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Contents 1. Introduction... 3 a. Welcome... 3 b. Member Behaviour and Expectations... 4 c. Member Involvement Opportunities... 5 d. Water Safety... 6 2. Training and the Piping Hot Summer Holiday Program... 7 a. Winter Training... 7 b. Piping Hot Summer Holiday Program (SHP)... 7 i. Pre-Piping Hot Summer Holiday Program Social Function... 7 ii. Piping Hot Summer Holiday Program Sessions and times... 8 c. Competition Training... 8 i. Wednesday Sessions... 8 ii. Sunday Sessions... 8 d. U7 & U8 Age Groups... 9 e. Junior Preliminary Skills Evaluation... 9 f. Surf Badge (S Badge)... 10 g. Surf Rescue Certificate (SRC)... 11 3. Nipper Sub Committee... 11 4. Age Managers... 12 5. Nipper Captains... 13 6. Nipper Competitions... 14 a. Junior Carnivals... 14 b. Regional Qualification Carnival... 15 c. State Junior Championships... 15 d. TSLSC Nipper Champions... 15 e. Carnival Entries... 16 f. Carnival Day... 16 g. What to take to Carnivals... 17 h. Competition Camp: To be confirmed... 18 7. Fundraising... 19 a. Tin Rattle... 19 b. Sponsorships & Donations... 19 8. How to stay informed... 19 2
1. Introduction a. Welcome Welcome to the Torquay Surf Lifesaving Club Nippers for season 2016-17! We are extremely excited that you are interested in joining us for the upcoming summer season which promises to be a fun and enjoyable one for all nippers and their families Once again we are running the Piping Hot Nipper Summer Holiday Program over two weeks. We are also offering nippers the opportunity to be involved in the Winter Training sessions, then Competition Training following the Summer Holiday Program for those nippers wishing to compete in the various carnivals and hopefully the State Lifesaving Championships in March 2017. The TSLSC Nipper Program is based on participation and fun with a focus on developing junior lifesavers for the future protection of all visitors to our local beaches around Torquay. Like all surf clubs, the principal focus of the TSLSC is lifesaving. Whilst we teach all our nippers the basic elements of life saving, we do it in a fun and exciting way. Water and beach activities are included in each session to cater for all levels and all nippers. By the end of the program your children will have learnt the value of being safe in the ocean and most importantly, have developed some ability to help save someone's life, the most valuable of all skills! Our Summer Holiday Program is based on the requirements of SLSA and LSV guidelines to ensure that all participants are safe at all times in and around the aquatic environment. We are strictly governed by water safety ratios (all water safety are trained and all hold a Bronze Medallion in Aquatic Rescue), and undertake a safety assessment of the beach and water conditions prior to each and every session to ensure the conditions are safe. If we are unsure of the conditions, we will not put children into the water. We have contingency plans in place to swap program activities at any time. All of our Age Managers have completed Age Manager Accreditations and are all holders of valid Working with Children Cards. We take the safety of your children very seriously and will at all times protect them. We have compiled this document with new members and returning members to share our direction for the coming season. This document is a refined version of the Nipper Handbook available on the TSLSC website. Should you have any additional questions at any time, please do not hesitate to contact me via email at nippers.tslsc@gmail.com I look forward to meeting you at the club, Paul Schram, Junior Development Director 3
b. Member Behaviour and Expectations The TSLSC is an all-inclusive family club that strives to uphold the ideals and good values of sportsmanship and inclusion for all. If at any time these values are not being upheld by any member, please bring this to the attention of the Nipper Director. We take this very seriously and will thoroughly explore any issue. At TSLSC we encourage all our nippers and senior members. We do not discriminate; we respect each other, their efforts and their achievements irrespective of the result. We are all parents; we all want our children to be successful in every aspect of their lives which at times can be difficult for parents to control. We ask that all members approach their children s varying levels of success in a positive and encouraging manner. Not every child will succeed, win or make a team but EVERY child is successful for having a go, sometimes well beyond their comfort level. Surf Lifesaving is one of the most difficult and demanding of sports. The level of physical activity required to train and compete is incredible. At times, we are asking children as young as 8 years old to swim two to three times over 150m in the ocean with currents and waves. They may back this up with boarding over longer distances of up to 300m, again two to three times. Keeping this this in mind it is no surprise our children get tired, emotional, frustrated and even angry! When these things happen, our Age Managers will take care of your children. We ask that, as parents, you respect the mindset of the nippers as sometimes, enough