TACKING POINT SURF LIFE SAVING CLUB
LIGHTHOUSE BEACH - PORT MACQUARIE
2015-2016 SEASON
NIPPER INFORMATION BOOKLET
Matthew Flinders Drive - Lighthouse Beach - Port Macquarie
Welcometo Tacking Point Nippers for the 2015/2016 season. With your help and participation, this season will be fun for the whole family, while also developing the skills and confidence of our future lifesavers, our Nippers. Please keep this booklet handy as it contains most of the information needed. Our website also contains additional and up to date information
CONTENTS1. Welcome
1.1 Your beach ------Page 3
1.2 Your club ------Page 4
1.3 Our mission ------Page 4
2. Nippers
2.1 Who can join Nippers ------Page 4
2.2 Age groups ------Page 6
2.3 Nipper proficiencies and Education ------Page 7
2.4 Club points and attendance ------Page 8
3. A typical Sunday morning
3.1 Start times, uniforms and attendance ------Page 9
3.2 Communication ------Page9
4. Position Descriptions
4.1 Your committee ------Page 5
4.2 Contact details ------Page 5
4.3 Age Managers and Assistants ------Page 6
4.5 Water Safety ------Page 9
5. Junior Development Program
5.1 Program objectives ------Page 10
6. Carnivals and Training
6.1 Carnivals ------Page 10
6.2 Training sessions ------Page 11
6.3 Code of Conduct ------Page 12
7. Club Uniform and Equipment
7.1 Uniform and merchandise ------Page 12
7.2 Boards and equipment ------Page 12
8. Fundraising and Sponsorship
8.1 Club Patron ------Page 13
8.2 Sponsors------Page 14
9. Calendar ------Page 15
10. Surf Life Saving in Australia– History ------Page 16
Welcome
Welcome to all Junior Life Savers, Nippers, Parents, Carers and Members to the Tacking Point 2015/2016 Junior Surf Life Saving season.
Junior Life Saving is an important skill that is taught, learnt and experienced through spending time on the beach and in the club house and becomes a fantastic way of life. My family has been involved in Tacking Point Surf club for eight seasons and each year look forward to the Port Macquarie summer months so they can hit the beach once again.
Junior Life Saving/Nippers is run each Sunday morning through the great efforts by the club members and parents and is ours to own. When we all chip in to assist in some way the season for our kids run so much smoother.
Please don't be afraid to put your hand up to help. We have beach set up in the mornings so that sprints, flags and other activities can take place. It would be great if we could get the Nippers and Junior Life Savers on beach setup and beach pack up as well this year. The more hands on deck, the less time it takes. We have the running of the sand and water events...even if it is setting the flags up or standing on the finish line to get placings...your help is very much appreciated.
An SRC course is being held this year free of charge for parents/carers which will give you the skills to understand the water, carryout resuscitation and give you the qualifications and confidence to be able to swim with your kids as water safety in the water events. We need more water safety for the safety of the Junior Life Savers and Nippers. Your children also love the fact that they can have family members swimming with them.
I will make myself available in the clubhouse Sunday mornings after beach pack up for anybody that wants to speak with me. I welcome you to provide your input into how the season is running, whether you have an idea for improvement, fundraising, efficiency of beach set up/pack up and feedback on what is working well. Junior Life Saving/Nippers is ours to own so your feedback is appreciated.
Let’s make this season fun, enjoyable and welcoming for everyone.
See you on the beach.
Andrew Thrower
Junior Activities Coordinator
Your beach
Lighthouse Beach (NSW171) stretches from Tacking Point lighthouse to Lake Cathie, a distance of around 10km. The entire beach is a well-developed double bar system, with an attached inner bar and an outer bar. Permanent rock based structures include Club Rock and Watonga Rock. The Australian Beach Safety and Management Program (ABSAMP) has assigned a beach safety rating of 6/10 (Moderately Hazardous) to Lighthouse Beach (the same safety rating as Flynns Beach) (
Your club
Tacking Point Surf Club is one of two Life Saving Clubs in Port Macquarie and is one of the most recently formed in NSW, being formed in 1974. The need to patrol Lighthouse Beach arose because of its developing popularity with swimmers.
