Surf Life Saving Australia
Surf Life Saving Australia consists 305 clubs situated within 7 states and territories, it has approx.140 000 members.
SLSA’s mission is to provide a safe beach and aquatic environment throughout Australia. In pursuing this mission, SLSA undertakes a number of activities including the provision of lifesaving services, public education, and the development of its members, with approximately 50,000 of those being placed within the junior activities category. The nippers of today are the future of Surf Life Saving.
Junior Development Activities Contribute To the Achievement of the SLSA
By:
1. Introducing children and their parents to the ‘family’ of surf life saving
2. Providing basic beach and surf skills
3. Promoting fun, healthy and active lifestyle
4. Raising awareness of safety within the beach environment, including sun and surf safety.
Junior members have unique social, emotional and physical developmental needs. Consequently, it is important that SLSA establishes both an environment and a program that provides opportunities to respond to the need for developmental growth.
SLSA provides safe, educational and enjoyable environments for Junior Development programs that promote the Australian way of life and a healthy and active lifestyle.
Purpose
Junior Development programs in SLSA are designed to enrich the lives of young members through fun and participation, leading to the acquisition of personal, lifesaving and competition skills, in a safe aquatic environment.
Growth and Development of Junior Surf Lifesavers
Junior surf lifesavers, between the ages of 5 and 13, experience significant changes in growth and development. Surf lifesaving programs play a vital role in developing not only the physical abilities, but also the psychological, social and emotional attributes of young people. SLSA understands that whilst activity is crucial to a child’s development, there are potentially harmful effects for junior members participating in inappropriate activities, including overtraining.
SLSA recognises the variation in growth and maturation experienced by young people. Recognition of individual needs within chronological age groupings, including emotional or psychological maturity, needs to be considered when determining the developmental status of a young person.
Surf Life Saving activities should be organised so that young people have positive experiences regardless of developmental status and should be focused on fun and learning. These learning opportunities should focus on personal improvement in both surf sports and surf lifesaving.
It Is Important To Realise That Young People Have Differing Learning Needs, These Needs Should Be catered For Throughout All Junior Programs.
When Conducting Surf Lifesaving Activities the Following Emphases are
Considered In Junior Development:
PLAY when children develop a love for physical activity and group interaction in a context
that lets them have fun whilst experimenting within the experiential environment and group
context.
BROAD EXPERIENCES when young people master basic skills with the emphasis being on fun. These are the sampling years when children are getting interested in physical activity across a range of experiences.
PROGRESSION when a greater focus is placed on skill development, but fun and enjoyment are still important.
SPECIALISATION when some young people become more serious about their activity and are keen to refine their skills. [A focus on positive experiences remains essential in the
specialisation phase]
RECREATIONAL PARTICIPATION throughout each of the above stages where youth
establish ongoing interest in the recreational value of physical activity.
These stages are particularly relevant to surf lifesavers in that there are a variety of different opportunities available and hence a broader number of skills to develop. The specialisation stage becomes important as a young surf lifesaver finds their niche within the organisation.
Pathways enable young people within SLSA to move progressively through to a desired destination or level of competency.
CLEAR PATHWAYS GIVE OUR JUNIOR MEMBERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO:
· Gain appropriate surf lifesaving skills
· Move easily through different stages of SLSA
· Be motivated and have fun while developing skills
· Inspire members to stay involved in SLSA long term
SLSA junior programs encourage young members to develop their surf awareness skills, grow into proficient surf lifesavers and experience the wide range of opportunities that surf life saving has to offer.
SLSA’s developmental pathways are diverse and provide all members with a range of opportunities depending on their skills, maturation levels and interests.
Bribie Island SLSC
Bribie Island Juniors (nippers) is available to both boys and girls aged 7 to 13 (Under 8 through to Under14), although we also run a fun educational program for nippers aged 5 and 6 (Under 6 & 7, Green Caps).
There are two pre-requisite;
Bribie Island Club days are the foundation from which we build basic surf skills, competition skills and awards knowledge. Each Sunday morning from 8.30an between September and April nippers gather to learn the skills necessary to prepare themselves by developing their surf awareness skills, growing into proficient surf lifesavers and experiencing the wide range of opportunities that surf life saving has to offer.
- Nipper members are to complete a junior preliminary skill assessment prior to joining, please see Pool Swim Evaluation under Junior Activities - How to Join
- At least one parent/guardian must join the club and assist with one the volunteer groups to contribute to the running of club days and carnivals. There are family subscription discounts available to assist in the financial burden of larger families.
Such as;
· Enjoyable social activity for children & parents
· Competitive sport activities
· Platform to beach patrolling duties
· Lifesaving & first aid skill development
In the Under 6 and Under 7 age groups, members are given a non-competitive understanding of Surf Life Saving through fun and games. They meet most Sundays that nippers is scheduled at the Surf Club from 8.30am.
Each age group has an Age Manager with one or two assistants. The manager is responsible for education training and organisation of the group. Each age group is taught different skills, this training leads to the children obtaining their Resuscitation Certificate in the Under 13s, Surf Rescue Certificate at 13 allowing them to begin patrols with our senior members.
Nippers have a comprehensive competition calendar each season culminating in the Qld Championships which is hosted by clubs all over the state, held in April each year.
Coaches of water and beach activities have overall control of the Junior Development Training Squad sessions, school holiday program and extra activities. This training is open to all members wishing to improve their skill levels or for carnival competition.
The Bribie Island Junior Activities are controlled by the Junior Activities Committee which meets on a monthly basis to discuss future planning and current operations. All members and parents are welcome to attend and contribute at these meetings.