is enough for them. If they wish to pull out of an event or sit out of a training session that s fine. If their Age Manager wants them to sit out, take a break and recover then that is what will happen. The Age Manager s role is to instruct and supervise your children s development. Age Managers make decisions that at times may seem at odds with the parents thought process. We must accept the Age Manager s decisions. If you feel there is an issue with the Age Manager s decisions or approach, please bring this to the attention of the Nipper Director who will then assess the situation and respond accordingly. The role of parents is critical to the young person s wellbeing and ongoing involvement. Supportive parents provide essential care, education and enthusiasm. A challenge for parents is getting the right balance between disinterest and overbearing involvement, and being able to read their child s changing support needs. Age Managers are encouraged to provide a full briefing to parents during the season outlining the Age Managers expectations in relation to supporting the children and assisting with activities. It is important that a parent or carer of an SLSA nipper will: Remember that their child participates in surf life saving for their own enjoyment Focus on their child s efforts and performance rather than winning and losing Show appreciation for good performances by all participants Never ridicule or yell at their child or other children for making a mistake 4
Respect official s decisions and teach their children to do likewise Not physically or verbally abuse or harass anyone associated with the activities (e.g. coach, official, Age Manager, etc.) Be a positive role model for others. c. Member Involvement Opportunities Each and every parent within the nipper section is welcome to assist in the running of our section. There are many roles available for each and every person to get involved in. These are varied in their commitment and level of expertise but each is as vital as the next to ensure the safe and efficient running of the nipper section. Like many sporting organisations the TSLSC is run by volunteers who are there to ensure that the program runs as efficiently as possible in a safe manner due to the nature of our sport. We would like a parent/guardian from each family to be involved in some sort of aspect throughout the coming season. When the competition season is upon us, the level of volunteer requirement increases and in the past, this has been left to a minority to fulfil the requirements. Each carnival requires water safety, Inflatable Recuse Boat (IRB) crew, officials, Age Manager helpers, set-up, pack-up and transportation of the equipment trailer to enable us to take and enter a team. If we do not fulfil our LSV support requirements (i.e. provide the requisite Water Safety, IRB and Carnival Officials quota) then we will not be allowed to compete. How can you help? Water Safety - complete a parent bronze course which is free of charge for TSLSC members. Carnival Official - undertake a one day course to become an official at a carnival IRB - become a crewman and/or driver of an IRB Age Manager - become an Age Manager and complete a one day course accreditation Age Manager Helper - join in with an age group to assist the Age Manager Fund Raising - help at TSLSC fund raising events and tin rattles Set-up/Pack-up - help packing trailers, setting up carnival tents, assist TSLSC and LSV in set up Transportation - drive the gear trailer to carnivals BBQ - assist our BBQ chef in cooking/selling Summer Holiday Program Set-up - assist in setting up the beach for the Piping Hot Summer Holiday Program Social Activities - join the nipper sub-committee to arrange and run social activities. 5
As you can see, there a many and varied ways to help out and get to know your fellow members! Before each carnival, we will be putting together a list of what needs to be done and will be calling for parents to volunteer to assist with these activities. If you hold a bronze or carnival official qualification, we are relying on you to be available to assist. Wherever possible, we will place these water safety and carnival officials into the age group where your children are competing. Acting as an Official at carnivals is an easy way to be involved. Complete a simple course and then you are qualified to perform the important roles of recording, judging, running an event and generally assisting in the running of an age group (again, your child s group wherever possible). There is always an age referee that runs the age group which takes on board all the official running of the carnival. You will assist where required. If in the event we do not get enough volunteers for a carnival or club event, we will volunteer members and expect these members to perform the duty or find a replacement. The age group will not compete in a carnival if we cannot fulfil our clubs LSV support requirements, so we ask that each member does a little bit to help a lot. d. Water Safety As a requirement of SLSA & LSV (our governing bodies) we MUST have adequate Water Safety at ALL sanctioned TSLSC training and competition events throughout the season. We request that all parents