The late Alderman Norm Matesich played a major role in the foundation of the Club and his family are still very important members to this day. The Club was fortunate to gain experienced members who had moved from Port Macquarie SLSC and when it was first opened there were 30 members.
Tacking Point Lighthouse is a local landmark and overlooks the surf life saving club. Tacking Point headland was named by Matthew Flinders because it was at that point he had to change tack. The Lighthouse was built in 1879 with a 17 foot brick tower at a cost of £465 ($930). It was converted to automatic on the 31st October 1919.
The Surf Club has a licensed bar which is open on Friday and Sunday from 3pm through to the evening. Light meals are also available so come along and relax on the deck overlooking the beach and watch the whales and dolphins while supporting your club.
The Club also has a Café that is open every weekend during the summer months and all week through the school holidays. There are tables and chairs to sit at and observe the beautiful surroundings.
Opening hours - Weekends – 8.00 am to 3.00pm, Weekdays – 9.00am to 2pm Monday, Thursday, Friday
Come and enjoy the light meals (breakfast and lunch) and a great cup of coffee while supporting your club at the same time.
Our mission
Nippers is not about teaching your child to swim. Instead we focus on the important survival and rescue skills that all children should obtain. We ensure that your child has the decision making skills to assess the safety of an aquatic situation before participating. We also encourage the children to develop an awareness and responsibility for those around them.
Who can join NippersSurf Life Saving (SLS) is an Australian icon. SLS has a total membership of over 165,000 across Australia, with nearly 30,000 of these members being Nippers in NSW.Nippers is about learning skills and knowledge about the beach in a safe and engaging environment. Additional outcomes of the Nipper program include:
- Contributing to the local community
- Developing leadership skills
- Developing decision making and problem solving skills
- Interacting with a wide variety of people
- Participating in an active and healthy lifestyle
- Developing the knowledge and skills to interact safety with the ocean
Junior Activities Committee
Committee meetings are held at the Club on the last Tuesday of the month at 7.30pm. All parents/carers are welcome and encouraged to attend. For further inquiries please contact the Secretary.
Name / Role / Email / Phone
Andrew Thrower / Junior Activities Chairperson (JAC) / / 0408479480
Lyndal Thrower / Deputy Chair (JAC) / / 0427865329
Raelene Myers / Secretary / / 0427777803
Steve Manning / Registrar / / 0410455076
Tom Sumsky / Recorder / / 0414436140
Amanda Higgerson / Junior Education Coordinator / / 0428242246
Scott Strahorn / Equipment Coordinator / / 0428724767
David Moore
Tim Atherton / Assistant Equipment Coordinators /
/ 0400267429
0407414040
Matt Horton / Beach Coordinator / / 0414923561
Brett Myers / Assistant Beach Coordinator / / 0410481972
Sean Daley / Water Safety Coordinator / / 0411596156
Tane Power / Social Committee Coordinator / / 0400943879
Jacquie McAllister
Kellie Strahorn
Louise Moore
Lyndal Thrower
Tanya Christianson / Social committee, media and publicity /
Sandra Slattery / Age Manager Coordinator / / 0417439034
Nicki Osborne / Uniform and Merchandising Coordinator / / 0402839706
Natalie Woodham / Uniform and Merchandising / / 0435468210
Natalie Woodham
Chris Lesmond / Facebook
Club website /
/ 0435468210
Tina Woodward / Junior Treasurer / / 0408862179
Vacant / Carnival Team Manager
IMPORTANT: Your child must have at least one caregiver on the beach at all times. If you must leave your child’s Age Group to watch another sibling, please inform the Age Manager.
Please advise your Age Manager if your child has any medical or behavioural requirements that may require attention.
