Nippers

The Nipper program is available to all junior members aged 5 - 13 years. Our program is based on the Life Saving 'Surf Ed' water safety program. Nipper sessions commence in early November on Friday afternoons at 4.30pm. All nippers must be financial members of the club. A nipper registration fee applies. Juniors under the age of 10 must join with an adult family member.

Season 08/09

Spring is in the air and Nippers planning is underway! Dust off the wetsuits and the nipper caps and hit the beach!

Our season will start on Friday 7.11.08, running for seven sessions until Friday 19.12.08, we will recommence in 2009 on Friday 30.1.09, running for a further five sessions to finish on 27.2.09 before the State Championships.

Registration sessions will be held at the club on Saturday 18th October from 3-5pm and Friday 24th October from 4.30-6.30pm. The registration process needs to be done face-to-face, so all parents will need to attend one of these registration sessions. If your child is not registered BEFORE Friday 7th November we cannot guarantee that they will be able to participate in the first session of Nippers as they will not be covered by insurance.

SURF SPORTS

Training commences Friday 10th October @ 5.00pm for U11 – 15’s and Sunday training starts on 12th October @ 3.30pm with a parents briefing to commence. Contact Bruce for further information on 0413135917.

There are plenty of jobs for parent helpers so if you would like to be more actively involved in the Nipper program please call Michelle on 0417543725.

See you on the beach!

Williamstown SLSC has a highly successful nipper program with over 50 nippers attending Friday afternoon sessions during Summer. Parents are very welcome at nippers and there are many opportunities to assist with the program.

There is a nipper BBQ every Friday evening hosted by nipper parents

Williamstown nippers compete at Summer carnivals, there are prizes for winning however the emphasis is on participation and enjoyment.

Nippers: a parents’ guide to surviving the first night

You’ve signed up for Nippers. You know it starts on Friday 7th November. You can find the beach. Naturally, you read and absorbed the handbook, the brochure and the flyers we gave you at registration - but just at the minute you can’t quite recall what they said or where you last saw them. Bearing in mind that organising kids is like loading an octopus into a string bag…

Before nippers, make sure the nipper has:

bathers (which fit)
a towel (which they will recognise)
a rash vest
sunscreen (on is best)
a water bottle (with water)
a club cap ($10 from Monica!)
and a wetsuit is advisable, as are warm clothes to change into after the session.

And make sure you have:

$1.50 for a snag unless you really enjoy arguing with your kids
a pretty good idea how old they were on September 30th (e.g. 6-y-o = under 7)
a really good idea what time their session starts

u6 - u8 at 4:30
u9 - u14 at 5:45

time to get there and park with 5-10 minutes to spare (unlike everybody else who arrives just as the session is about to start)

Then go to the front of the clubhouse (with nipper) and get:

their name marked on the attendance roll
their age group written on their arm (in permanent marker which will not come off till next Thursday)

Then take the nipper to the beach and:

find their group (marked by coloured markers on poles as set out below)

U 6 WHITE
U 7 BLUE
U 8 RED
U 9 PURPLE
U 10 YELLOW
U 11 WHITE
U 12 BLUE
U 13 & 14 GREEN

Put their towel in the tub provided (make sure nipper recognises towel)
Hand them over to their coaches
Retreat to a safe distance

Then

go to the clubhouse where we will tell you MANY INTERESTING THINGS for about 15 minutes

Then

relax (order Latte, break out picnic hamper) until…

After nipper session ends:

Collect nipper
Collect towel which they no longer recognise and return towel they picked up to tub
Send nipper to get free Milo
Join queue for snags.
Go home knowing that you are a TOP PARENT.