By RON LANE
IT HAS often been said that the showcase of the Australian Surf Life Saving movement is their beach patrols, or as they are now called, the Red and Yellow Army. So be it. However, there is now another component in our showcase. The Nippers.
On any Sunday at our beaches Peregian, Sunshine and Noosa, you will see the beach patrols. Then further along next to the flag area could be anything from 200 plus little Nippers ranging from 5 years through to 11 or 12. Hopefully, it is from these numbers that our future patrol captains, club captains and in some cases even our club presidents will emerge.
Some years ago our National Council, the governing body of Surf Life Saving Australia, became concerned when it was revealed that despite the time and effort put into the nipper movement only a staggering 2 per cent was going up into the senior clubs. Our big hope of the Nippers becoming the breeding grounds of our senior clubs was not working. These facts were revealed at a national conference in Sydney several years ago, and those of us who held the rank of club president were told in no uncertain terms, “Go home, look at what you are doing and think again. This 2 per cent retention rate is definitely not acceptable.”
Happy to report the majority took it on board and now with a change in attitude, new programs and more parent involvement, the retention rate is definitely on the rise. Without realising what was happening, a lot of clubs have started to put into practice what our Queensland Advisor for Junior Activities, Ray Fein calls the 3F Factor; Fun, Friends and Family.
The first F is being achieved by placing more emphasis on fun games and less on competition. The second F is friends. This factor is supervised by the age managers and water safety officers who encourage the Nippers to look out for their mates. It is in this area that a lot of parents become more involved by being trained as water safety officers. The third F is family. With the ever present mums and dads on the beach, helping as water safety officers or cooking at the barbecue, the Nippers have definitely become a family affair and happy to relate many a new friendship is started.
At Noosa it is interesting to note at the start of each season, the numbers that are new arrivals in our towns. With their involvement, it helps not only the children but also the parents to settle in and make new friends.
Once Nippers are old enough to move into the senior club, a happy atmosphere is vital in making these young people want to stay on and start their journey towards their SRC and Bronze Medallion awards.
It is during this time that the ever green group known as the Masters, play a major role, for it is these members who with their years of experience in both beach patrolling and competition come to the forefront. There is nothing like having friendly and happy masters with whom they can share a joke or turn to for help when it comes to learning the trade of lifesaving. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary that the senior management concentrate on not only retaining our Nippers, but also those lovely old ladies and gents, the Masters. With it still being impossible to push a trolley through Coles and buy $50 worth of experience, friendship between Masters and junior members is of the utmost importance. This is the key to consolidating the future of Life Saving Australia.
