Who would guess that Sussex County, affectionately known as “Lower Slower Delaware,” would produce the top four fastest 4-by-100 men’s run relay teams and second fastest women’s team in the whole country? They dominated! They rocked!
Special to the Coastal Point • Christina Weaver
Members of the Fenwick Island Beach Patrol react to the squad’s winning performance at the United State’s Lifeguarding Association’s Nationals competition in Manhattan Beach, Calif.The competition between local beach patrols has been intense all season and the effort paid off big time in California. In fact, at the United States Lifeguarding Association’s Nationals competition in Manhattan Beach, Calif., Sussex County ranked third overall, behind only the much larger powerhouse teams of Los Angeles County and Monmouth County, N.J.
Taking top honors, as they have in five out of six local competitions against patrols from Ocean City, Md., to Rehoboth Beach, was the team from the Fenwick Island Beach Patrol (FIBP).
Veteran guards Randy Vanderhook, Ben Gichner, Matthew Lewis and newcomer Colin Madden ran the race of their lives. Three of the four are graduates of Indian River High School. Gichner attends the University of North Carolina. Lewis attends the University of Delaware. And Madden, just out of high school, will be attending Elon College in September.
Vanderhook, who has competed in Nationals in eight of his 10 years as a lifeguard and who is well regarded in the area as a popular D.J., found the gold medal especially sweet. Last year, his FIBP Nationals relay team was narrowly beaten and came in second. The year before, he broke his arm in the beach flag event and found himself on the sidelines, cheering on the gold-winning FIBP relay team with a substitute from Rehoboth in his place.
“It was disappointing,” he said, “but with Toast (FIBP Capt. Tim Ferry) back in Delaware, I knew I had to step up, motivate the guys and be the leader he would expect.”
It is that kind of attitude that causes Ferry to say, “In my 19 years of being a captain, this Fenwick Island patrol surpasses any group I’ve ever had before. I’ve had some other great patrols over the years, but these young people stand out. They have totally bought into the program. They believe in themselves and take the initiative to do things even better.”
It is commonly understood that high retention of lifeguards is a key factor in ensuring a safe summer for any beach town. In the last four years, Ferry has had to hire only four replacement guards per year for his 32-member squad.
It is the friendships she has made and the camaraderie within the entire patrol that has kept Lt. Kristen Ramey returning to Fenwick’s beach patrol for six years. Between summers, she is an assistant hockey and lacrosse coach at McDaniel College in Maryland. Before Ferry relocated from Bethany’s beach patrol to Fenwick’s, Ramey recalled, the patrol was somewhat laid-back.
“Since Tim took over, our beach area has expanded, our crowds have grown, and we have all become more focused, more confident and more responsible,” she said.
Ramey noted that, as well as team practices every morning, each patrol member works out individually and those who participate in competitions often train after work, too.
Referring to Kelly Ramirez, a four-year FIBP veteran and recent Johns Hopkins University graduate who joined three women from Dewey Beach to win the silver medal in the women’s 4-by-100, Ramey said, “She is the epitome of intensity, focus and motivation.”
One could say the same thing about Ferry. Once again at Nationals, Ferry won the gold medal in his masters division of the beach flags event. And, according to Vanderhook, Ferry was just one competitor away from being in the open finals, competing with men less than half his age.
“Tim is the reason I came to Fenwick,” said Vanderhook. “He makes decisions and explains his reasoning. His knowledge of lifeguarding in Sussex County is unrivaled. People just respect him.”
The season is almost over, and some locals just might be looking forward to September. But for another month, beachgoers can be assured that Sussex County beaches are protected by some of the country’s very finest lifeguards.