OUR 'NIPPERS'

Piha Surf Life Saving Club’s Nippers are the bright young patrollers of the future. Our coaches are fabulous, the programmes are both fun and educational, and our programme continues to grow.

BECOME A PIHA NIPPER

OBJECTIVES

• To learn the skills required to gain the Surf Lifeguard Award.

• To provide the best possible life saving experience for all our juniors with the view to encourage long-term active participation.

• To provide opportunities for juniors to actively participate in and enjoy life saving and competition in an aquatic environment.

• To ensure our junior members are safe on New Zealand beaches through building knowledge and experiences in our Junior Surf Program.

• To develop a team based philosophy encompassing leadership, camaraderie, teamwork and fun.

• To promote social, emotional and physical health and development in a healthy safe environment.

• Involve parents and interested members of the community as leaders, coaches and administrators.

PURPOSE

The purpose of our Junior Surf Program is to enrich the lives of our young members through engaging activities and active participation, leading to the acquisition of personal, life saving and competition skills, in a safe aquatic environment.  Members will be educated in surf safety as well as confident to undertake training for their Surf Lifeguard Award at age 14.

OUR NIPPERS ARE KINDLY SPONSORED BY

SURF CLUB SEASON 1 JULY 2023 - 30 JUNE 2024

NIPPERS RUNS IN PERSON SESSIONS OCT-APRIL EACH YEAR

We look forward to seeing existing members and new ones, Sundays at 10am on the beach, at the A,B or C yellow “FILTA” flags (as per your age group) in togs ready to go!

Not sure- ask a coach or coordinator in a dark green Piha Junior Surf T shirt!

Please wear togs, bring towel, sunscreen, water. (Surf fins as per discussions with your coach).

New to Piha or Nippers? Please feel free to join us for a free trial to see if this is a fit for your family! Please arrive by 9.45am so we can loan you a vest and cap. Contact nippers@pihaslsc.com for any questions.

 All paid members receive a free high visibility vest if you don’t already have one.

CLUB UNIFORM

The Piha Junior Surf Club uniform is:

• High-vis safety vest – Compulsory for ALL ages. If you do not already have a vest, we supply one per year free of charge, thanks to our sponsor Filta. Additional vests can be purchased at $15 through Nippers Admin. These can be collected at the first day of Nippers.
• Swim Skull Cap – Compulsory for all age groups, for all Sunday training sessions. $25. Buy through Nippers Admin
• Black togs 
• Rash shirts for sun protection – Optional.
• Wetsuit – Optional

PIHA SUPPORT GEAR

We additionally have other Piha branded items for purchase which include hooded towels, tote bags, tees and hoodies. These are currently available at Piha SLSC and by contacting the General Manager on gm@pihaslsc.com. We are looking to move these online shortly.

AGE GROUPS

TADPOLES 

5 & 6 year olds as at 30/9/22

A GROUP

7,8,9 year olds, as at 30/9/22

B GROUP 

10 & 11 year olds, as at 30/9/22

C GROUP 

12 & 13 year olds, as at 30/9/22

ROOKIES 

This is for those 13 & 14 year olds wanting to become qualified lifeguards, as at 30/9/22

How age groups are calculated:

Nippers are divided into age groups, which are calculated as per SLSNZ guidelines on your child’s age on 30/9/2022:

Eg: If you are born on September 25th of 2012 = Age 10 – B Group

Born on  October 2nd 2012 = Age 9 – A Group

Children ages 5 – 13 years and their families can join our club and participate in our Junior Surf Program between October and March.  Members are encouraged to participate in inter-club, regional and national competitions.  We encourage children to have fun and develop their skills, so they can enjoy the beach and one day might be able to save someone else too.  It’s about developing tomorrow’s lifeguards and opening up a whole new world to children.

DAYS AND TIME AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT THE WEEK FOR NIPPER PARTICIPATION

Tuesdays:

Takapuna Beach. 6.00pm-7.00pm

To participate Tuesdays: Competency on knee board needs to be signed off by coach before attending the session. This session is for those who wish to compete and will cover race techniques. Discuss with coaches about availability of club gear or need for your own board. Must have achieved their 200m safety badge. (Meet Hauraki Road end of beach. Allow time for traffic and parking. Dates for November 2023 tbc)

Wednesdays: 

Kelston Girls Pool, 7.00pm-8.00pm

Swim conditioning, not a learn to swim programme. Please contact nippers@pihaslsc.com to express your interest. Open to all Nippers who have achieved their 200m safety badge. Sign ups occur at the start of each term.

Thursdays:

Takapuna Beach. 6.00pm-7.00pm

Open to all Nippers who have achieved their 200m safety badge. Come along to learn or improve your skills in open water swimming, kneeboarding and lifeguard skills.Great session to improve confidence. (Meet Hauraki Road end of beach. Allow time for traffic and parking. Starting 3 Nov ’22- March ’23)

.

Sundays:

Piha SLSC 10.00am-12.00pm. 30th October- April 2024. Age group games, swims, activities and training, followed by Sausage sizzle after each session.

200M SAFETY BADGE

WHAT IS THE 200M SAFETY BADGE VS THE 200M SWIM BADGE?

1) When the season starts, to take part on the boards at Takapuna weekdays and Piha on Sundays (and enter all races offered to your age group at carnivals) the requirements are your 200m safety badge. Swim 200m in 7 mins, tread water 1 minute

2) To qualify for your surf certificate this season, and know you are on track to reach the goal of becoming a lifeguard – this season you should aim to meet the swim requirements listed below under “200m Swim Badge”.

1: THE 200M SAFETY BADGE

This is the important one to start the season with or aim towards!

200m in 7 minutes, plus 1 minute treading water (applies to all ages)

PLEASE NOTE: The 200m junior safety badge must be refreshed each year. (All our lifeguards at Piha are refreshed on their safety requirements each year as they retest their skills for the upcoming season).

We are in the business of saving lives. Swimming skills go hand-in-hand with surf life saving. Therefore we require Junior Surf members to attain 200m safety badge, so they can satisfy the mandatory NZSLS safety requirements which include use foam or fibre-glass paddle boards. This applies at both Piha training and in the Junior Surf Carnivals.It demonstrates their confidence in the water and their capability of returning to shore if separated from their equipment. Always safety first.

It is expected that as children progress through their age groups, their swimming ability increases. Children are not taught to swim at Junior Surf Sunday beach sessions. We strongly recommend that parents arrange regular swimming lessons for their children. Children who swim regularly prove to be the most capable in the surf and ultimately gain the most from participating in a Junior Surf programme.

2: THE 200M SWIM BADGE 

The times below, per age group are milestones the kids with their coaches help should aim to achieve as the age up. This is an indication your kids are on track to becoming safe in the water and on track for a pathway to becoming alifeguard.

U10/U11/U12 swim 200m in 7 mins, tread water 1 minute
U13 swim in under 5 min 30 sec, tread water 1 minute
​​​​​​​U14 swim in under 4 min 30 sec, tread water 1 minute

SUMMARY

1) When the season starts, to take part on the boards at Takapuna weekdays and Piha on Sundays (and enter all races offered to your age group at carnivals) the requirements are:Swim 200m in 7 mins, tread water 1 minute

2) To qualify for your surf certificate this season, and know you are on track to reach the goal of becoming a lifeguardThis season you should aim to meet the swim requirements listed above under “200m Swim Badge”