nippers!
By Jason Close, Nippers Director
Nippers top 30
400 children, hundreds of parents, life savers and a friendly dolphin have had a terrific time at the Woolamai Beach Surf Life Saving Club Nippers program this summer
Lots of parents pitching in – becoming committee members, age managers, assistants, first aiders, water safety officers, setting up, packing up, helping behind the desk, filling Nippers bags, helping with the barbeque, transporting equipment
A record number of Nippers parents gaining their Bronze medallion and becoming surf life savers themselves as part of our adult Bronze squad
Making new friends and catching up with old friends
Nearly 100 Light Green group and Dark Green group children gaining their Resuscitation Certificate and Basic Emergency Care Certificate. Some basic first aid or knowing how to call for help can save a life
An exciting innovation introduced this season by former Club President, Michelle Murphy was the introduction of an inclusion day for children with disabilities. A small group of local children were able to take part in the program with the help of Michelle and a team of life savers and helpers. The children took part in some beach activities, paddled on boards and gained some confidence in the water and finished the morning with a sausage and a soft drink. It is planned to expand this aspect of the program next season
This season the Club, led by Michelle also offered a bursary scheme to give places in the program to a small number of local children who could not otherwise afford to participate. We were able to fit each child out with a rash vest and in some cases a second hand wetsuit. The Club is looking to expand this aspect of the program next season and will engage with local primary schools and community organisations to recommend participants
A visit from Rangers Kim and Clare from the Phillip Island Nature Park. The rangers shared lots of interesting information about local wildlife
Lots of ribbons won at ‘Have a Go Day’ where children competed in beach sprints, beach flags, swim races and board races
Our fantastic age managers and assistants – making learning so much fun
Lots of life savers who were former Nippers helping out as age managers and assistants – great to see these fantastic teenagers giving back to the program
Lots of water safety – thanks to Stewie Irving and his water safety crew – many of whom are former Nippers
A safe beach – thanks to Dr Anisha Pillay and her team of first aid helpers
An organised beach – thanks to Bre Goodger McGrath and all of our registration desk helpers
Disco night – movie night, Champagne and Sunset Night, Beer and Burgers Night and Helpers Pizza Night – something for everyone
Lots of fantastic raffle prizes thanks to our many local businesses and supporters – and Donna Brunt for organising
Over 4,000 sausages sold – thanks to Scott Donnelly and his team of BBQ helpers and the Newhaven-San Remo Lions Club bbq trailer
The daily visit by a friendly dolphin. When the dolphin first appeared we called everyone out of the water as we were concerned that the dolphin may be overwhelmed by being surrounded by large numbers of children. Gradually however we were able to continue the program with our water safety officers ensuring that the dolphin was given appropriate space
One of the best ever final days of the program – dangerous surf conditions meant that the final day could not be held at the surf beach. Initially our Nippers were disappointed not to be able to spend the final day of the program in the surf, but disappointment soon turned to delight, when the Nippers were paid a surprise visit and treated to a series of rescue demonstrations by the Club’s inflatable rescue boat crew and jet ski rescue service – thanks Mark Bain, Georgie,Wettenhall, Aquamole, Alex Trethewey and Hamish Derricks and others who helped
Lots of support from our fantastic Nippers sponsors including Twisted 8, Smash, Risk Partners, San Remo IGA, Beach Style Renovations. Lots of support from other community organisations – Bass Coast Shire Council, Phillip Island Nature Park and of course the Lions Club of San Remo and Newhaven
Some great new merchandise – hoodies, tee shirts, tracky dacks, caps, bathers, toodies and how could you go past stubby holders – thanks Fi Blackmore and Greg Harbour for all of your great work
A great summer of Nippers competition – lots of terrific training sessions at Smiths and some great results at carnivals
Record numbers of Nippers participating at Woolamai Beach SLSC Club Champs – awesome work by Jeremy and, Bre Goodger, Stafford Smith, Fi Blackmore and everyone else who made it happen
Lots of Nippers parents and Nippers helping out with Club events like the Channel Challenge and Cowes Classic – setting up transition areas – no lost shoes!
