Gulf Shores Beach Safety Division put on a standout showing at the Southeast Regional Lifeguard Competition, an annual gathering that brings junior and adult lifeguard teams from beach communities across the region together to test their rescue, swimming and surf skills. The Hangout served as the event’s command center, and visiting teams got a taste of Gulf Shores hospitality along with the competition.
For the first time, Gulf Shores fielded a squad in the junior lifeguard division, a milestone for the local Beach Safety Division. Coached by instructors Kylan Winter, Lieutenant Kim Lee and Chief Joyson Phillips, the seven-member team — Berkeley Lewis, Penelope Key, Elizabeth Key, Brooklyn Key, Natalie Haskin, Amelia and Joseph Campbell — went up against 45 competitors from other programs and came away with 32 total awards, including 15 first-place finishes. The results could be strong enough to send the young team to the national competition in Fort Lauderdale. City officials credited the showing to months of training as well as the parents who help make that training possible.
Gulf Shores’ adult lifeguards held their own as well, with five local guards finishing in the top 20 out of roughly 150 competitors. Lieutenant Lee placed seventh overall in the men’s open division, while Kylan Winter took third in the women’s division. Adam Foley, Sarah, Ellie and Will also placed among the event’s top competitors.
Representatives from the United States Lifesaving Association, who help oversee competitions like this one nationally, told city officials it was the best-organized event they had seen in 40 years of involvement with the sport. Organizers pulled off the competition during an already packed June schedule, leaning on support from the local community, The Hangout and the city’s public works department to make it happen. Buoyed by the reviews, Gulf Shores is now looking into bidding for larger events down the road, including conversations about the World Games and possible ESPN coverage.
The department’s competitive success lines up with what officials describe as a broader culture of excellence on the beach day to day. Ellie Flag, a third-year lifeguard and Auburn University microbiology student, was named the Gulf Shores Beach Safety Division’s Lifeguard of the Month for June 2026. During the month, Flag logged 365 public contacts, responded to 60 calls, carried out two rescues and completed 357 preventative actions on the beach.
Chief Phillips said the level of performance seen both in competition and in daily beach operations reflects standards the city expects across all of its departments. Beyond the medals, Gulf Shores lifeguards continue to focus on their core mission of keeping beachgoers safe and training the next generation of guards.