East Hampton’s lifeguard tournaments wrapped up last weekend with the junior lifeguards taking over Atlantic Avenue Beach in Amagansett. By early morning, the parking lots were already packed and the beach was jammed with families cheering on their youngsters, ages 9 through 15, who had been learning lifesaving skills from certified lifeguards all summer long.
“These young kids, they’re all learning, but they’re having so much fun,” said John J. Ryan Sr., a.k.a. Big John, who founded the Hampton Lifeguard Association, which supports all of the lifeguard programs in East Hampton Town and Village. “It’s all a learning experience. Look at them all — all of the lifeguards helping these kids.”
He and his son John J. Ryan Jr. started the junior lifeguard program back in 1995. It teaches essential open water swimming skills, water safety, and rescue techniques that help prepare many juniors to become certified lifeguards, all while having a great time at the beach in the summer. One of Big John’s granddaughters, Lylah Metz, is a lifeguard instructors in Amagansett.
“I’m with the little 9-year-olds so they’re fresh out of the Nipper program. A lot of them at the beginning of the year didn’t even want to go in the water. They didn’t want to come near the water, and now I’m seeing them doing distance swims and catching all these giant waves on these paddleboards and it’s absolutely amazing,” she said. “They’ve learned all of the different skills and techniques that you need to use to become a lifeguard and all of the different rescues. But they’ve also learned how to make friends and connect and work together as a team.”
Ellie Boscarino, 10, is one of the younger members of the junior lifeguard program and was participating in her second tournament.
“I’m feeling really confident about doing the distance swim because instead of really wanting to win, I think about just having fun because it’s really relaxing,” she said. “I used to be scared. I think it’s refreshing and fun now.”
This year the town introduced a Beach Guardians program for the parents, which Ellie’s mom, Susan Boscarino, participated in. The $90 program taught adults about ocean safety, CPR, first aid, and open-water swimming confidence. They also took part in an adults-only event in the tournament.
“We did landlines. We came in second. We only had to compete against one Navy SEAL so we felt good about that,” she said, laughing. “I’m not going to have my daughter do this if I’m unwilling to get in the water myself. A lot of the parents feel that way, so we’re out there learning what they learn, which is really fun.”
The junior lifeguard program isn’t just helpful for inexperienced swimmers. Heidi Rizzo, 14, who is a 2026 state champion with the Y.M.C.A. Hurricanes and swims on the East Hampton High School team, said the program has built her confidence swimming in the ocean.
“I feel much more comfortable in the ocean now. I find it really fun to go to the beach. I’m more into it,” she said. “I like hanging out with my team. It’s fun. And you get to compete in some big events.”
Camryn Hatch, one of the junior lifeguard instructors in Montauk, said experienced surfers benefit from the lessons, too.
“A lot of them are surfers and they know the ocean well, but they don’t exactly know what to do when they’re swimming in it. We help them out with learning the ocean and learning what to do when they’re out swimming by themselves,” she said. “By the end of it, all of my kids are swimming distance swims every single day. I see them when I’m lifeguarding and they’re in the water, and they know how to get themselves out of a rip current. It’s really awesome to see.”
