Issue 27 - December 2016 Some of our new Bronze members who were assessed at Mona Vale. WE RE ABOUT TO TURN THE CORNER AGAIN It seems like the season has just begun, but we are about to turn the corner into our second half, as Christmas and the New Year approach. Congratulations to all our new Bronze and Surf Rescue Certificate members and welcome to one of Australia s most iconic organisations. I trust you enjoy patrolling with your club as much as I do with mine. On behalf of the community who access and use our fantastic beaches I would like to thank you and all our other members for your service and vigilance patrolling and keeping our beaches safe. To all Trainers and Assessors who have given freely of their time, experience and skills, to develop these new members, thank you so much. It should also be acknowledged at this time, the effort that our Assessors also put into overseeing the proficiencies for our 6,000 patrolling members. Surf lifesavers are wonderfully generous people. I have no doubt that this Christmas we will all remember to spare a thought for everyone who is doing it tough and lend a hand where we can. We have had some great times and some sombre times so far this season and our thoughts and prayers go to our members and their families who have lost loved ones. I also sadly report on the Sydney Northern Beaches athletes have dominated selection in the NSW team to contest the Inter State Championships on the Sunshine Coast next month. SNB provide 11 of the 24 members and Newport s Hannah Minogue has the honour of being named captain. passing of Life Members Bill Worth OAM, Ken Leonard and Barrie Pitt. To our members who will be patrolling and making our beaches safe on Christmas Day, foregoing Christmas lunch or dinner, on behalf of the community, which we serve, I thank you. Congratulations to Rhonda Lycett, Mona Vale SLSC and Craig Susans, Queenscliff SLSC for being awarded Life Membership of Surf Life Saving NSW. The honour is so well deserved for such significant contribution to surf life saving over many years. To our officials, coaches and competitors of the SNB Inter Branch team, congratulations and well done on your efforts last weekend at the Central Coast.We are all proud of you. On behalf of my fellow Branch Directors and myself, I would like to thank our clubs and their respective Board members and panels, the Support Service members and patrolling members. You do such a fantastic job. To my fellow directors and Branch staff that make it all happen, thank you and I trust you all have a great Christmas. From my family to yours, I wish you a happy, peaceful and a very safe Christmas. Doug Menzies SNB President SNB s POWER IN STATE TEAM She is joined by her Newport clubmates Georgia Miller, Lara Moses, Laura Shorter, Blake Drysdale and Max Brooks. Manly are represented by Kendrick Louis, Jay Furniss, Taylar Puskaric, Naomi Scott and Grace Gurr. The championships will be held at Alexandra Headland on January 20.
NSW GOVERNMENT DISTRIBUTES FUNDS All 21 clubs on the Sydney Northern Beaches have benefitted from the Surf Life Saving Club Facility Grant. The total amount of money being distributed to our clubs is $278,999. Newport SLSC and Collaroy SLSC are the biggest winners. The NSW Government requested a review of the SLSC Facility Grant last year and, as part of the review, the government provided funding to SLSNSW to undertake an audit of surf life saving clubs to assist in prioritising future funding under this grant program. SLSNSW engaged the services of AssetFuture to conduct the audits on every surf life saving club in NSW last year and this information assisted in validating the continuation of this important grant program. Stuart Ayres, NSW Minister for Sport, advised that the funding in the 2015-16 year of the SLSC Facility Grant should be used to address mandatory and statutory tasks identified from the audit. Here is a breakdown of the funding distribution among our 21 clubs. Newport $39,285 Collaroy $37,545 Warriewood $26,934 Bilgola $26,056 Avalon Beach $25,147 Narrabeen Beach $21,788 South Curl Curl $13,387 Freshwater $11,525 Manly $11,053 Dee Why $10228 North Steyne $9,591 North Palm Beach $8,799 North Narrabeen $8,094 Whale Beach $6,976 Queenscliff $5,212 North Curl Curl $4,573 South Narrabeen $3,794 Palm Beach $3,348 Mona Vale $2,775 Bungan Beach $1,747 Long Reef $1,142 Picture: Stuart Ayres - Minister for Sport STATE HONOURS QUEENSCLIFF STALWART Çraig Susans has been a one club man all his life. He s been with Queenscliff SLSC since he was a very young nipper and has never entertained the thought of leaving the club. Craig started out in nippers with his brother Gary and forged great friendships at Queensie, one of his best mates being Greg Heard, team manager of the Sydney Northern Beaches Branch team. Craig has always had a passion for surf sports. After gaining his Qualifying Certificate at 13, he was paddling a ski a year later. You were allowed to at that age in those days, he said. Three years later, he was gear captain. But bigger things were ahead for him later on in life when he became president of the club in 2011 and he served in that role for two years. Craig reckons he s probably served at least 30 years in various roles on the committee. Hardly surprising that he would become a Life Member of the club in 2003. Craig was recognised by the Sydney Northern Beaches Branch for his devoted service and received Life Membership of the Branch last year. And finally SLSNSW bestowed Life Membership upon Craig only last month. It s nice but I think I must be getting old, he chuckles. Don t these things happen when you get older? Craig loved it when his kids joined nippers but then one day he realised he wanted to do more than just watch. SO ENTHUSIASTIC I needed to do something else, he said. Craig became a competition official. He became so enthusiastic in what he did that he is a Level 3 Surf Sports Official and is a former Branch Surf Sports Director. Craig has received many accolades, including SNB and SLSNSW Official of the Year. While he was a starter at Aussies, it was generally felt he would be more valued by running things. While his competitive days are behind him, Craig still loves to go for a paddle with his mates. From the moment I jumped on a ski I loved it. I still do just like I do surf sports, he said. Picture: Craig calls competitors to the starting line for a ski race at the Fast Fives craft carnival at North Curl Curl.
