In September, you will be embarking on an amazing trip to Sri Lanka as a part of Life Saving Victoria’s Building Leaders Scholarship program to help train life guards of Sri Lanka. Is this your first time overseas?
This will be my second trip ever overseas and my longest plane trip ever! I don’t fly very well so it should be an interesting experience there and back.
This will also be my first time to Sri Lanka. We are currently in the middle of a 6 month training program that is preparing us for our 2 week training program. This includes cultural awareness, learning to teach individuals and groups with boundaries such as english as a second language and techniques and strategies that will be implemented to help train the Sri Lankan lifesavers and other emergency services.
I am incredibly excited to have been selected for this opportunity to participate in this program. It is something I feel very grateful for and proud to represent my club and Life Saving Victoria on an international level.
How does it feel to be part of a lifesaving club?
Being part of a Life Saving club makes me feel incredibly proud. For some people being part of lifesaving club is about the social side or the competition side, but to me it involves these aspects and so much more. So much of my life is dedicated to the clubs that I hold membership at and that takes good organisational skills, commitment, passion and a love for the sport to be so heavily involved. I think being a life saver is something people should aspire to. Last year alone lifesavers and lifeguards completed 1000s of preventative actions and to think that we are changing so many lives, helping so many people and keeping our beaches and water ways safe makes me feel very proud to be a member of such an inspirational organisation.
How would you describe your work mates at the club?
My work mates at my club all vary in ages, many starting off at nippers and ranging right up into the masters categories. These people all participate in life saving for different reasons but the over arching theme that they all seem to have is this love of the beach, the appreciation they have of the surf, and the passion and dedication to help out the community in an environment that promotes fun, good health and motivation to all members at all levels.
Besides, reading Academy League Magazine, what’s your favourite magazine or newspaper?
Lastly, what advice would you give to someone that is thinking of joining his or her local Life Saving Club?
I think everyone should give it a go. Its not for everyone, as with all sports, but it is definitely something everyone should have a go with. You learn so many life skills and can make so many amazing lifelong friends. Joining a life saving club in your local community or down on the surf coast doesn’t just stop during summer, life saving can open so many doors and other opportunities up, can help you develop many different skills and its so much fun.
Thank you for your time Georgia, good luck and have fun in Sri Lanka, we hope to interview you again, upon your return!