and members who hold a current Bronze Medallion Award are available for as many training sessions as possible throughout the season. Without adequate water safety for each session, we will restrict the numbers of nippers in the water at any point in time. This is a non-negotiable SLSA & LSV & TSLSC safety requirement that will be strictly adhered to always! Your children are our priority, their safety is paramount. All qualified water safety officers are to wear orange water safety tops during the session. This is a high visibility colour that gives our children a clear understanding of where help is. The more members in orange we have the safer our children are. The ratio for water safety to nippers varies depending on the conditions of the ocean and the weather. The condition of the water and the weather is reviewed by the Nipper Director, Club Captain (when available) and the water safety coordinator prior to the commencement of each session. If the conditions are not deemed suitable, training will be altered, the location may be moved (from TSLSC to Cosy Corner) or the session cancelled. As you are aware, we are working with nature and have no control over what is presented to us each session. We will endeavour to review swell forecasts and weather patterns in advance of a training session to determine as best we can the suitable location or if we will run the session. Our weather patterns and swell conditions over the summer period are generally favourable but as we know, Victoria is a strange place at times! If no communication is presented by social media, the session is deemed suitable to run at the pre-determined location. 6
We take the decision to change locations and the running order of sessions very seriously and these decisions are always made with your children s safety as the number one priority. 2. Training and the Piping Hot Summer Holiday Program a. Winter Training Commencing: Sunday 9 th October 2016 Location: Time: TSLSC 9:00am till 10:30am Sunday: @ TSLSC, 9:00am till 10:30am till the SHP 2016/17. Wednesday: @ Cosy Corner (opposite Growlers) 5:30pm till 6:30pm until the SHP starts. b. Piping Hot Summer Holiday Program (SHP) Social Function: Training: Wednesday 28 th December 2016 Social Function from 4:00pm Session 1 Thursday 29 th December 9am Completing: Saturday 14 Th January 2017 Location: @ TSLSC i. Pre-Piping Hot Summer Holiday Program Social Function This season we are holding a Pre-SHP Social Function, providing an opportunity to meet your Age Manager and obtain any information that may be required prior to the commencement of the Piping Hot Summer Holiday Program. Find out the running order for each day of the program, meet your fellow age group participants and generally socialize at the club. Hopefully the weather will be kind to us all and we can have a great night at the club. Although there is no official training session, the nippers are welcome to go out and have a free-surf with the consent of their parent/guardian. Again, this will be under the supervision of parents. We will have food available for purchase on the night; the bar will be open to enjoy a social evening. Keep an eye out on Team App and Facebook for additional information and menu. All nippers and their families are welcome; this will be a great start to our program! 7
ii. Piping Hot Summer Holiday Program Sessions and times Session 1 Thursday 29 th December 2016 9:00am 11:00am Morning Session 2 Friday 30 th December 2016 4:00pm 6:00pm Afternoon Session 3 Tuesday 2 nd January 2017 9:00am 11:00am Morning State Junior Carnival #2 Cosy Corner Friday 6th January Session 4 Sunday 8 th January 2017 9:00am 11:00am Morning Session 5 Monday 9 th January 2017 9:00am 11:00am Morning Session 6 Wednesday 11 th January 2017 4:00pm 6:00pm Afternoon Session 7 Friday 13 th January 2017 4:00pm 6:00pm Afternoon Session 8 Saturday 14 th January 2017 9:00am 11:00am Morning Presentation Saturday 14 th January 2017 4:00pm 6:00pm Afternoon & Evening & Social Function c. Competition Training i. Wednesday Sessions Commencing: Wednesday 18 th January 2017 Location: Time: Duration: @ Cosy Corner (Opposite Growlers) 5:30pm till 6:30pm Every Wednesday at Cosy Corner until State Championships (11 th & 12 th March) Note: Due to the limited time on a Wednesday training session, we will commence with beach and water activities straight away. All nippers need to be ready to commence at 5:30pm where possible (we understand work commitments for parents can make this difficult at times) so we can get the most value out of the training sessions. ii. Sunday Sessions Commencing: Sunday 22 nd January 2017 Location: Time: Duration: @ TSLSC 9:00am till 10:30am Every Sunday at TSLSC until State Championships (11 th & 12 th March) 8