Age Managers and Age Manager Assistants
Age Managers and Age Managers Assistants for this season are listed below. Thank you to those who continue to volunteer for this role. The more people that assist, the better the outcomes for our children.The Junior Committee welcomes parent volunteers and participation throughout the season and encouragesall parents to get involved in Nipper events and weekly activities. We also welcome feedback and would like to continue to build the engagement with our Nipper community.Please offer feedback and assistance to the Junior Committee members, Age Managers or contact the social committee at any stage. Plus, keep an eye out on the Facebook page for further calls for assistance throughout the season. We all have skills and strengths that will make the Nipper experience even better so please put your hand up!
Age Group / Age Manager / Age Manager Assistant / Age Manager Assistant / Contact Details of Age Manager
U6 / Craig Brazel /
0406914057
U7 / Anthony Hilkemeijer /
0419199211
U8 / Deb Bartlett / Tiffany Bartlett
0402529470 /
0402529470
U9 / Sue McNaught / Grant Mitchell
0427056391 / Amelia Humphreys 0432427318
Jade Horton 0458729005 /
0417423564
U10 / Scott McAllister / Nicole Chilcott
0404034897 / Stephanie Clarke
0405135677 /
0427628013
U11 / Raelene Myers / Tom Sumsky
0414436140 / Lachlan Myers
0411543951 /
0427777803
U12 / Sandra Slattery / David Moore
0400267429 / Rob Power
0401895519 /
0417439034
U13 / Sean Daley / Linda Perkins
0414254795 /
0411596156
U14 / Bronwyn Horton /
0417669403
Age Manager Coordinator - Sandra Slattery /
0417439034
Age Groups
Your child’s age group is determined by their age at midnight on the 30th September 2015. For example if your child is 10 years old at midnight on the 30/9/15, they belong in the Under 11 age group.
Born Between / Age Group
1st October 2001 – 30th September 2002 / Under 14
1st October 2002 – 30th September 2003 / Under 13
1st October 2003 – 30th September 2004 / Under 12
1st October 2004 – 30th September 2005 / Under 11
1st October 2005 – 30th September 2006 / Under 10
1st October 2006 – 30th September 2007 / Under 9
1st October 2007 – 30th September 2008 / Under 8
1st October 2008 – 30th September 2009 / Under 7
1st October 2009 – 30th September 2010 / Under 6
This year we are introducing a group called Junior Life Saver (JLS) for under 12s, under 13s and under 14s. These children will have commenced training towards becoming a qualified Life Saver. They will have completed the training for the Resuscitation Certificate and have therefore commenced on the educational pathway towards the Surf Rescue Certificate and ultimately the Bronze Medallion.
The Junior Life Saver will be given additional challenges, both individually and in small groups, which will require complex problem solving and decision making skills that will extend their existing knowledge and skills.
Proficiencies and Education
Your child’s safety is our main priority. To ensure that your child has the necessary aquatic skills to participate safely in the ocean they must complete a preliminary skills evaluation. This evaluation provides important information for the child, caregiver and Age Manager. Setting achievable aquatic goals for your child is part of our Nipper program at Tacking Point Surf Club.
Each child is required to demonstrate a certain level of confidence and ability in the water before they can participate in open water events. Below are SLSNSW and your club’s requirements for the pool and open water swim. These skill evaluations will be available on registration days, and when required as advised throughout the season. For 2015 – Pool preliminary skills evaluation will be Sunday 13th September from 10am – 2pm and Sunday 4th October from 10am – 2pm at the Port Macquarie pool.
