The easiest job in sports: Making sure Michael Phelps doesn't drown
James Fisher slouched poolside in a fold-up chair at the University of Michigan’s Canham Natatorium. His arms were crossed. His eyes half open.
The Saline High School junior had the look many 17-year-olds working on spring break have: Half awake, half interested.
Of course, Fisher had the easiest job in all of sports. It might have been the easiest job in the world. On Thursday afternoon, it was Fisher's duty to ensure Michael Phelps didn’t drown.
Yes, that Michael Phelps.
Just in case Michael Phelps forgot how he's won 16 Olympic medals, a lifeguard was on duty.
Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com
Phelps and 12 other Olympic medal winners are competing this weekend at the Eric Namesnik Michigan Grand Prix at Canham Natatorium. On Thursday, they got in a training session before the three-day competition kicks off with preliminaries this morning and finals at 5:30 p.m.
While Olympians and other accomplished swimmers cut through the water, Fisher was the lifeguard on duty. He was in charge of making sure the best swimmers in the world remained afloat.
Fisher was well aware of the irony.
“There are 200 other people in the pool, and if someone needs to be saved, it’s gonna be me,” Fisher said, with no shortage of sarcasm.
Fisher is a pretty good swimmer in his own right. He swam a leg on Saline’s state championship-winning 400 freestyle relay team and won two individual all-state medals as the Hornets won their second consecutive state title.
But he could have handled Thursday's responsibilities without being able to doggy paddle in the shallow end. It beat the lifeguard shift he normally works at his local country club, where novice swimmers keep his head on a swivel.
As if making sure Phelps, Cullen Jones, Natalie Coughlin and Ryan Lochte’s gold medals didn’t get snagged in the pool filter wasn’t tough enough, Fisher was asked to fetch food for the rest of the workers around 3:30 p.m.
Sarah Maraskine, hard at work.
Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com
With Fisher on dinner duty, Sarah Maraskine took over. Maraskine, 20, is a swimmer at Eastern Michigan, so she’s well qualified to be in the charge of other swimmers’ lives. Within five minutes of taking over for Fisher, Maraskine was texting away, presumably to keep from dozing off.
OMG. I can’t believe I’m getting paid 4 this. LOL. Phelps just winked at me ;) TTYL.
Maraskine’s lifeguard duties usually include swimming lessons for 5-year-olds. This wasn’t quite as taxing.
“This is the easiest thing I’ve ever done,” she said.
Not the easiest job she’s ever had. The easiest thing she’s ever done. Period.
Fisher soon relieved Maraskine of her duties and returned to his post. Not long after, the Brazilian women’s national team made its way poolside for a practice session.
The job just kept getting tougher.
Pete Cunningham covers sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at petercunningham@annarbor.com or by phone at 734-623-2561. Follow him on Twitter @petcunningham.
Comments
James
Mon, Apr 11, 2011 : 9:35 p.m.
And I as well have complete respect for Pete he was not down sizing the dutys of a lifeguard but just pointing out the irony of having to life guard the best swimmers in the world.
James
Mon, Apr 11, 2011 : 9:33 p.m.
to all who read this- Like scott said this was taken out of context and the lifeguards were not half asleep it is that they were not star struck by the fact that there were olympians swimming and that they were staying focused like they were supposed to. And Sarah was texting because she was on her break since there was no one in the diving well. And besides people this was a sarcastic article not to be taken seriously and as I said before the lifeguards were paying attention and not distracted by the olympians so in turn they were doing their jobs
Emma B
Sat, Apr 9, 2011 : 5:54 p.m.
Haha! This article brightened my day-- especially the text message. The best part is, I still respect lifeguards after reading this article. Imagine that.
Scott
Sat, Apr 9, 2011 : 12:33 a.m.
To all who read this- Please be aware that this article was meant to be a sarcastic article based on the need for lifeguards at world class swim meets. The need for lifeguards at these meets are important, especially after what happened with Fran Crippen earlier this year, an open water swimmer that drowned during the race. On that note, the lifequard in the picture was on break at the time , since there were no swimmers in the diving well preparing for their races. Also, this lifeguard was TOLD to text someone about a meet related issue. This picture and situation were taken out of complete context and portrays her, lifeguards, meet management, and USA swimming in a poor light. Perhaps the writer should have done his research before posting a harmful article to all involved. With this meet being a world class meet, and in honor of Eric, there were multiple other things that he could have written about that would have put all parties in a positive light. Instead, he chose not to. For that, I am deeply insulted as a former lifeguard, swimmer and a coach.
Eric
Sun, Jul 24, 2011 : 3:49 p.m.
also as a Current lifeguard & LG trainner, swimmer and coach. From what I've seen at a lot of meets the article was accurate. sorry to say that,
Ann English
Fri, Apr 8, 2011 : 11:30 p.m.
Pete, Is this event held on a regular basis? When I hear the name of Eric Namesnik, I think of his vehicular accident and location on January 7, 2006; it's a date I don't forget, for I was out driving that morning, too. The police had closed part of a freeway just behind where I got on it. I drove fine at a regular speed northward, but spun out when I turned eastward, but was able to get back onto the freeway without assistance, since the back end of my car went off the road first. A safe, reasonable speed turned out to be below 40 mph that Saturday morning. A newlywed firefighter also was in a vehicular accident that morning, named Amy. No, I never paid any attention to Namesnik's Olympic achievements; I have no personal experiences to link with them.
Pete Cunningham
Sat, Apr 9, 2011 : 2:58 a.m.
This is an annual event which, to my knowledge, has been held every year in Namesnik's honor since his tragic passing.
Kara
Fri, Apr 8, 2011 : 11:18 p.m.
This is not even true. I have been a lifeguard for 4 years, and in all those years, I have NOT been allowed to use my cell phone, fall asleep, read a book, or anything other then pay attention. We get paid above min. wage and must pay attention in case something happens.
Ann English
Fri, Apr 8, 2011 : 11:17 p.m.
I wonder if the photo is actually of the interior of the Canham Natatorium. If it is, then the 45-minute practice session took place in water deep enough to dive into from a diving board.
a2native
Sat, Apr 9, 2011 : 3:44 a.m.
The picture was "actually" taken inside Canham. It is of the diving well, which is typically used as a warm-up/warm-down pool during long course meets.
Brett
Fri, Apr 8, 2011 : 7:40 p.m.
This is an absolutely terrible story. I'm pretty sure that Fran Crippen would have appreciated a lifeguard on duty when he died during the open water race in Dubai. Do a little research before you belittle the entire lifeguarding population. During my days as a lifeguard, we had to pull racers out of the pool on a few occasions, not to mention first aid cases. On a professional note, I would have fired a lifeguard who was on their phone while on duty immediately.
a2native
Sat, Apr 9, 2011 : 3:43 a.m.
It is unfair to compare this situaltion to the open water meet in Dubai, where Fran Crippen tragically died. He was swimming a 10 K race in 87 degree water with a air temp of 100+.
Pete Cunningham
Fri, Apr 8, 2011 : 8:52 p.m.
Relax. And I think we can both agree that an open water race is different than a 45 minute practice session surrounded by coaches and fellow swimmers.
Kurt
Fri, Apr 8, 2011 : 11:40 a.m.
How often did he have to yell, "Walk!" ??