It is a pre-requisite for all Nippers to have an ability to swim, before joining Nippers and complete a Surf Life Saving Water Skills Evaluation with our JAC team as part of their membership process.
This is done at the start of each new season at Bomaderry Aquatic Centre or Shoalhaven Heads Village pool. Our JAC team assess and guide each child from the U6s-u14 and enable them build confidence in the water. It is used by each club to gauge what level of water skills each child has and to adjust our water safety ratios to accommodate the skill levels in our age groups.
We aren’t a “learn to swim” programme but over time the activities your child will be involved in each week do help enhance their confidence and skills in the water to reach the level for their age group. They can also still be involved in beach-side activities as they build their skills.
Each age group category listed on the Nippers Water Evaluation and Surf Education Award tab page is associated with the SLSA Surf Aware Education program, which is designed to give children, and also parents, an understanding of beach rescues, resuscitation and carnival events, along with preparation for senior level membership so they can grow in to be future life savers! We run cross group combined activities and allow for different levels of skills and confidence.
Nippers can also compete for our club when the club takes part in inter club Surf Sports Carnivals and will need to complete an additional ocean swim pre-assessment. JAC will do this as part of weekly nippers before carnivals begin.