Awards, Education and Qualifications
Age Group / Preliminary Skills Evaluation / Competition Skills Evaluation / Junior Development Program Education
Under 6 / In waist deep water, front glide and recover to stand. Back or front float holding a buoyant aid and recover to stand. / Nil / Surf Play One
Under 7 / In waist deep water, front glide, kick for 3 meters and recover to stand. Back or front float for 3 seconds and recover to stand. / Nil / Surf Play Two
Under 8 / 50 m (no time limit) plus
1 minute survival float / Nil / Surf Aware One
Under 9 / 200m in < 6 minutes plus 1.5 minutes survival float / Minimum 150 m in open water / Surf Aware Two
Under 10 / 200m in < 6 minutes plus 1.5 minutes survival float / Minimum 150 m in open water / Surf Safe One
Under 11 / 200m in < 5 minutes plus 3 minutes survival float / Minimum 288m open water swim / Surf Safe Two
& Resuscitation Certificate
Under 12 / 200m in < 5 minutes plus 3 minutes survival float / Minimum 288m open water swim / Surf Smart One
Resuscitation Proficiency
Under 13 / 200m in < 5 minutes plus 3 minutes survival float / Minimum 288m open water swim / Surf Smart Two
Under 14 / 200m in < 5 minutes plus 3minutes survival float / Minimum 288m open water swim / Surf Rescue Certificate (SRC)
Notes / Junior members competing in carnivals must have completed the preliminary and competition evaluation / Junior members competing in carnivals must have completed the preliminary and competition evaluation / The Junior Development education should be completed by 31 December each year.
Club Points and Attendance
Our primary focus at nippers is developing aquatic competence and confidence. To gain the skills and knowledge required for this we encourage regular participation at Nipper sessions. At the end of the season awards are presented for attendance and participation on Nipper days. End of season points awards are for Nippers that earn the most points through attending specified club days and carnivals, as well as completing and placing in specified events. Attendance and points are calculated and awarded as follows:
Attendance Awardsare presented to U8-14s for attending 75% and 100% of days in the season eg: if there are 20 days in the season (including Club, Branch and Country Carnivals) then:
- To achieve 75% attendance nippers must attend 15 of the 20 days
- To achieve 100% attendance nippers must attend 20 of the 20 days
U6 and U7 only require 50% attendance for end of season participation awards. If there are 16 days for U6-7’s (no Branch or Country Carnivals) then 8 days are required for 50% attendance.
An attendance day point is given if you attend at another SLS carnival or join a nipper day at another club. Contact the Registrar or Recorder for more details.
End of Season Points Awards. Points are awarded as follows:
Club Day:2 points for attending.
Club and Branch Championship (individual events only):2 points for attending plus the following points for places: 1st place = 6 points 4th place = 3 points
2nd place = 5 points5th place = 2 points
3rd place = 4 points6th place = 1 point
Points for places are not awarded for Country or State Championships, but they do count as an attendance day in lieu of the club day on the same weekend.
A ‘double points’ activity (such as Collection Day) is worth 4 points (instead of 2) for end of season points awards, but still only counts as one day of attendance for attendance awards.
In relation to club days:
- If a club day is cancelled prior to the start of activities on the day, points will be awarded for that day and will count toward attendance.
- If a club championship day has commenced and water events have to be postponed and completed on another day, a nipper who was not in attendance on the original day cannot be eligible for the club championship, and they would also therefore be ineligible for 100% attendance even if they attend on a specified make-up day. If there is such a make-up day they will still receive their attendance points for that make-up day.
A Typical Sunday Morning
Everyone is asked to be at the club lined up in age groups for an 8.30am start. If your Age Group has been allocated to setup the beach for the Nipper activities, you will need to be at the beach by7.30am. Nipper activities run for approximately two hours. Nipper Caps and pink rashiesmust be wornfor all water activities during Nippers and removed when Nippers is finished. Nippers must inform their age managers before leaving their age group to go home or to continue swimming at the beach. If arriving after nippers has begun please approach your Age Manager to make sure your child’s attendance is recorded. Nippers and their parents/carers are asked to assist with bringing equipment back from the beach to the club house after Nippers has finished. Each item should be rinsed before storing away as this will maintainthe condition of our equipment.
A parent or responsible adult must remain on the beach at all times with their child during Nippers.