Failed My Lifeguarding Test

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I've gotten past the stage of crying and mourning my failure, but I'm still really down in the dumps.

I failed a portion of the test; for everyone who's familiar with it, the portion was in deep-water back boarding (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ob7prswSwzU). For everyone not familiar with it, it is indeed a lot more difficult and tiring than it seems. I had a muscle spasm while holding it up out of the water, which made the board rock from side to side,

I'm retaking the course in September, but I have the lingering voice in my head that's saying, "What if you fail again? Than you'd be a real loser."
What makes it worse is that I have two friends coming home from camp who also took the course, and if one of them passes, I know for a fact that she'll rub it in my face.

While I did pass the portions on CPR, first aid, and AED, I still feel like a failure since I'm not a lifeguard. I was one of the only three of the twenty-two in the class who didn't pass.

When you pass in September, this feeling right now, will be just a memory. Take the test again.

You should take the test, again. I know that you'll pass it again, in September.

When you get struck down you get back up again, always and forever.

i have never taken a lifeguarding test before, but i would try again.

when you do not try something again, you are likely to feel depressed about it no matter what. however, if you try something a second time, there is always a chance that you will improve and feel more confident.

I remember failing my driving test on something horribly, horribly simple and stupid.

I passed it on the next try.

Lifeguarding jobs are minimal in september, anyway, May or june would be the best time..

Hi Julia,
In my opinion you should take a test again. And still if you want to revise your training then I would like to recommend American CPR Institute. They offers online first aid and CPR training that are tailored to the needs of different individuals. They offers online programs follow the same standards and guidelines that apply to all other first aid and CPR training opportunities

I took a look at the YouTube video but unfortunately it wouldn't play. Then I watched a similar video called Aquatics Lifeguards: Spinal Backboarding Procedure. But this must be different because the person with the board floated the board to the victim and then pushed it vertically down and then allowed one end to rise horizontally under the victim. It didn't really show holding the board up in the air.

Do you often get muscle spasms? Is it caused by a muscle strain? If not, then this particular problem may not reappear when you retake the test. But if the spasms happen often, you might need to get to the root cause of the problem first and correct it.