Over 90 children participate in the first ever Little Penguin Dash – a run-swim-run-swim race at Cowes – thanks Suze Fawaz and everyone who made this a special day
Georgie Donnelly one of our former Nippers nominated for the prestigious Champion Junior Life Saver Award
Over 50 Nippers participate in a special Easter Saturday Nippers at Smiths Beach. Filming took place to help Woolamai Beach SLSC in conjunction with Red Sparrow Books are produce the first ever online, interactive lifesaving book to help support children with disabilities see and understand what goes on at the beach before they come to our program
A huge turn out of Nippers and their families to Presentation Night at the Silverwater Resort, San Remo. Lots of Nippers, Nippers parents and ex-Nippers receiving and winning significant awards at Presentation Night
The Nippers Claymation Movie starring and directed by Hailey Cameron and Lachie Bain and featuring Punchy Penguin in his screen debut premiered to great acclaim at Presentation Night
An exciting 2019/20 season ahead of us being planned by the Nippers Committee with lots of new ideas plus more of the things which make our program a great one
Stewart and Carole Irving Award 2018/19
This season, two members were recognised for their outstanding contribution.
Scott Donnelly
Kathryn O’Keeffe
Scott Donnelly
Scott has been awarded the Stewart and Carole Irving Award this season for his outstanding contribution to Nippers. For the past couple of seasons Scott has taken on the huge role of co-ordinating the Nippers Barbeque. During this time he has also assisted with the raffle, organised social events, sells stubby holders and sponsored prizes.
The barbeque is a huge fundraiser for Nippers and sells close to 700 sausages a day and a few hundred cans of soft drink. Free sausages are given to the water safety team.
Scott assists his very talented wife Donna with organising raffle prizes – this involves visiting close to 50 businesses around the Island and San Remo – he also takes photos of the prize donor’s businesses and these form part of a big display board on the beach each day.
A couple of seasons ago Scott created a special free raffle to recognise the efforts of Nippers volunteers – and donates a movie pass – sponsored by his business TMA – Mortgage Broker Training.
Scott initiated the very popular Nipper Dad’s Beer and Burger night. Each year the event sells out – and no one gets in the door unless they have a Punchy Penguin stubby holder and if they don’t he will sell you one (and if you already have one, he will sell you another)
Scott has three daughters Georgie, Lucy who have recently gained their SRC and are patrolling and Annabelle who is currently in Nippers – we look forward to Scott’s involvement with the Club continuing for many years.
Kathryn O’Keeffe
Kathy has been awarded the Stewart and Carole Irving Award this season for her outstanding contribution to Nippers. Kathy and her husband Peter started at Nippers a few years ago becoming age managers alongside their children Hailey and Jack.
Kathy quickly became one of our best age managers and this season took on the very important role of Age Manager Co-ordinator, taking over from Michelle Murphy.
In the lead up to the season, Kathy made contact with age managers, allocated groups and organised training and resources.
Kathy is an excellent presenter and ran a very engaging training/refresher session for age managers at the start of the season.
Kathy ran the beach activities like clockwork this season, ensuring all age managers and assistants knew what they were doing and where they were going.
Kathy has lots of great ideas and we look forward to her continuing in this role.
Nippers awards
Champion Female Nipper – Sophia Hungerford
Sophia has been in the competition team for the past 4 years and has represented Woolamai Beach for the past 3 years at State Championships. Sophia is an all round strong competitor on the beach and in the water. She is very dedicated with her training and has been training consistently with Inverloch SLSC coming up to State Championships.
Champion Male Nipper – Callum Craig-Brown
Callum has been part of the competition team for the past 3 years and has represented Woolamai Beach SLSC for the past 2 years at State Championships. His strength is swimming where he is the strongest competitor in his age group in the competition team.
Bye and thanks
After 10 seasons of Nippers – 8 as Nippers Director, this is my final season in the role.
I’m very proud of the growth of the program during this period and some of the innovations that the hard working Nippers Committee have been able to introduce over the years.
During this period we have put together a terrific beach program, added life saving awards, introduced a bursary and inclusion program, developed a strong competition team, put on lots of great social events, run bbqs, raffles, set up a first aid tent, set up rosters for parents to help, introduced rash vests, provided Nippers bags and water bottles, created merchandise, sponsorships, renewed equipment, and raised a few $ for the Club along the way.
The willingness of parents to help with running the program and our amazing water safety crew of life savers has contributed enormously to the success of the program. I’d especially like to thank everyone who has served on the Nippers Committee during this period for their outstanding contributions.
Most importantly I’d like to think that we have been successful in giving thousands of children confidence in and around the water and many have taken the next step and become surf life savers (and some of their parents too). Seeing lots of children and parents having fun, making friends and coming back each summer has been a real highlight and what makes Nippers summers special.