By RON LANE
WITH the start of the 2014/15 patrol season fast approaching, local clubs are all busy with patrol rosters training programs and gym sessions. Not to be left out, the Nipper people are conducting sign-on sessions for the families involved.
“Our sign on days went well and the response from the families in the under-six and under-seven age group was very good indeed,” Sunshine president Craig Law said.
“We have also just completed the patrol captain’s course and also an upgrade which involved taking the Surf Rescue Certificate holders to their bronze medallion.
“The response right across the board has been great.”
On the building committee side of things, the Sunshine Club has also been busy having just recently completed an upgrade program on the balcony of their supporter club. When you walk out on to the refurbished deck to sit and dine under one of the many umbrellas, the view overlooking the ocean is second to none.
At Noosa, a group of candidates from Rainbow Beach, Noosa, Sunshine and Peregian have just finished a training course for the Beach Management Silver Medallion – commonly referred to as the Patrol Captains. It is the holders of this award who have the overall responsibility of running the beaches and ensuring that a high standard of patrolling is maintained. With these courses being run on a regular basis, anyone interested in a career in lifesaving is invited to ring either Sunshine Beach club on 5447 5491 or Noosa on 5474 5688 extension 2.
On Saturday 6 September from 9am at the Noosa clubhouse, one of the most rewarding events on any surf lifesaving calendar in Australia, will once more get under way. Families from Gympie to Caloundra, will gather to sign up for yet another session of the Noosa Seahorse Nippers. This organisation conducts and assist in beach activities for children and siblings with special needs, and it is all done with zero cost to the families.
Once the sign-on is completed, the morning fun commences at 9.30am, with all events supervised and run by qualified lifesavers. The fact that these lifesavers are not just from the Noosa club but also from clubs stretching from Sunshine Beach to Caloundra shows the high regard the Seahorses are held. The dates for this season are 6, 13, 20 and 27 September.
On the last Saturday after the program is completed, organisers Steve and Nicole Mawby, assisted by invited guests, will present gifts and awards to the nippers. With the success that has been achieved by the Mawbies and their support team, it is easy to understand why the Noosa Seahorse concept is now spreading interstate.
The name ‘Nipper’ has now become synonymous with children but this was not always the case. Way back in 1967, when the Noosa chief instructor Bob Kneal, founding member of the Noosa Nippers, first formed a group of little lifesavers there was no official designated name in Australian lifesaving for the kids, so Bob settled on Sea Colts.
“I picked that name because our senior club had just changed our official badge to the seahorse, and as a colt was a young horse I went for that name,” Bob said.
“However when the name Nipper was finally settled on by the governing body, our kids did not like it at all… they wanted to keep their name.
“However, the name ‘Nipper’ became official, so that was that.
“Also in those days there was no training manual, so I followed the American lifeguard system of training their kids as junior lifeguards.
“The rest is now history.”