Please note each Sunday morning training session will begin with a run. Please be ready to go in running gear, shorts, tops and shoes as not all running will be on the beach. Following the run, nippers will quickly change into wetsuits/bathers and commence beach/water activities. This will take approximately the first 20 minutes of the session Competition training for U9-U14 is each Sunday and Wednesday as per times above from the conclusion of the SHP to the week prior to the Junior State Carnival. Weather and surf conditions, dates of Junior Carnivals and Regional Qualifier may alter the training schedule. d. U7 & U8 Age Groups U7 and U8 this year are welcome to attend all training sessions from winter training through to the competition training. We will need the assistance of parents of children in these age groups to help in the running of these age groups. They will be joined together for the sessions (numbers dependent) to help reduce the load on the parents/officials running these sessions. The U7 age group does not do any competitions, with the U8 age group doing limited beach related activities which also include a wade event. Training for these age groups will be like that of the Piping Hot Summer Holiday Program where education and skills development will continue in a fun and interactive environment. It is anticipated that the U7 Age Manager will run the Sunday Sessions when available with different people managing and running the Wednesday afternoon sessions. Again, all U7 and U8 nippers are encouraged to attend all sessions. e. Junior Preliminary Skills Evaluation Many activities that will be completed by children as part of the nippers program will be conducted in the water. To ensure that all children have a suitable swimming ability to enable them to participate in these activities, SLSA requires a Junior Preliminary Skills Evaluation for each age group. Every junior member is required to participate in this evaluation, conducted by the club, prior to any junior water activity training or competition being undertaken. It includes a swim and a float which is progressively increased by age group. Normally this would occur at the very first training session but if not this must be completed before any water activity is undertaken. The intent of this is to conduct an evaluation of each junior member s own swimming and water survival ability for the information of the member, parent and Age Manager. Any child that does not meet the required evaluation level will require a higher level of supervision when involved in water based activities. These children must remain in shallow water and based on a 1:1 ratio until the child is deemed competent in relation to the preliminary skills evaluation guidelines. Any child that does complete the preliminary skills evaluation competently can progress to water based junior activities under the regular water safety 5:1 ratio. 9
This assessment will be performed at the club, or the relevant competency level can be signed off by an accredited swimming teacher. Forms for swimming teacher sign off can be obtained through Age Managers or the Nipper Director. Age group requirements are as follows: Under 7 Nil (shallow water activities only) Under 8 25 metre swim, (any stroke) 1 minute survival float Under 9 25 metre swim, (any stroke) 1 minute survival float Under 10 25 metre swim, (freestyle) 1 1/2 minute survival float Under 11 50 metre swim, (freestyle) 2 minute survival float Under 12 100 metre swim, (freestyle) 2 minute survival float Under 13 150 metre swim, (freestyle) 3 minute survival float Under 14 200 metre swim, (freestyle, in less than 5 minutes) 3 minute survival float f. Surf Badge (S Badge) From the age of 8 (Under 9) nippers can begin to compete in inter-club competition. To ensure that all nippers that wish to compete have the ability, strength and fitness to complete the course they must be able to complete the junior competition evaluation for their age group. The junior competition evaluation is based on the swim distances as set out in the Surf Sports Manual for that age group and is a minimum standard guideline in the form of an open water swim. Competition Skills Evaluation requirements are as follows: Under 7 Nil (no competition) 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) Under 10 Minimum 150m open water swim (competition course) Under 11 Minimum 288m open water swim (competition course) Under 12 Minimum 288m open water swim (competition course) Under 13 Minimum 288m open water swim (competition course) Under 14 Minimum 288m open water swim (competition course) The competition evaluation must be achieved before being eligible to compete in any carnivals. This is a minimum standard water proficiency requirement. 10
An S-Badge is valid for 12 months. Depending on water temperature, S-badge assessments will be conducted during Winter Training, and throughout the Piping Hot SHP. The priority is to accredit new nippers, and under 9 nippers in readiness for the competition season. Age Managers will be able to provide more information on when assessments are scheduled and discuss your child s readiness for the swim. g. Surf Rescue Certificate (SRC) All U14 age competitors and members wishing to compete in any carnival need to complete their SRC certificate. This is non-live in camp of one week duration at the Torquay Surf Lifesaving Club. Cost of camp for each attending member: $200.00 Date of SRC camp: Monday 12 th December 2017 until Sunday 18 th December 2017 3. Nipper Sub Committee For season 2016/17 we will be seeking members to hold a position in the Nipper Sub Committee to assist in the running of various components of the Nipper