Stockton Nippers 2023/24

Nippers is about learning new skills, gaining confidence and having fun in a safe beach environment. For Nippers, the beach is their classroom. They gain confidence by passing the ‘tests’ of swimming, board paddling, beach sprinting, dolphin-diving, spotting a rip, having fun with new friends and discovering things about themselves.

Nippers is a junior activities program that introduces children aged 5 to 13 to surf lifesaving. It is a fun outdoors activity that develops a child’s confidence, teaches valuable life skills and safety knowledge.

Stockton surf life saving club offers a fantastic Nippers program providing a pathway teaching lessons and skills which allow your kids to continue in lifesaving and sport as they grow older.

Essential Parent Information

First Day of Nippers for season 2023/24 is Sunday 1st October 2022.

Sign on – 9:30am, Start – 10:00am.

COVID 19 Requirements

Stockton SLSC asks that you follow the next points so that we can manage the flow of people around the beach and ensure a Covid-safe environment each Sunday.

• Maintain social distancing where possible.

• All Nippers must have their parent or guardian sign them in and out with their supervisor.  No Nipper SHOULD leave until a parent or guardian sign’s them out with their supervisor.

• You can read the Club’s Covid-Safety Plans at www.stocktonsurfclub.com/covid-19

 

Please monitor the Stockton SLSC Facebook, website and team app for the most up to date information about Covid-19 requirements and other important matters.

Essential Guide To Nippers Handbook

Please download and print the Essential Guide To Nippers Handbook (below) which contains all the relevant information for the upcoming season. Details include:

• Format of a typical Sunday morning
• Proficiency
• Coaching
• Competition
• Club Championships
• Season Program

In addition, Nipper parents need to download, print and sign the Fair Play Codes of Conduct (below) for each child.

Downloads available here:

Essential Guide to Nippers

Nippers Code of Conduct

Nippers Events Calendar – Sunday Club Events 2023-24

Nippers Competition Carnivals

View our Nippers Carnival Guide for detailed information including events, costs, and how to enter.

View the 2023/24 Hunter Branch Carnival Calendar  for dates, venue & event details.

Age Managers Course Online Guide

An age manager plays an important role in the development of junior members within Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA). Junior members comprise of approximately 40% of the total membership of SLSA. An age manager plays a critical role in introducing junior members to surf life saving experiences.

Prerequisites

• Be a current financial member of a club
• Have completed the relevant state working with children check requirements
• Be a minimum of 16 years (higher in some states)
• Refer to your state for state specific pre-requisites

Becoming an accredited age manager

To become a qualified age manager you must do the following:

• Complete the SLSA Age Managers online theory course
• Sign the Code of Conduct provided in this guide
• Undertake a 2-hour on-the-beach practical session to gain a introductory understanding of surf skills (at branch/state discretion, this maybe waived if the participant has a surf background such as proficient Bronze Medallion)
• Work with an experienced age manager mentor in your club to complete the required Third Party Form and have it signed off by an approved assessor/mentor
• Return your completed Third Party Form and Certification Form to your course presenter or State Office as advised at the theory course

For further information, view the SLSA Age Managers Course Online Guide

How do I Enrol my Child in Nippers?

Joining your child/ren in Nippers has never been easier.

Join online by clicking new or existing member below, or to find out more about becoming a Nipper including registration fees, visit the membership page. Also you can contact the club on (02) 4928 3562, email nippers@stocktonsurfclub.com or call into the club on Nippers days (Sunday mornings 9am).

New & Existing Nippers

Since junior activities are predominantly conducted in an aquatic environment, all Nippers (Under 8s and older) are expected to have a basic level of swimming ability enabling them to pass a preliminary evaluation.

Still Water Swimming Evaluation

You will be notified of pool swim evaluation and proficiency dates, which are conducted at Stockton Swim Centre. Entry to the pool is at your own cost.

Preliminary Evaluation

All Nippers from Under 8 to Under 14 must pass a swim proficiency evaluation before they can participate in Nipper activities including club competition, championships, coaching and branch carnivals. The test and levels are explained below:

