Middletown Recreation Center to Host Lifeguard Tryouts for CT State Parks
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection will host lifeguard tryouts at the Middletown Recreation Center on March 17 and 21, 2026, offering local residents aged 16 and older the chance to secure summer employment at state parks across Connecticut.
The tryouts are part of DEEP's statewide seasonal hiring effort for the 2026 summer season. Successful candidates will work at one of eight state parks across Connecticut, earning $20 per hour — a starting rate DEEP attributes to the higher level of training the position requires. The season runs from Memorial Day Weekend on May 23 through Labor Day on Sept. 7, with lifeguards working daily shifts from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., five days a week.
Both tryout sessions will be held at the Middletown Recreation Center at 140 Wilderman's Way. Candidates must register online in advance to receive an invitation for a specific time slot at either the March 17 or March 21 session. Prior lifeguard certification is not required to try out — the tryout evaluates prerequisite swimming and rescue skills. Candidates who qualify will receive DEEP's lifeguard training and certification before the season opens in late May. More information and the registration link are available at ctparks.com/lifeguard-program.
The Middletown center is one of DEEP's regional screening sites for the 2026 hiring cycle, providing an accessible tryout location for residents of the central Connecticut region. DEEP first announced the tryout dates on March 9, 2026.
Physical Requirements
Applicants must complete a multi-stage swimming and rescue assessment to qualify for placement in DEEP's training program.
The swimming component requires candidates to swim 350 yards, immediately tread water for two minutes without using their hands, and then swim an additional 200 yards. Breaststroke and freestyle are acceptable strokes; goggles are permitted.
Candidates must also swim 15 yards underwater in a single breath at depths of up to 12 feet while retrieving objects from the pool bottom, and lift a backboard loaded with a 165-pound mannequin and carry it 25 yards.
Applicants seeking positions at Hammonasset Beach State Park in Madison, Rocky Neck State Park in East Lyme, or Silver Sands State Park in Milford face additional requirements: completing a 550-yard swim in 10 minutes or less and a one-mile run in 10 minutes or less.