Lifeguards skills to help youth

HIS love for the ocean and a drive to help others have led a local lifeguard to share his skills with disadvantaged youngsters in his community.

Bruce Macoma has been a lifeguard for 21 years, and now he is training others to be lifeguards as well.

His programme is open to young men and women who have has just finished school.

"My passion for the ocean and the heart to want to give back to the community have has led me to start this programme,” said Macoma said.

Macoma has been in Jeffreys Bay for a year and a half, having moved from Port Elizabeth.
He began the programme

in May last year with 11 recruits, who qualified as lifeguards in

November last year.

"Life-saving is a big sport. I would like to do more events on life-saving and introduce and further the sport in Kouga. I want to encourage more people to join the programme. The more the merrier,” said Macoma.

Macoma currently has 30 students who have enrolled for the programme

which is scheduled to start in April.

He attributes the success of the programme to his hard-working colleagues who assist him.
Macoma and his students use the lagoon as their practice ground while the municipality puts the finishing touches on the refurbishments at the Humansdorp swimming pool.
Theory is taught done at the lifeguard club house at Dolphin Beach.