Lifeguard Full Blended Learning - December 20-21, 2025

Lifeguarding Blended Learning Class for New Guards

This class is for those seeking lifeguard certification and who have never been lifeguard certified by American Red Cross in the past. At the completion of the 8 hour online portion and three day in-person part of this Blended Learning course you will receive American Red Cross certification for Lifeguarding, CPR/AED, Bloodborne Pathogens Training, and First Aid. This class is mandatory for all prospective Sweetwater Pools employees who have never before been Lifeguard Certified by American Red Cross.

To apply to work the 2026 Summer Season with Sweetwater Pools, Inc. please text us at 281-988-8480 or go to: tinyurl.com/swppreapp to get started on the application process 

There are three options to pay for this class, two for employees and one for those who are not going to work with Sweetwater Pools, Inc.

For Employees:

1. Prospective Employee Down Payment - this is a $50.00 non-refundable payment* for those that want to complete payment at the class using cash, check, credit card or payroll deduction. Payroll deduction allows you to pay the remaining balance of the class off while you work over the summer. (A credit card is needed to be put on file for this form of payment) This $50 payment does go towards paying the whole rate of the class **If you cannot pay the $50 deposit please call the office to work out an alternative payment plan**

2. Prospective Employee Rate (New Guard Class) - This is payment in full for the class for our prospective employees. This payment includes a non-refundable $50.00 payment*.

For Non Employees (those that do not plan to work for Sweetwater in 2026): 

3. Non Employee Rate (New Guard Class) - This payment is for anyone that wants to get certified and is not working with Sweetwater Pools, Inc. or has not yet decided to work with us. The cost is $264.00 that must be paid online in full. This payment includes a non-refundable $50.00 payment*. If you decide to work with Sweetwater Pools Inc, you will be refunded the difference of the Employee Rate vs Non-employee rate upon completion of working at least one shift with us. 

* This fee will be refunded if Sweetwater Pools, Inc. has to cancel or reschedule a class due to a lack of participation. The participant will have the option to switch to a different class or get a full refund in this case.  There is no extra charge to move classes if you let us know at least 48 hours from the start of the class. 

This class is held at:

Spring Branch Natatorium

10404 Tiger Trail

Houston, TX 77043

Dates of Class:

December 20^th – 21^st, 2025 

Each Day 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM

Before the first day of class it is required that all participants complete the online Blended Learning portion of the class

Look for an email from Salesforce Automation Account, the Red Cross registration application, that has directions on how to complete the Blended Learning part of the class. This takes about 8 hours so please do not wait till the last minute to complete it. Make sure to screenshot the completion and the CPR Test at the end in case your progress is not saved. To increase the chance of your progress being saved make sure to log out of your American Red Cross account every time you work on the Blended Learning part, do not just close the browser window to exit.  The Red Cross Learning Center works best on a PC using Chrome or Firefox.

Please be prepared to complete the Pre-Course Swim Test on the first day. The swim test includes two perquisites:

• Prerequisite #1: Complete a swim-tread-swim sequence without stopping to rest: First, jump into the water and totally submerge, resurface then swim 150 yards using the front crawl, breaststroke or combination of both (Swiming on the back of side is not permitted. Goggles are allowed. Next, maintain a position at the surface of the water for 2 minutes by treading water using only the legs. Lastly, swim 50 yards using the front crawl, breastroke or a combination of both.

• Prerequisite #2: Brick retrieval - swim 20 yards, surface dive to the bottom, retrieve a 10 lbs. weight, surface and swim back to your starting point while keeping both hands on the 10 lbs. weight within one minute and forty seconds. Goggles are not permitted.

 In the event you do not pass one or more of the parts of the pre-course you may:

1. Attend free pre-course practices that are usually on Friday evenings starting in March until you pass the pre-course; if you pass during one of the practices it counts for the class you are registered for. Certified Lifeguard Instructors will help you at these practices. These practices are free of charge. You will not have to pay any additional fee for swimming to another certification class.

2. Try the Shallow (6 Feet and Under) Lifeguarding pre-course which consists of a 100 yd Swim, 2-minutes tread and a modified brick test in which you have 50 seconds to swim or run 20 yards pick up the brick in 5' -6' of water, get back to the wall. This certification will allow you to guard in most of our pools however please ask the office of the closest shallow water location to you before choosing this option. 

Prospective Sweetwater Pools, Inc. employees only:

1. Please bring any hiring paperwork you have yet to turn in such as applications, uniform orders, etc.

1.  

    

   Each day please bring:

• A swimsuit – Several if you have them

1.     Females should wear one piece suits or two piece guard suits; please do not wear string bikinis.

1.    Males should wear board-short type suits; no Speedos please.

• One or more towels.

• A pen for writing.

• Snacks & drinks.
• A change of clothes, including some warm clothes as the facility and water can be cold at times. Some participants have even brought blankets or jackets to stay warm.

There will be a short lunch break around midday and several small breaks throughout the class as the instructors deem necessary. Students are allowed to leave the facility for lunch if they choose to do so or may bring their own. The lunch break will be approximately one hour. Lunch is not provided

If you have questions, please contact the office at (281) 988-8480 or reply by sending an email to [email protected]

Thank you,

Aquatics Department

Sweetwater Pools, Inc.
281-988-8480 phone
281-988-8503 fax
[email protected]

 “All you have to do is swim”