Nor Cal Junior Guard Games (photos to scrap)

On your mark, get set

So fast, so strong, so happy

You are all winners*

Last Thursday, I spent the day at Santa Cruz beach with my DD Clara, watching her participate in the Northern California Junior Guard Games.  It's an action-packed, fun-filled day in which 1,000 kids participate in a variety of competitions like the paddle board relay:

That's my girl in the blue suit with the yellow board.  They paddle out on these rescue boards, around two buoys and then hand the board off to the next team member. The HMB 12/13 year old girls came in 8th.  She also participated in water flags:

Think musical chairs, but with tennis balls tossed into the ocean.  About 25 girls line up, face down in the sand, and then about 15 tennis balls are thrown into the water.  When the horn sounds, the girls jump up and go try to retrieve a ball.  Those who get a ball get to keep going; those who don't are out.


She also participated in the "rescue relay" (below). The first victim swims out to a buoy and waits for the start of the race.  At the sound of the horn, the first rescuer swims out with a "ring" to the victim, attaches them to the ring and they both swim in.  Then, the second victim swims out to the buoy and signals the second rescuer who paddles out on a rescue board, retrieves the victim and they both paddle in on the board.  Clara's usually the second victim because she's such a strong swimmer.  When I see them do this relay, I can't help but be impressed by my girl!

There's also a good, old-fashioned obstacle course relay, beach life guard style of course!

And, finally, something called the "Run, Swim, Run," which involves running a lap, swimming to a buoy and back, running a short lap, doing another buoy swim and finally one more lap:

Clara finished in the top 20 out of about 100 girls in her age group.  I love that girl.  She is so awesome!
*What's up with the haiku?  Check out this post for details.