Show notes
Today I interview Steve Long. Steve was a California State Parks lifeguard, and maybe the only lifeguard who never passed lifeguard training yet was chosen by leadership to Excel and fast track into leadership roles throughout his career.Steve worked in the golden age of lifeguarding in California and ended up as a supervising peace officer for California State Parks in the San Clemente area. Steve and I discuss, not just lifeguarding, but some of his personal philosophy on life and much, much more as always.00:00 Introduction to Steve Long's Lifeguard Journey01:18 Early Life and Passion for Swimming04:09 College Years and Military Aspirations08:31 The Decision to Pursue Lifeguarding12:55 First Encounters with State Lifeguard Training17:51 Becoming a Permanent Lifeguard23:16 Fast-Tracking Through Lifeguard Roles27:01 Memorable Experiences and Challenges36:08 A Lifeguard's First Experience with Death37:07 Rapid Career Advancement40:04 Challenges and Tensions on the Beach41:43 Becoming a Lifeguard Supervisor46:23 Navigating Interjurisdictional Operations51:35 Raising a Family in the Park55:32 Returning to Lifeguarding59:44 The Unique Role of Lifeguards01:04:47 Balancing Work and Family01:10:39 Encouraging the Next Generation01:14:54 Rusty's Journey in Surfing and Career01:15:34 Impact of Lifeguarding on Family and Career01:16:34 Lifeguarding as a Metaphor for Life01:18:34 The High Calling of Lifeguarding01:21:30 Greg's Big Wave Incident01:27:48 The Evolution of Lifeguarding Profession01:28:46 The LA County Lifeguard Walkout01:36:22 Advice for Future Lifeguards01:42:29 Preserving San Onofre and Environmental Stewardship01:48:32 Final ThoughtsLink To The San Onofre Parks Foundation:https://sanoparks.orgPresented by The Ben Carlson Foundation:https://www.bencarlsonfoundation.org/https://www.instagram.com/bencarlson_foundation/Subscribe to the Podcast Here:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lifeguard-project/id1748861682https://open.spotify.com/show/7EoZTDiET6jJ6XJ1g5X54thttps://www.instagram.com/thelifeguardproject/https://thelifeguardproject.org/Host, Drasko Bogdanovic:https://www.bogdogphoto.com/https://www.instagram.com/bogdogphoto/