RHONDA S DOUBLE IN THE ONE YEAR Rhonda Lycett was on her way to attend Mona Vale SLSC s 50th celebration for nippers last month when she received an unexpected phone call from SLSNSW President David Murray. Dave relayed the message to Rhonda that she was now a Life Member of SLSNSW, a reward for her services as a recorder. It was a shock but so lovely, Rhonda said. So that s SNB Branch and State Life Membership in the same year. And there s no stopping for Rhonda. Why would I? she says. I enjoy it too much. I like going down to the beach. It has been a way of life for me for so long. It is just natural for me to do it. Rhonda s son is the new Mona Vale SLSC President Bryce Munro. I first took Bryce to nippers when he was four. I just love seeing all the kids like Bryce and his friends growing up and now I have grandkids involved in nippers, she said. Rhonda, who has also been a Sydney Northern Beach Branch and State selector, always thought Bryce would be a president of Mona Vale SLSC one day. I am a bit surprised it has happened so early. He s still quite young, Rhonda said. Rhonda will be recording at the NSW titles again and hopes to be at Aussies. PETER AND PAM FRESHIE DREAMS Peter and Pam Rowlands have been a huge part of Freshwater SLSC for something like four decades, perhaps even longer. I remember our son Scott was little when we came to the club, Pam recalled. Prior to moving to the northern beaches, Peter was member of North Bondi and rowed surfboats. As Scott got a bit older, he competed in R and R and mum and dad were always there to watch him compete. Meanwhile, Peter became very interested in the march past. He won quite a number of gold medals at different levels, not always gold though, said Pam. Pam became known for her catering talents and it was only a few years ago she stopped providing those splendid lunches. Officials used to rave about her Australia Day lunches. Peter also officiated at carnivals for a long time. I dropped off after I suffered a stroke, he said. But he plans to help coach the march past team as the season hots up. Pictures: Top: New SLSNSW Life Member Rhonda Lycett; Middle: Freshwater s Peter and Pam Rowlands; Bottom: Nigel Penn with Kaz Marks at the SNB Life Members function.
THE THREE AMIGOS ARE REUNITED Their combined ages total 253 and they are the three longest serving Life Members of Sydney Northern Beaches Branch. Neil Purcell (88), Lindsay Paton (85) and Mick Byrnes (80) have all been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) and they are also Life Members of SLSA. They caught up at the SNB Life Members function at Collaroy SLSC on December 2. While Neil started out in surf life saving with North Steyne SLSC in 1942, his Life Membership with Branch didn t come until 1976 two years after Lindsay had received his. Mick followed in 1978. Neil has always been involved with North Steyne. I competed in R and R and boats in the early days, he said. My memories are not too flash these days but what a great organisation to be involved with. Mick and Lindsay have become great friends over the years. I joined Avalon SLSC in 1952 and I remember Lindsay was a swimmer at Mona Vale SLSC then, Mick said. Lindsay recalls they used to compete in eight to 10- zone carnivals in that era. All three have had health scares. But we are all still standing, Neill laughed. PAUL WAS THE GO-TO MAN When Paul Day looks back on his reign as Branch president, he s proud of what he achieved. In terms of service, Paul was the second longest serving president behind the late Allan Fitzgerald, MBE. Paul served from 1978-85 and, under his watch, certainly a lot of things happened. I stayed so long because I enjoyed what I was doing and I had a good relationship with the Warringah Shire Council, Paul said. When I was president we got quite a few new surf club buildings, he said. North Curl Curl, South Curl Curl, Warriewood, Freshwater, Manly and Queenscliff surf clubs all benefitted. It was a lot of hard night work dealing with Manly and Warringah Councils, negotiating with them and telling them our needs because it was ratepayers money. It wasn t small amounts of money but big amounts of money for the buildings, Paul said. We also got North Narrabeen a building arrangement. They wanted to do the building themselves as they had all the labourers in the club. We had to negotiate with council to give us a big parcel of money and the club would undertake the works and things like that. And they made it a damn good job in their building. Paul also served as president of North Steyne SLSC for six years and, in his younger days, competed in R and R. He believes that being a club or Branch president these days is a lot more demanding. Picture: Top: Neil Purcell (left), Lindsay Paton and Mick Byrnes; Middle: Jeff Andrew and Paul Day (right); Maureen Worth. Bottom: Jennifer Drury, Kay Lyall, Robyn Holt, Rhonda Lycett and Suzanne Rossi.
