dana Point; I have volunteered over 120 hours there alone.

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