WELCOME TO NEWPORT SURF LIFESAVING CLUB

 

Welcome to Season 2007/08 of the Newport Surf Life Saving Club Inc.  We’d like to extend a very warm welcome to all members and their families, and look forward to another great year at Newport.

 

We have endeavoured to include everything you need to know about Newport Surf Club in the Induction Manual.  Please keep it as a handy reference guide.  If you require any further information, please feel free to ask any Committee Member.

 

Our objective at Newport is to educate the community from adults to children, to be competent and safe in the beach/surf environment.  We have a strong focus on educating our children within the community, and provide them with a range of activities.  These include Surf knowledge and techniques, which are introduced to the children through our Nipper program, run on Sunday mornings throughout the summer months.  We also pride ourselves on being able to keep the general public safe by providing a beach with that is patrolled through summer.  To do this we rely on volunteer members to join us and become lifesavers, undertaking a range of awards and qualifications.

 

Another first that our Club can be proud of is the instigation of a Nipper Program for children with Special Needs.  This Program is a first for the Northern Beaches Branch, and as far as we are aware, one of the only programs running in NSW.

This group now meets during the regular Nipper time slot, with nippers aged from 6 to early 20’s participating.  It is always wonderful to see new faces to help at this program, so if you have a spare Sunday morning feel free to come and join us.

 

Last season was a great success for our Club, with us winning the ‘Most Outstanding Club’ Competition in the Sydney Northern Beaches, and being announced as the Most Outstanding Club for Lifesaving, Administration and Youth & Member Development on the Peninsula.  We were also winners of the ‘Patrol Assessment Competition’ run between the 21 Clubs of the Northern Beaches, for which we received a fully equipped IRB.  In addition to these Club Awards we had members winning individual awards for Rookie of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, Patrol Captain of the Year, and Leader of the Year. We also had Highly Commended awards in Volunteer of the Year, and Junior Lifesaver of the Year. As you can see a season we should be very proud of, and an achievement very few Clubs ever realise.

 

We have also been successful with a new sponsorship partnership with Perpetual Limited which will enable us to further enhance our Club.  If you are able, please support our sponsors.

 

Several social events and fundraisers are held throughout the season.  Please support them to the best of your ability – all proceeds go towards gear and equipment to enhance the quality of our patrols.

 

Committee Meetings are held at the Surf Club on the second Monday of each month.  Should you wish to attend a meeting to bring a matter to the attention of the Committee, you are most welcome.  To do this, please contact the Secretary or President to make arrangements.

 

I hope you enjoy your season at Newport.

 

Yours in Surf Lifesaving

 

Doug Menzies
President

 

The Special Needs Program

 

An extension of the voluntary services that Newport SLSC has provided to the community in recent years has been the continuance of our ground breaking program for kids with special needs. This is one of only 2 programs being offered within NSW, and incorporates our Dolphins and Marlins groups for kids aged 6 yrs up to young adults.

 

The program was developed and delivered to allow for developmentally disabled kids to participate in junior surf life saving activities (modified Nippers Program). This has seen the kids learn and participate in activities such as flags, sprints, beach relays, as well as a number of other recreational activities. The Program also sees the kids learn to balance and paddle surfboards and to experience the excitement of catching, for many, their very first wave to the shore.

This Program has been so successful and has given an opportunity for kids with special needs, who may not have had such an opportunity if not for a dedicated bunch of members at Newport, to learn about the surf and safety at the beach. It has also given our members the opportunity to meet these special people, and share in their excitement as they master new skills throughout the season.

The Dolphins and Marlins groups are now integrated into Newport's regular nipper program, and both groups will run concurrently throughout the season commencing on Sunday 28th October and running till the last day of Nippers in March 2008.

 

Nippers

 

Ever wondered what all those kids, big and little were doing at Newport Beach on a Sunday from 9am? Well read on, and come and join the fun!

 

What is Nippers?

Nippers is Surf Life Saving for children aged between 5 and 13 years. Children from 5 to 7 years may join on an educational basis, while children from 8 years up may join in competitions representing Newport SLSC. They can compete in Northern Beaches inter-club competitions, Sydney Branch and state carnivals. While competition is an important element, surf awareness and education is the primary aim. Children are taught how to respect and read the surf, and to use it to their advantage.

 

Who Can Join?

Any girl or boy may join Nippers and you DON'T have to be competitive or athletic or even confident in the surf. One of the best things about Nippers is seeing young children who are scared of the water lose their fear during the season. Children with disabilities are welcome but in some cases a Doctor's letter will be requested stating that the child is capable of undertaking certain events or activities. In all cases, the child would not be expected to participate in any event or activity where the disability might cause danger to the child.

 

Age Groups

Children are divided into Age Groups, U6, U7, U8, U9, U10, U11, U12, U13 and U14. The child's age is taken as at 30 September each year. For example, if a child turns 10 on or before September 30, they would be in the Under 10 age group for the whole of that season. Each Age Group has two Age Managers who organise, run and control the activities each Sunday. Most Age Managers are parents too. See chart below:

 

Parent Involvement

Parents are actively encouraged to participate in their child's Age Group activities. Many parents are former (or current) members of Life Saving Clubs and assist with the provision of water safety for events. Other parents act as age managers or committee members. Any parent who is interested in doing their Bronze Medallion please see your child's Age Manager who will provide you with details.

 

Registration

There are two types of Nippers registration; individual registration where a parent and their child is registered; or family registration where all children and both parents are registered.

 

Each Sunday...

Activities commence at 9:00am each Sunday - rain, hail, out of control surf (beach or indoor activities only) or shine. We start early to get the kids out of the sun before the hottest part of the day.

Under the control of their Age Managers the children participate in several events. Depending on their age and competency, activities may be on the beach or in the water.

To give you a brief idea of what happens on the beach, there are:

beach races

running over a set distance on the sand (50m - 70m depending on age);

flags

lying flat on the sand, then getting up and running a short distance to grasp lengths of hose standing in the sand;

beach relays

teams of four run a relay over similar distances to the beach;

surf wade

running through shallow water around a heavily supervised course (usually for younger age groups)

In the water events

(for U9 and above age groups only where the children have met certain proficiencies**) there are:
Surf swims - swimming from the beach, around a "U" shaped course 80m long, and back again.
Board races - similar to the surf swim, but paddling boards around the course.
Run / swim / run - a race combining two sprints along the beach separated by a swim leg.
Iron Woman / Iron Man - a race involving running on the sand, swimming and paddling a board around a set course.
Board relay - a team paddles their boards in turn around the course.
Board rescue - one competitor swims out to a buoy then the next competitor paddles the boards to them, picks them up and paddles back to the beach.

After Nipper's there's always the BBQ upstairs in the club, with food and drinks for sale. The girl and boy Nipper of the Week from each age group gets a sausage sandwich and drink free!

** Proficiency

Before a child is allowed to participate in any water event or activity (ie. an event where they would be in water out of their depth) they are required to take a proficiency evaluation. This consists of a supervised swim in still water (usually done in the pool) to a specific time and a supervised surf swim over a swim course distance (varies by age group). Children who cannot pass the minimum proficiency are limited for their safety to beach and wade events only and cannot enter carnivals.

 

Further Information

Want to know more, see your Age Manager or the Age Co-ordinator.

Remember we're here to have FUN and learn about Surf Safety!