Section. Where possible, we will be seeking confirmation from existing members of the Sub-Committee to ascertain if they are interested in undertaking the role again for the 2016/17 season. As per the TSLSC Committee, the preference is to have people on the Sub Committee perform a role for two seasons to allow for continuity and succession planning within the Nipper Section. Should they not wish to return, or they are no longer a member, or their nippers have moved into the senior section or a decision is made to advertise these positions, this will be made available to all Nipper Section parent members. Selection of the Nipper Sub-Committee will be done by the Nipper Director and where necessary seek assistance in the selection from members of the TSLSC Committee. The current sub-committee members are listed below. We still need a couple of roles to be filled for this season in the fundraising and social side coordinator roles this season. Any interested members who would like to fulfil these roles please contact the Nipper Director. Support for all roles is available, and the more members we have involved across the section the smoother and easier it will run. Nipper Director: Paul Schram SHP Co-coordinator: Marsha Montebello Nipper administrator: Kylie Schram Gear steward: Ben Spargo Water Safety Co-coordinator: John Mercer Carnival Entry Co-coordinator: Kylie Schram 11
Competition Co-Coordinator: Paul Schram/Peter Quinlan Fundraising Co-coordinator: Vacant Social Committee Co-Coordinator: Vacant Any questions arising from any activities within the nipper section can be discussed with any member of the sub-committee. Should any member not feel comfortable discussing any issues, please contact the Nipper Director and a time will be arranged to meet and discuss any issues. 4. Age Managers Age Managers are a vital part of the nipper section. Without them, we simply cannot operate in a way that allows the nippers to be educated in surf safety and lifesaving skills. Age Managers undertake a day course with a qualified instructor or can undertake a day course run by LSV at LSV head offices in Port Melbourne. During this course, all Age Managers receive information and training in all aspects of the nipper training process and how to deal with children in a group environment. Wherever possible, Age Managers stay with their group of nippers as they move up through the age groups. This allows for continuity and development of existing relationships. It is a lot smoother and easier for the Age Manager to coach and teach the nippers if they already have a working understanding of the nippers and their parents. Age Managers from last season have been contacted and asked to return and have moved up in age groups accordingly. U7: Scott Hastie U8: Jacqui Sampson U9: Ian Kellock U10: Matt Henderson & Cate Hughes U11: Kieran O'Dwyer & Scott McCardel U12: Kurt O Toole & Kerrie White U13: Kate Tass & Briely Wight U14: Peter Quinlan Clear and concise direction this season will be given to the Age Managers on expectations with respect to: Training commitment Carnival commitment SHP commitment 12
Selection of team s criteria Conflict management Support of an assistant It is a strong preference this season that each Age Manager will have an assistant that will be with them for the duration of the SHP, the competition training and the competition season. This should greatly assist the Age Manager in administration duties, general running of the sessions and liaison with parents. Each Age Manager will be issued with a list of all their age groups contact details to allow for ease of communication throughout the season. Any questions parents have at any time relating to training or general information can be directed to your Age Manager. The Age Manager and assistant to the Age Manager are there to assist and ensure all nippers get the most out of the season. Should any parent or parents wish to assist in their age group please let the Age Manager or the Nipper Director know. We need at least one assistant per age group but like all associations, there is always room for more to cover when people are away. 5. Nipper Captains Nipper captains will be appointed from the U14 age group and will be presented at the commencement of the SHP. Nominations will be sought from the U14 age group within November/December 2016 with the nominated nippers written submissions to be returned to the nipper director by Sunday December 11 th 2016. Nipper captains will be expected to undertake several roles throughout the Piping Hot SHP and Competition Season. This level of commitment will be addressed and confirmed but namely; Give a verbal presentation to the Piping Hot SHP nippers at the first session Assist in each age group for 1 session during the Piping Hot SHP Assist in the development of nippers where required by nipper director and Age Managers Represent the TSLSC at the Torquay Dawn Service and lay the TSLSC wreath Assist at carnivals with the warm-ups of the competition team and offer support/motivation Give an end of season verbal presentation to the Competition group at States The successful applicants will be selected and voted on at the Nipper Sub-committee meeting prior to the Piping Hot SHP commencement. Successful applicants will be selected based on their response to the following: Year joined nipper program: 13