REES SALUTES OUR ATHLETES FOR FIGHTING SPIRIT Dave Rees, the High Performance manager for Sydney Northern Beaches Board of Surf Sports, was full of praise for our athletes after they went down fighting to Sydney Branch in the NSW Inter Branch Championship at The Lakes on the Central Coast. After trailing Sydney by 31 points on the first day, SNB came back on day two and bridged the gap to 16 points. If SNB had some experienced open competitors, they may well have won the title for a third year in a row. Hopefully it is a different story at the 2017 Inter Branch Championships to be held at Stockton Beach on December 9 and 10. Overall, we are really happy with the way the team performed, Rees said. We were probably a little bit down on points on the first day. I felt we could have done a bit better. But we clawed back a bit on Sydney Branch the next day and pretty much won the day. While we fell short, the most important thing is that all the kids had fun, especially all the new ones. There s definitely a good culture there. Rees couldn t hide the fact that not having some older open competitors hurt. We were down a bit on our experienced members for one reason or another and it probably showed throughout the whole camp and campaign. They are the one denominator that all the young ones look up to, he said. In saying that, it gave some news ones an opportunity, especially the 19s and some 17s competed up in the opens, which they alternatively wouldn t have had a chance to. So it s Yin and yang. POCKET ROCKETS We are really happy with the Inter Branch format as it stands. We had board rescue relays, which I thought was a success and we haven t had that for many years. Look, in the end, we were happy to come away with second. Rees thought the under 12 water girls, Tara Harvey and Talia Allsop, really did the Branch proud. They are pocket rockets. They just put their heart and soul on the line everytime they raced. Being new to a representative team, I thought that was fantastic, Rees said. Our male captain Chris Allum led from the front. He was tireless talking to the athletes, not only the young ones. At team dinners he confiscated mobile phones. I think he had about 12 phones at one stage. He just wanted the younger ones to get to know each other. Rees singled out Olivia Heaton, Joel Piper and the Morris twins Mitch and Jake as the standouts in water events. Rees hopes that next season the NSW Inter Branch Championships don t clash with the Summer of Surf series. SNB beach coach Michael Gedz was generally pleased with how the athletes performed. I thought we underachieved in some events and overachieved in others, he said. I was particularly happy with the two relay performances. We came second in both and trained hard for that.
SPECIAL CROMER KIDS THRIVE AT THE BEACH Cromer Public School teacher Denise Jeffery has described Surf Life Saving Sydney Northern Beaches program for special needs kids as just fantastic and very, very valuable. With the terrific sponsorship of the RFi Group, the program caters for special needs kids from Cromer and Mona Vale Public Schools and the Vern Barnett School (Autism Spectrum) at Forestville. This is the second year that RFi have backed the program. RFi is a global provider of customer intelligence focussing exclusively on financial services. We are indebted to their sponsorship. In this issue of Shore Break, we look at the impact the program has on these special kids at Cromer Public School. They couldn t get enough of going to the beach in Term 4. Teacher Denise Jeffery says the kids from her school are from the IO Support Class. They are moderately intellectually impaired but they are a class within a mainstream school, Denise explained. The eight students range from Kindergarten to Year 6. THE EXACT STEPS I am in total awe of the program. The kids absolutely love it and get so much out of it. It s just fantastic and very, very valuable. Do the kids comprehend? Yes they do understand. We make it so repetitive that each week we are doing the same thing, says Denise. They have been taught all the rescue skills, the skills to be in the water and to be safe in the water. They are doing the flags and games on the beach as well but then they are also learning about the safety at the beach, looking at the water and looking and learning when it is safe to go in the water. If you ask the older ones about rescuing someone, they will be able to tell you the exact steps in rescuing people and looking at the flags and knowing what they mean. Also when we are back at school, I will reinforce it. We will talk about the flags and differences but we make it very simple for them. We will write about it. I take photos while I am at the beach and then show them the photos of things we did at the beach that day. It sparks their memory as to what happened. Pictures: Top left: Cromer teacher Denise Jeffery; and SNB instructors Jayke Rees and Natasha Spencer with the Cromer Special Needs kids at South Curl Curl pool.
