Junior Activities Information

2010/2011 Season

Welcome to the new season of Nippers!!

The Sawtell SLSC was established in 1931 with the Junior movement commencing in 1969. Although we often refer to ourselves as Sawtell Junior SLSC, we are officially the Board of Junior Activities of the Sawtell SLSC.

Our objectives include:

• To encourage members to respect our beach
• To develop in our members, confidence in the water
• To teach, depending on age, basic surf skills - first aid
• To provide a healthy low cost sport for families to enjoy.

We hope that you and your family enjoy the season as we endeavour to educate your children in surf awareness and have lots of fun.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

First day of Nippers is SUNDAY 10^th OCTOBER, 2010

CLUB COMPETITION COLOURS are black and white

The only COMPULSORY Club clothing is the Age Group cap which must be worn at all times during Nipper activities (including any training activities).

• Remember that children participate in sport for their enjoyment, not yours.
• Encourage children to participate, do not force them.
• Focus on the child's efforts and performance rather than winning or losing.
• Encourage children always to play according to the rules and to settle disagreements without resorting to hostility or violence.
• Never ridicule or yell at a child for making a mistake or losing a competition.
• Remember that children learn best by example. Appreciate good performances and skilful plays by all participants.
• Support all efforts to remove verbal and physical abuse from sporting activities. Respect officials decisions and teach children to do likewise.
• Show appreciation for volunteer coaches, officials and administrators. Without them your child could not participate.
• Respect the rights dignity and worth of every young person regardless of their gender, ability, cultural background or religion.

By joining Sawtell Nippers both you and your children have made an undertaking to follow this code of conduct at all times.

Age group is determined by the age you are as of midnight on 30 September 2010 (e.g. if you are 8 years old on that date you will be in the Under 9 age group).

Registration fees for this season have been set as follows:

Registration will be held at Swimcare (Boambee Swim Centre) between 9:00am - 11.00am on Sunday 12^th, 19^th and 26^th September 2010. All children aged between 8 and 14 years are required to complete a proficiency pool swim, consistent with the standards set by Surf Life Saving Australia, being:

U6 - Nil swim
U7 - Nil swim
U8 - 25 metre swim (any stroke) + 1 minute survival float
U9 - 25 metre swim (any stroke) + 1 minute survival float
U10 - 25 metre swim (freestyle) + 1.5 minute survival float
U11 - 50 metre swim (freestyle) + 2 minute survival float
U12 - 100 metre swim (freestyle + 2 minute survival float
U13 - 150 metre swim (freestyle + 3 minute survival float
U14 - 200 metre swim (freestyle in less than 5 minutes) + 3 minute survival float

Nippers who wish to go to carnivals must subsequently complete an ocean swim. The distance will varies according to age group. U9-U10 is 150m, U11-U14 is 200m.

Children will be able to undertake their timed swims for proficiency at the time of registration.
Timed pool swims must be undertaken before the registration is considered to be completed.
Registrations will close on 1st November 2010.
(Registrations after this date may be accepted at the discretion of the JAC Committee).

It is a legal requirement that all parents who have contact with children during Nippers’ activities sign a Child Protection form issued by the Department of Sport and Recreation.
This needs to be done every season. Please contact a committee member if you have not already signed this form.

Parents are encouraged to become members of the Sawtell SLSC. For more information please speak to a committee member. The membership fee includes insurance during regularly scheduled activities.

The children are exposed to a variety of educational activities, which are designed to develop surf awareness and surf survival skills, and in the older age groups we introduce basic rescue and resuscitation procedures. Completion of these activities is recognised with an Achievement Certificate and is a requirement to compete at State Titles.

It is important that your child is a competent swimmer, particularly in the U9 to U14 age groups. It is stressed that it is not the role or responsibility of the Age Managers to teach or improve your child's swimming ability. The onus is on parents to arrange qualified swimming tuition if necessary, such as lessons or squad training at a public pool, to ensure their child/children have sufficient swimming ability.

• Activities are held every Sunday from 8.45am - 11 am (except when carnivals are scheduled)
• In cases of adverse weather conditions, a decision as to whether Nippers will be held will be made by 8:30am.
• Children should assemble in their age groups on the grassed area in front of the clubhouse at 8.45 am. This is a time when announcements will be made and notices handed out.
• If your child arrives after 9.00am you will need to take them to their Age Manager on the beach.
• The Age Manager will mark the children on the roll when we assemble, with their cap secured. Children will be marked off the roll once they are back in front of the Club House. Not on the beach.

