By RON LANE
THE place was the water’s edge in Noosa’s Lion Park, the time was Sunday 7am and the occasion was yet another training session for the Noosa/Peregian Nippers interested in learning to paddle kayaks.
These sessions, which commenced about three months ago, have really taken off and the words of Noosa Heads S.L.S.C. head coach Darren Mercer said it all: “Look at the kids. They have all got smiles on their faces”.
Every Sunday morning at 6.45pm coaches, organisers and parents gather in the park. Kayaks are unloaded, paddles sorted out, and at 7am the coaching starts.
The Nippers are broken into two groups with the first training from 7am to 8am, and the second from 8am to 9.30am. The first group then goes to Noosa’s Main beach to join in the other Nipper activities and the second are in reverse, coming from the beach to the park.
Starting at under-10 the Nippers in attendance on Sunday numbered 28 with an additional 10 beginners. Also in the group were an additional five, who at ages from 17 to 19 are advanced paddlers. At the start the paddlers train in the T.K.1 craft and as they progress they move on to the K1 which is the Olympic craft.
When novices commence their training they come under kayak coach Peter Pethos.
Peter, who hails from Hungary, has at the age of 66 years a wealth of experience to draw on. At present he works out of Maroochydore where he runs the Paddling Academy for Kayak, Canoe and Surf Ski competitors.
During his years of competition, Peter was a highly rated, world-class competitor competing in the tough European circuit.
“In a way I have a bit of regret,” he said.
“Looking back now I should have kept competing. I retired at 24 and started coaching straight away.”
“However,” he added with a smile and a shrug of his shoulders, “these things happen; so now, here I am.”
Arriving in 1982, he lived in Adelaide for 26 years and immediately became involved in water sports. Through the years, Peter has held several positions – the most important being that of national talent and identification development officer for the Australian Sports Commission.
Regarding the Nipper training program, Peter said: “It is a wonderful concept. At present I am working on developing a mini-kayak for nippers to use in the surf and do so safely”.
Another who is playing a role in coaching is former Australian representative Tom Britton who takes the older age group, the 17 to 19s. Already there are one or two in this group who are starting to draw attention.
In addition to the Nippers, there is also a group of ski paddlers from the senior club who train on Monday evenings in the Tewantin River, one of whom is Iron Woman champion Jordan Mercer.
The connection between the lifesaving, ski paddlers and the kayak competition is becoming stronger every year. Names like Phil Coles, Grant Kenny and Clint Robinson just to name a few, have already set the standards. Not only did they win Australian Ski titles but have gone on to represent Australia as members of the Olympic kayak teams.
Coles, who hails from the North Bondi club, went on to a distinguished career in Olympic administration at an international level.
The ongoing success of these Sunday morning sessions serves to cap off what looks like becoming one of the most successful Nipper seasons ever.
The success of the Noosa/Peregian amalgamation, the Seahorse Nippers and the activation of the Noosa Nipper Training Program, regarded as the best in the state, speaks for itself.
