By LOIS KINDLE
Tyler Sultenfuss, president of the nonprofit Life Academy Inc. and director of its after-school and summer camp program, wants all children to be safe in the water and know what to do when they see another kid in trouble.
So five years ago, he founded a Water Safety and Modified Life Guarding for Kids program as a response to childhood drownings in the Apollo Beach community. To develop his program, he used generational knowledge of water safety and researched situations involved in those drownings.
Some involved a parent not being present, being otherwise occupied or, even when present, not always recognizing signs of trouble. Others involved situations where no one was specifically watching what was going on or kids not recognizing when one of them was struggling or actually drowning.
The campers use anything that can extend their reach without having to get in the water, things like poles, pool noodles or buoys, even an outstretched arm while laying down on the flat surface of a pool deck.
“Drownings are always a tragedy,” said Sultenfuss. “They’re 100% avoidable.”
The 35-year-old father of two has been teaching his program to children ages 5 to 13 after school and during summer camp at Apollo Beach Racquet & Fitness for years, but now he’s expanding its reach to include almost 700 youngsters at Apollo Beach Elementary School.
“They will be taught how to recognize a child who’s potentially drowning and be empowered how to help without putting themselves at risk,” Sultenfuss said. “They’ll learn skills to become a hero in a way that’s fun and exciting for them and where they’ll be able to put them into practice.”
The key is for kids to act before a problem arises.
“Kids are incredibly observant and can respond even before adults are aware of what’s going on,” Sultenfuss said. “We teach them NOT to jump in the water [and] become a second victim, but they’re able to respond with knowledge and confidence in their skills.”
Sultenfuss will be working with two PE teachers at Apollo Beach Elementary who have worked with him at camp during the summer. They’re both making the Water Safety and Modified Lifeguarding program part of their PE classes for the entire month of February.
“I will work around whatever limitations I have, like the school not having a pool,” Sultenfuss said. “We’ll do pool simulations on the school’s basketball court, and then I’ll invite the parents and kids to come to Apollo Beach Racquet & Fitness for a real-time practical simulation in water two Saturdays in February.
“At some point, the kids will experience a situation where the skills they’ve learned will be needed, including how to get out of a dangerous situation where their own life is in peril,” he said.
Case in point, three years ago, 11-year-old Peyton Lantz, of Gibsonton, saved the life of a friend who started to drown in the Little Manatee River. She had gone through Sultenfuss’ Water Safety and Modified Lifeguarding Class and had been on his swim team since she was 5.
“While we were loading our boat at the ramp on the river, it started to drift away,” said Payton’s father, Brian. The girls jumped off the boat and were swimming back when Peyton saw her friend struggling. Like she had been taught by Tyler, she flipped her friend [who was panicking] on her back so she wouldn’t be dragged under. Peyton told her friend what was going on, calmed her down and was able to get her to shore.
Courtesy photos
Tyler Sultenfuss, president of the nonprofit Life Academy Inc. and director of its after-school and summer camp, left, watches kids in his Water Safety and Modified Lifesaving program practice skills for helping a child struggling in the water without putting their own lives in peril.
“It was nice for me to see,” he continued. “The class was something she chose to do, and I was proud she used the techniques she learned.”
Apollo Beach Elementary School students pay nothing for the program. Up until recently, Sultenfuss had a sponsor committed to covering the program’s $7,000 cost of materials, instruction time and bringing in a second instructor.
“This is not a money-making thing,” he said. “It’s essentially costing $10 per child, which I will eat the cost if need be. But community support will enable me to include more schools in the future.
Any donation is tax-deductible. If you or your business would like to help in full or in part, visit www.abkidscamp.com or mail or drop off a check, made payable to Life Academy Inc., to Apollo Beach Racquet & Fitness, 6520 Richies Way, Apollo Beach 33572.
For more information, reach out to Sultenfuss at tyler.abrfc@gmail.com/.