Age Category / Cap Colour	Nippers Evaluation/Proficiency Non-Carnival Requirement	Nippers Competition Evaluation Requirement
Under 6 - Orange	Refer Stage 1 Aquatic Play and Fundamental Aquatic Skills within the Essential Guide To Nippers (Download Link Above)	N/A
Under 7 - Yellow	Refer Stage 1 Aquatic Play and Fundamental Aquatic Skills within the Essential Guide To Nippers (Download Link Above)	N/A
Under 8 - Red	Refer Stage 1 Aquatic Play and Fundamental Aquatic Skills within the Essential Guide To Nippers (Download Link Above)	Nil (no water competition, except for wade which takes place in waist deep water)
Under 9 - Purple	Refer Stage 2 Applied Aquatic Skills within the Essential Guide To Nippers (Download Link Above)	Minimum 150 metres open water swim (any recognised stroke)
Under 10 - Pink	Refer Stage 2 Applied Aquatic Skills within the Essential Guide To Nippers (Download Link Above)	Minimum 150 metres open water swim (any recognised stroke)
Under 11 - Blue	Refer Stage 2 Applied Aquatic Skills within the Essential Guide To Nippers (Download Link Above)	Minimum 200 metres open water swim (any recognised stroke)
Under 12 - Green	Refer Stage 3 Junior/trainee lifesaver - pathway to SRC within the Essential Guide To Nippers (Download Link Above)	Minimum 200 metres open water swim (any recognised stroke)
Under 13 - Stockton Club Cap	Refer Stage 3 Junior/trainee lifesaver - pathway to SRC within the Essential Guide To Nippers (Download Link Above)	Minimum 200 metres open water swim (any recognised stroke)
Under 14 - Stockton Club Cap	Refer Stage 3 Junior/trainee lifesaver - pathway to SRC within the Essential Guide To Nippers (Download Link Above)	Minimum 200 metres open water swim (any recognised stroke)

We encourage parents to have children attend swim school facilities before the season starts, which then gives the children confidence and enables them to get the most out of Nippers.

Pool Proficiency Sign Off

Only a qualified and proficient Assessor or designated person is able to endorse all pool proficiencies and evaluations. Stockton SLSC will provide qualified assessors on the day.

Surf Swim Proficiency – Run / Swim / Run

Junior Activities Competition Skills Evaluation – Open Water Swim

To be eligible for ANY competition, all nippers must complete an open water swim which replicates the junior swim distances specified in the 34th edition of the Surf Sports Manual. This replaces the old run-swim-run and timed pool swim.

The competition skills evaluation (open water swim) must be achieved before members are eligible to compete in any event. This is a minimum standard proficiency requirement. The skills evaluation levels are explained below:

Age Category	Children will need to demonstrate the following capabilities if they wish to participate in Nippers carnivals
Under 6 & Under 7	NIL (No competition at Nippers carnivals)
Under 8	NIL (no water competition, except for wade, which takes place in waist deep water)
Under 9	Minimum 150m open water swim (competition course as per competition manual)
Under 10	Minimum 150m open water swim (competition course as per competition manual)
Under 11	Minimum 200m open water swim (competition course as per competition manual)
Under 12	Minimum 200m open water swim (competition course as per competition manual)
Under 13	Minimum 200m open water swim (competition course as per competition manual)
Under 14	Minimum 200m open water swim (competition course as per competition manual)

Youth Devlopment

The future of Stockton Surf Club lies with its youngest members.

The Club recognises the importance of developing our youth and has designed youth development programs and activities to give them skills and confidence in the surf and beyond. This page gives information on the organisation of its junior and youth section and gives information on the activities available.

The kids of the youth development program are divided into Nippers (5 years to 14 years) and cadets (15 years to 18 years). For more information or enquires about the youth development program, please contact Jo Drydan youthdevelopment@stocktonsurfclub.com

Aims

The aims of the Stockton SLSC Junior and Youth Programme are to:

• encourage enjoyable and healthy participation;
• increase members’ confidence and skills in beach-related activities;
• increase members surf awareness and develop SLS competition skills;
• develop surf awareness;
• progress the members towards relevant surf awards;
• promote a positive non-threatening environment;
• develop leadership skills through challenge and training opportunities and
• instil and reinforce SunSmart philosophies

Age Groups

Nippers are further divided into age groups. A child’s group for the entire season is determined by their age on the 30 September. If your child has a birthday during the season, they remain in the group that they started the season in.

Junior members are required to wear a coloured cap and high vis long sleeve rash shirt while involved in the Club junior activities. The coloured cap & high vis program is designed for:

• Safety – so that the child is easily identified in the surf
• Organisation – enables each age group to be easily located
• Familiarisation – all club members must wear club caps in inter-club carnivals.

Each nipper can purchase the appropriate coloured cap at the beginning of the season for $20.

All new nippers will be provided with one (1) high vis long sleeve rash shirt at no cost. All replacement high vis rash shirts will cost $45

Registration Fees

Please visit the membership page for 2022/23 registration fees.

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