My girlfriends, a year or two older, were most interested in catching the eye of the male lifeguards. The swim disparities also influenced the scope of a lifeguard's job. While the lack of qualified lifeguards may partly stem from this problem, getting more lifeguards on stands could turn things around. As we enter our fourth year without enough lifeguards, it's hard to imagine them retaking the podium as the cultural idol of American summer. When more cities prioritize safe water access for the masses — and pay lifeguards accordingly — the mighty lifeguard just may rise again.

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Persons: Marco Polo, I'd, fawning, Wyatt Werneth, Werneth, —, Jessi Adler, Adler, hasn't, lifeguarding, Jason Russell, it's, Russell, Jeff Wiltse, Wiltse, KENA BETANCUR, Suburbanites Organizations: American Lifeguard Association, Getty, Lyndon, Johnson, SUNY Empire State, World, Association, American, of Public Health, New, Civil Rights Movement, Employers Locations: Milwaukee, America, Southern California, Michigan, Central Texas, Canada, New York City, Chicago, Denver, Baltimore, San Antonio