A weekly feature from Ocean City Beach Patrol historian Fred Miller:
Ocean City Beach Patrol’s Melissa Koch was featured in People magazine 18 years ago on May 6, 1996.
The article was titled “Real-life Baywatch.” The caption under this picture reported: “With deep-blue eyes and Barbie-doll hair, Melissa Koch, 17, makes waves of her own on the beach in Ocean City, N.J. Still, the high school senior takes lifeguarding seriously: ‘It’s not a pretty-girl thing.’”
Koch was a rookie lifeguard in 1994 and quickly became known as the fastest female swimmer in South Jersey.
Melissa Koch Jeck will be inducted into the OCBP Hall of Fame at the Lifeguard Reunion Party August 9 at Sandi Pointe Coastal Bistro, 908 Shore Road in Somers Point. For more information, call Fred Miller 609-398-5811 or go to the Ocean City Rowing & Athletic Association’s website OCRAA.com.