Year of first LSV carnival participation: Please answer the following questions from your perspective as fully as you feel is required. 1. Finish this sentence: If I was to be appointed club captain the first thing I would like to achieve would be. 2. Describe the key things that you believe you have learned during your time with nippers 3. What does the role of club captain mean to you? 4. Imagine you meet a new family on the beach how would you describe the Torquay Nipper program? 5. Explain why the subcommittee should appoint you as Nipper club captain for this year. Additional considerations to selection will include: Character of applicant Years within the club Leadership qualities Demeanor Relationship and interaction skills with others within the Nipper section Training and club participation. 6. Nipper Competitions a. Junior Carnivals The carnival schedule has been released and is listed below. These are still to be 100% confirmed once all council permits are in place. State Junior Carnival No. 1: Sunday 4th December 2016, South Melbourne State Junior Carnival No. 2: Friday 6th January 2017, Cosy Corner, Torquay State Junior Carnival No. 3: Sunday 15th January 2017, Ocean Grove State Junior Carnival No. 4: Saturday 21st January 2017, Chelsea (Qualifier) State Junior Carnival No. 5: Saturday 5th February 2017, Ocean Grove State Junior Carnival No. 6: Sunday 12th February 2017, Lorne (Qualifier) State Junior Carnival No. 7: Sunday 26th February 2017, Hampton 14
b. Regional Qualification Carnival In previous seasons, the Regional Qualification Carnival has been held at a local venue where any nipper intending to compete at the State Championships must attend this carnival and qualify to compete in selected events at states. For example, qualification may be to finish in the top 10, 15, 20 or a nominated bracket depending on the number of competitors and the required start list at States. These qualification numbers will be issued to the clubs prior to the carnival. Age Managers will have all this information prior to qualifications to fully inform the age group of the requirements. LSV are considering changing the qualification system to a certain number of carnivals that will be mandatory to participate in if nippers are seeking to attend and compete at States. The exact format of this and the specific carnivals is still to be determined by LSV. At the time of publishing, the nominated Qualification Carnivals are Numbers 4 and 6, Chelsea and Lorne. Once LSV confirms the qualification process for this seasons state titles we will inform the nipper section. c. State Junior Championships This year the State Championships will be hosted by and held at Warrnambool LSC Saturday 11th March 2017: Day 1, Individual Day (some team events subject to LSV) Sunday 12th March 2017: Day 2, Team Competition Day Accommodation will need to be arranged by nipper families. There are a range of camp grounds, motels, hotels and homes available via the usual websites. Practically, Age Managers and parents collaborate and communicate during the season on these arrangements to try and ensure that age groups and TSLSC families are together as much as possible. The sooner arrangements are made the better, so if you think your child would like to participate at the States let your Age Manager know. d. TSLSC Nipper Champions In 2015/16 we trialed an initiative where Age Managers recorded and issued to the Nipper Director all nippers results from each carnival throughout the season. The view is to, based on the results and a corresponding points system, to have a nipper champion(s) for each age group and an overall winner at the end of the season. The aim of the points based system is to provide a wider range of nippers with the opportunity to be nipper champion in their age group. The overall nipper club champions (1 boy and 1 girl from across all age groups U9 U14) will be the nippers that have accrued the most points across the whole season. There is a very real possibility that the overall nipper club champion could be from the U9 age group as this is a point based system based on participation and results of carnival participation. 15
Points will be allocated as follows (to be ratified by the Nipper Sub-committee prior to Cosy Corner Carnival): Carnival Participation 3 Points Event Participation 1 Point Competing in a final in an event 2 Points 1 st Place in carnival event 6 Points 2 nd Place in carnival event 5 Points 3 rd Place in Carnival event 4 Points 4 th Place in Carnival event 3 Points 5 th Place in Carnival event 2 Points 6 th Place in Carnival event 1 Point Points will be allocated to each participant in an event (individual or team) for their placement in said event based on the above. Maximum points for an event would be possibly 9, participation in an event, participating in a final and winning that final i.e. 1 + 2 + 6 = 9 e. Carnival Entries Information will be provided to all nipper members early in the season and prior to carnivals advising how to pay for and the costs associated with each carnival. Carnival entry costs