ALLEN S LIFESAVING SKILLS TESTED AT RAILWAY STATION Allen Janssens can thank his daughter Rory for talking him into becoming a volunteer lifesaver at Newport SLSC. The skills Allen has learnt as a lifesaver over the past 13 years helped save the life a 27-year-old woman not at the beach but at Redfern Railway Station on October 19. His actions resulted in Newport SLSC winning the Sydney Northern Beaches Branch Rescue of the Month for October. But the last thing Allen wants is to be painted a hero. The message I want to convey is that it is not about the individual, says Allen. In the lifesaving movement, it s about the people who do all the administrative work, the trainers and assessors who prepare people year in and year out for their awards. There is a direct link between the result at Redfern and all that work they put in. They don t actually see it but that s how those results come about. Allen encourages everyone to learn CPR and stay up to date and proficient; understand where defibrillator devices are located around your workplace and how to operate them; offer help in an emergency, even simple things such as crowd control, fetching first aid equipment etc. Allen was a mad keen surfboard rider most of his life and never had much to do with surf clubs until his daughter convinced her father he should join one. She told him: If I can do my bronze, you can do it. NEEDED ANY HELP Yeah, so I did, he said. Rory and her dad are now active patrolling members and on the same patrol at Newport SLSC. Allen was on his way home from work on October 19 and walking down the stairs at the station when he noticed two people performing CPR on a young woman. I asked if they had called an ambulance and if they needed any help, Allen said. They said yes. One of the men was the station paramedic. He was directing things. The other was a passer-by who had first aid training and we were doing mainly the compressions. Allen said he may have been working on the patient between 10 and 15 minutes. You are just so focussed, he said. JUNIOR LIFE SAVER NOMINATIONS Ella Cook, of Narrabeen Beach SLSC, won the State Junior Female Life Saver of the Year last season. Can Sydney Northern Beaches Branch provide another successful story this season? But first SNB have to find a female and male winner from their Branch. A reminder to all clubs that it is not too late to nominate your outstanding under 14 club female and male for these prestige awards. Nominations close on January 6 at 4pm. Forward them to Nick Hatch at the Branch Office. Email nick@surflifesaving.net.au or fax 99139066 Once the nominations close, there will be a workshop day (January 13), interviews (January 16 and 17), followed by a presentation evening on January 27. Trains were coming past all the time and you could see the shocked look on passengers faces as we performed CPR. The police arrived and got the crowd back and then the ambos arrived and gave her the shock and then she started to breathe. The woman had had a cardiac arrest. Her heart had stopped dead completely. It was like a short circuit in the heart, just a freak event. She was just lucky that the passer-by was first aid trained and the paramedic happened to be right there when it happened, Allen said. Allen said he was relieved when she started breathing. Through the powers of Facebook, Allen connected with the young woman s mother. The young woman spent three weeks in hospital but is now home going through rehab and looks like she will be fine, he said. It was certainly the most intense thing I have been involved in. Even the paramedic said it s one of the best results he s ever seen. Pictures: Allen Janssens at his beloved Newport Beach, and Ella Cook from Narrabeen Beach
FANTASTIC SUPPORT FOR BEACH CLUB The Beach Club Collaroy CEO Robert McConnell was over the moon with the amazing response to the Gala Lunch Fundraiser at Dee Why RSL Club in late October. We had a great day and were lucky enough to raise more than $150,000, Robert said. The funds will go towards building the seawall lost in the storm of June this year. Once this is in place, we will continue to seek out our options for funding. The fundraiser was a sell out and Rob could not thank Dee Why RSL, Clubs NSW, 2GB s Ben Fordham, Matty Johns, Greg Ritchie, Ian Thompson and some of the members of the Olympic gold medallists women s rugby team enough for their valuable contribution. It was just a fantastic occasion and everybody was in the mood to support our cause, said Rob. I have never seen so many happy people with empty wallets. Robert McConnell is pictured with Chris Montgomery, Graham Liddell and Grant Easterby; celebrities Matty Johns and Greg Ritchie with Olympic rugby heroes and 2GB s Ben Fordham.