Like most Clubs, we must provide a safe environment for members and there are a few simple rules that must be adhered to:

• Sun block should be applied to children before leaving home to be effective for the 2 hours of activities. We encourage the use of hats, rash vests (available for sale through the Club) and t-shirts when the children are on the sand.
• Between the hours of 8.45am and 11am the children are the responsibility of the club. Their Age Manager will mark them on the roll when we assemble, with their cap secured. Children will be marked off the roll once they are back in front of the Club House (Not on the beach) and remove their cap.  If your child has to leave early, parents should report to the Age Manager before leaving. Parents should collect their children from the Age Manager at the end of Nippers, especially for the younger age groups.
• Children in the U9 to U14 age groups MUST COMPLETE ALL of their Proficiency Requirements (Pool Swim and Ocean/Beach Proficiencies) to be eligible to compete at carnivals. NB: U8s do not compete in swim and board events.
• It is a Surf Lifesaving NSW ruling that only persons who hold a current Bronze Certificate or SRC are permitted in the water with children undertaking water activities during Nippers. For the safety of the children entering the water we provide qualified personnel (orange caps) to assist them and therefore ask parents who are not qualified to remain on the beach when their children are in the water.

One or more Age Managers supervise each age group during their weekly activities. Please introduce yourself to the age Managers from your child's group.

This year’s Age Managers are:

Surf lifesaving is a family sport and clubs rely on parental help to run activities safely and efficiently. Some parents have committed their time to be Age Managers for this season but they cannot conduct their activities without support from other parents.

We believe that your interest and involvement in what your child is doing will add to their enjoyment and participation. Some ways that parents can help are:

Water safety personnel
Parents who are club members and have completed their proficiency requirements to hold a current Surf Lifesaving Certificate or Surf Lifesaving Bronze Medallion are needed to swim with the children.

For parents who are interested in completing this course, please contact a committee member to find our when the next course commences.

Beach helpers
Starters, judges, beach flag set up and recorders are all needed for Sunday activities. If you would like to help at carnivals in these aspects, a Level 1 Officials Accreditation Certificate will need to be obtained. For further information contact a committee member.

Equipment handlers
Help is needed every week to set up the beach and to ensure that everything is packed away.

A regular newsletter will be available which will include dates to remember, information about carnivals, results, meeting dates, courses etc. Announcements will also be made immediately prior to Nippers (at 8.45am) while children are gathered in front of the Club House.

Official Club clothing is available for purchase through the Club on registration days. After these times they can be arranged through the Clothing Supervisor. Prices as shown below:

This season we have moved to coloured caps for each age group to more easily identify the different groups on the beach – this is an important safety initiative as numbers in each group continue to grow.

Coloured Age Group Caps will be provided free of charge this season to new members only when your child is registered for Sawtell Nippers (they will be distributed over the first few nipper days by your Age Manager). After this initial issue, replacement Age Group Caps will be priced at $10 each.

The cap colour will remain with your child as they progress through nippers until they reach the 14’s when they will wear the clubs famous black & white colours.

ALL Black & White competition (Carnival) caps are priced at $10 each.

During the season the Board of Junior Activities meets monthly at 7PM on the first Monday of the month in the Club House. All parents are welcome to come along and share ideas/suggestions with the committee and other parents.

Children will be eligible to receive the following awards at the end of the season:

Age Champion Award ( (U8 to U14 age groups)

• Competition over two rounds (usually one before and one after Christmas)
• Allocation of points for each beach and water event as follows:
  
  

  1st Place		7 points
  2nd Place		6 points
  3rd Place		5 points
  4th Place		4 points
  5th Place		3 points
  6th Place		2 points
  All other competitors who complete an event get 1 point

  
  
• On completion of both rounds, points are tallied and awards go to first, second and third placegetters for each gender.
• In the event of a tie for first place, there will be no second place awarded.
• In the event of a tie for second place, there will be no third place awarded.
• In the event of a tie for third place, there will be two awards presented for third place.
• 50% attendance throughout the season is compulsive for the children to be eligible for this award.

Age Manager’s Awards (U8 to U14 age groups)

• Awarded to one person in each age group at the discretion of the Age Manager.
• Winner must have attended a minimum of 50%.
• Cannot be awarded to first placegetter of Age Championship, but can go to second or third placegetters.

Participation Award ( (U6 to U13 age groups)

• Awarded to each child in recognition of at least 50% attendance commencing the Sunday after the first branch carnival.

Club Person on the Year ( (U14 age group)

Awarded to one male and one female based on specified criteria outlined to U14s at the beginning of the season. The final decision will be made by the Junior Executive Committee and the Sawtell Surf Life Saving Club President in conjunction with the Age Manager’s recommendation.