are separate to membership fees and are payable in advance of the carnival through the member portal system. The easiest way to pay any membership or carnival entry fees is via Team App. Team App has a link on the bottom left of the home screen SLSA PAYMENT GATEWAY access. Click the link and you will be directed to enter information allowing you to easily pay as necessary. A list of the carnivals dates and costs will be issued to all members as soon as possible so members will have the opportunity to select the carnivals they want to compete in and pay in advance. This is the easiest way to ensure your children are entered the carnival. Some carnivals require the nippers to select their events; this will be communicated to all members in advance of the carnivals. Generally, nippers enter all events in all carnivals as it s a great way to keep active and ensure you are not sitting around on the beach all day for one or two events. Most carnivals also have team events which are a great get involved and compete for your club and with your mates. f. Carnival Day Surf Lifesaving Carnivals can be a long day. Generally, carnivals require all clubs to be at the beach and ready for team and official briefings from 8:15am on the day of the carnival. From there, we will have a team meeting to give everyone a run down on the order of events and where each age group will be competing. Competition and marshalling for the first event is usually around 8:45 to 9:00am. LSV are likely to changing running orders, starts times and events due to many factors, so we ask that all nippers stay with their age group and always listen to their Age Managers and helpers. 16
It is important to follow the age group flag at all times during the carnival; this will make sure you don t miss any events or presentations! Age Managers throughout the carnival will receive updates on programs from the relevant area referees and duly inform the age group. Having Age Manager parent helpers is critical as boys and girls may be competing in different events at the same time in different places. For example, boys could be doing flags on the beach and girls could be doing board in the ocean. Age Managers need assistance organizing teams and making sure the nippers are marshalled in time, with hats and tops required. If we don t marshall correctly and on time we won t be allowed to compete! Most carnivals program run with boys and girl s events following each other but strange things can happen with LSV carnivals so expect and be prepared for anything and you won t be surprised! We ask that all items required for the day are packed into a bag including all food and drink, as once the tent is left at the commencement of the day, it is unlikely that you will return unless there is a large break in the carnival. All age groups will have a bucket that is used to carry water bottles and hats/short sleeved tops. This bucket will be carried by a parent to each event site so it is readily available for the nippers. (This bucket will normally serve as the home base identifier so our team stays together throughout the day. Marshalling for events is a critical time for the competition. When marshalling for an event, all nippers must have on a broad brimmed hat and their short sleeved pink rash vest. Nippers can marshall in long sleeved tops also if it is cold or for more sun protection. Marshalling in the correct attire i.e. a broad brimmed hat and sleeved top protects nippers from sun exposure. Nippers can be in the sun in the sun all day so when not competing, we need all nippers and parents to be sun smart and protect themselves at all times. Sun screen is one of the most vital things to remember to bring. Age Managers will have sunscreen with them but nippers should have some in their bag their own also, particularly if they have specific brand requirements for sensitive skin or eyes. Consistent with our club training, all LSV carnivals operate using the colored age group flags which are carried to and located at each event site. These flags are the same as ours, color based with the age group clearly printed on them. At all times, parents and nippers alike should know where the flag is as this indicates where you should be. Always follow the flag! g. What to take to Carnivals Carnivals held in the Victorian summer are unpredictable! As we all know, 4 seasons in one day is highly likely! As such, we have put together a list of things we think you should bring with you to help make the day enjoyable and comfortable for your nippers. Water bottles with fresh water Sunscreen and Zinc Food for the duration of the day including healthy energy foods and snacks (limit any chocolates with a preference for glucose based sweets) Bathers A broad brimmed hat for marshalling. (Competition T caps can be purchased from the club for supportive parents) 17
