Student-Athlete Maile Sullivan on Lifeguarding with Purpose

Lifeguards come to the rescue every day, fully washed in sunlight but often far from the limelight. 

For the past four years, Pepperdine University student-athlete Maile Sullivan has served on the front lines of New Jersey’s Seaside Park Beach Patrol. In the peak of July, families return daily to relax beneath striped umbrellas while many splash in the surf. Without realizing, often those swimmers can be pulled into tumultuous waves by subtle yet powerful rip currents.

Maile Sullivan

Each day, lifeguards, such as Sullivan, help beachgoers escape perilous situations, perhaps even fatal ones. The critical role of lifeguarding was recently brought into the national spotlight after the heroic rescue of a young child in Santa Cruz, an event that resonated deeply with Sullivan.

“The recent lifeguard rescue in California shows why training and preparation are so important. I am so happy to see that the lifeguard from Santa Cruz was celebrated for his bravery and skill,” says Sullivan. “People go to the beach and want to have fun and enjoy themselves; they’re not thinking about danger. But that’s why lifeguards are here to watch over you.”

Sullivan herself has been passionate about lifeguarding since childhood. She joined a junior lifeguard program at age six and became a competitive swimmer a year later, experiences that, she says, “gave her confidence in the water from a young age.” At 17, her swimming accomplishments earned her a place on Pepperdine University's women's swimming and diving team, where she holds the program record in the 100-yard freestyle.

Sullivan (second to the left) with Seaside Park Beach lifeguard team

“Maile’s character is what sets her apart,” says Daniel Marella, head coach of Pepperdine’s women’s swimming and diving team. “She’s a selfless teammate who thrives under pressure, repeatedly stepping up in our biggest championship races when her team needs her the most. Those are the exact qualities that make her an outstanding ocean lifeguard, where calm, decisive action can make all the difference.” 

While lifesaving rescues and assists are the most apt to gain media attention, Sullivan finds greater purpose in the daily minutia of serving the Jersey Shore’s beachgoers. Bonding with Seaside Park beach locals and training aspiring lifeguards through mock rescues is one of Sullivan’s favorite parts of the job. In addition, lifeguard teams speckled across the Jersey Shore compete in athletic tournaments for locals to watch, a tradition that Sullivan especially enjoys as it brings the beach community together while sparking her competitive edge. 

“Smaller interactions of the day-to-day can be just as rewarding as a big rescue,” says Sullivan. “I really care about the people I look out for, and it is one of my favorite things to have junior lifeguards come up to me and just ask questions about the job. I tell them ‘I used to be just like you,’ and the job is all about paying attention and taking care of yourself, so you’re always prepared to help others. It’s such a full circle moment.” 

Sullivan competes around the nation with Pepperdine's swim team

Sullivan plans to close out this summer season lifeguarding on the Jersey Shore—where she and her family reside during the summer—all the while expressing appreciation for her frontline colleagues and for lifeguards across the country. Upon her return to California’s Golden Coast, she is prepared for a bright new season with the women’s swim and dive team at Pepperdine. 

The sophomore swimmer remarks that she never feels too far from either coast, as she values the similar structure between her lifeguarding team and Pepperdine swim team. Pepperdine’s Marella leads in a similar style to her lifeguard captain, she says, while her swim and dive teammates provide the same sense of mutual support and camaraderie as among her fellow lifeguards.

“The structure of a lifeguard team is very similar to my swim team at Pepperdine. Everyone has a certain role, and we all come together to make a team,” Sullivan remarks. “Pepperdine has helped me grow as a swimmer, especially when it comes to technique, while also being a great environment that has shaped me into the person and lifeguard I am today. I’m excited to see what's to come in the future.”