Goggles, two pairs if possible, sometimes they break or can get lost at sea Towels, always a minimum of two, towels get wet, kids get cold. Towels are great wind breaks Waterproof jackets, a great way to keep children dry and protected from the cold winds Rug, if the weather looks nasty for the carnival consider packing a rug or old sleeping bag, this will keep your child warm, warm kids are happy kids! Nipper board (if you have one) Change of clothes for the end of competition to travel home in Please pack any item that is specific to your children s needs i.e. asthma inhalers, medical items, specific dietary requirements etc. These items must be packed and taken with you as you travel around the carnival site. As mentioned before, the club tent is rarely used unless there is a delay in competition. The tent is always available as a base for TSLSC to keep boards, belt and reel, water safety equipment, extra items/food that you may not want to carry around. If you do use the club tent to store extra items, please do not let the children go back to the tent to get these items, parents should do this for children as they must stay with the age group and Age Manager as they are their responsibility, and may also miss events. If a child wishes to use the bathroom, please inform the Age Manager or assistant before taking them. Missing children on a beach can create a significant issue. h. Competition Camp: To be confirmed This is a conceptual idea at this point and one that will require some work on and clarification. This camp will be based around the camp/training held at Maroochydore each year in the September School holidays. We would like to see this camp introduced this season as an opener and excellent way to kick off our competition training season. The competition camp is planned to be an intensive training week at the commencement of the competition season in January for 1 week. This will be based at the TSLSC in a non-live in camp environment with possibly a 1 night stay on the Friday or Saturday night (dependent on club bookings). This camp will run from Monday to Sunday with sessions each day, possibly two per day, involving: Running training & coaching Flag training & coaching Swimming training & coaching Board Paddling training & coaching Iron training & coaching General training & coaching Nutrition & Diet education Physiological awareness in training & competition 18
We hope to secure some highly experienced coaches to assist and help run this event over the week. The preferred date at this stage is 23 rd to the 29 th January 2017 commencing on the Sunday following the usual training session (note this is a tentative date only until confirmed, the duration of the camp may also change). More information on this camp and any associated costs will be communicated to the nipper membership in due course. 7. Fundraising a. Tin Rattle Date: Australia Day, Thursday January 26 th The nipper section will undertake a tin rattle at the highway intersection of Darian and Surf Coast Highway. We will require a minimum of 8 people for three shifts across the day: Shift 1-8:30am till 11:30pm Shift 2-11:30pm till 3:00pm Shift 3-3:00pm till 5:30pm A minimum of 24 members over the age of 18 must be available. Please volunteer to assist! Tin rattles are one of the best ways for us as a club to raise much needed funds. Last season the nipper section collected over $8000 from two days at the intersection. The more people we have collecting on the day, the more fun it is and the more cars we can access. Club attire is to be worn; we will have Surf Lifesaving Patrol tops to borrow on the day also. b. Sponsorships & Donations The TSLSC must obtain sponsorships and donations from businesses and the community in order to survive every season! The TSLSC has a marketing section that would love to talk to any member who may be interested in helping the TSLSC in some financial way through either sponsorship or donations. If any member works in a company or organization that may be interested in aligning itself with a community based service such as the TSLSC please either contact the Nipper Director or the club directly. We can then introduce you to our Marketing Director, Fleur Batties, who can run through the many and varied sponsorship options. Without the support of local businesses, sponsors and donations the TSLSC would not be able to continue to protect the thousands of beach goers that use our beautiful beach each day over summer. 8. How to stay informed 19
Your nippers Age Manager is your primary contact for any questions or issues or alternatively contact the Nipper Director. Age Managers may set up their own communication methods with their age group parents. TSLSC and the Nipper Director will issue regular communications via Team App, Facebook and email with supporting information available on websites as described below. 20
Search for and follow Torquay SLSC, the official Facebook page of TSLSC designed to support engagement with the local community. Information will be posted on events, courses, photos, stats and more. Search for and join the closed group Nippers Torquay SLSC created for Torquay SLSC Nipper families to share information, ask questions, get to know each other and keep up to date. Team App and club posts will often be replicated here, but make sure you follow the official channels. Important information will be issued via email to members of TSLSC from time to time as required. Torquay SLSC http://www.torquayslsc.com.au/ Life Saving Victoria http://lsv.com.au/ Surf Life Saving Australia https://sls.com.au/ 21