Nippers Monthly News

Hodgie’s Bits

October 2019 – Welcome to the New Season!

I’m Pumped!!

Daylight savings is here, the sun is heating up and the beach is calling. Can’t wait for this Nippers season to kick off on Sunday October 13th. Bring it on…

That Rego Website!!!

For a club (and movement) that espouses welcomeness and a focus on continuity of membership into adult life, the experience of joining or renewing Nipper membership is challenging to say the least! The portal is very frustrating!

Also, for the uninitiated, getting your head around a surf club is extremely complicated. Please don’t hesitate to ring or email me with any questions or ideas or issues – or better still grab me on the beach. Be assured that there are many in the same boat, and if you’re feeling a bit lost, please hang in there and shout out for help.

Get Coached for Speeeeeeed

Under the guidance of Beach Coach, Sophie McGovern and Beach Manager, Veronica Lowe, all Nippers are invited to attend a fun-based training session at 4.30 each Monday. No need to commit to a full season, just come and try it out. Additional sessions will be scheduled based on interest and requirements.

https://nccslsc.com.au/beach-sprinting-and-flags-sessions/

Had a Little Fall

Geez it makes you feel old when you’re out of action (work, club stuff and social activities) because I had a little fall in the city, it was a bit wet. Laugh as much as you want at the evidence of old person but the pain of multiple busted ribs is no laughing matter! In my complete absence from doing anything, big thanks to all who stepped in especially to plan and run the Mighty 67’s gala day.

Nipper parenting isn’t a spectator sport

In this way Nippers is different from all other junior sports – and we think that’s great. There’s lots of ways to help out. Some of them are obvious and directed by your Age Manager. But there’s a role for every skill set – for some you don’t even have to get wet or sandy, or be locked in each week.

Let me know if I can help identify a role to suit you.

Merch

Director of Admin for the club has gathered a group of talented volunteers to run our uniforms and branded gear. The goals are to enable all types of members to wear our club identity with pride, make sure our teams and reps are well presented and of course to contribute commercially.

The “shop” will be open before Nippers especially in the early part of the season and other times when there’s enough people about. Check out our Uniform Page Here. Thanks Mick and Kate and your army of helpers.

Water Safety

Whenever there are organised activities in the water, each Nipper must wear a hi viz rashie. For Nippers who have passed their proficiency we have to provide one qualified and identified (wearing a labeled rashie) water safety person per 5 Nippers in the water. It’s one on one if the Nipper has not done their swim evaluation. To qualify for water safety, you must have current Bronze or SRC accreditation. We’re indebted to the many volunteers managed for Sunday Nippers by Sparkesy and Simon Davis.

Note also that Age Managers or the person they have nominated to marshal and start water events during Nippers need to follow a process of counting in and out to track where every Nipper is and to ensure safety. On Sundays when there’s a carnival, some of the regular water safety volunteers are performing their duty at the carnival so we are stretched on those days. If you’d like to help with water safety, please let me know. You don’t need to be locked in every week – every extra helps.

Can My Nipper Join An Older Age Group?

Yes. Because the SLSA year starts in October, sometimes school friends are in a different Nipper year group. At our club we encourage Nippers to participate with their mates, existing and newly formed.

If you participate in a “different” year group, there’s a few things to be aware of:

Signing in/out. The sign in sheets are generated from the system so names will appear in the correct year. At our club, we handle this by adding an additional sign in page to each folder with a list of Nippers who select a different group. It may take a week or two to get this right but it is VITAL that each Nipper signs in and out every week.
Competency. There are very specific swim competency requirements for each age group, so if a child moves up, the Age Manager needs to ensure they are equipped to handle that age group’s challenges.
Competition. There is no flexibility to move age groups (up or down) for individual competition. This includes carnivals and club champs, where Nippers must participate in their “proper” age group or sit out.

What’s a Beachie?

At carnivals, most events fall into either surf based or beach based – a bit like track and field, and also like T&F, there’s some hybrid and team events which cross over. There’s always a bit of natural rivalry but at our club, we strive for mutual respect and equality. That said, we need a few more “beachies”. We have great coaches and a good programme of carnivals so if your Nipper loves running in winter sports (who doesn’t!!) bring them along to some sessions (see below) and learn some skills on sand.

You know you laugh! (Watch out for the deep & meaningful)

Relationships can be like algebra. Have you ever looked at your X, and thought Y?

It’s a shame nothing is built in Australia any more! I just bought a TV and it says “built in antenna”. I don’t even know where that is!

Why is there only one word for Thesaurus

A German man walks up to the immigration desk at Warsaw airport. The immigration officer asks: “Occupation?” The German replies: “No, just a holiday.”

I once found a needle beside a haystack.

Bought my Mum a mug which says, “Happy Mother’s day from the World’s Worst Son”.  I forgot to mail it but I think she knows.

Grandpa calls grandma “honey”, “love”, “sweetheart” etc and I think it’s beautiful. I asked him ”what’s the secret?” And told me “I forgot her name 5 years ago and I’m scared to ask her”

Some are worrying what sort of planet we’re leaving for our kids, but maybe we should also spend some time thinking about what sort of kids we’re leaving for the planet.

Why is abbreviation such a long word?

Things North Curly Mum’s don’t say:
“Yeah, I used to skip school a lot, too.”
“Just leave all the lights on … it makes the house look more cheery.”
“Let me smell that shirt — Yeah, it’s good for another week.”
“Don’t go to the surf club – go to the mall!”
“Well, if Apple’s Mum says it’s OK, that’s good enough for me.”
“The curfew is just a general time to shoot for. It’s not like I’m running a prison around here.”
“I don’t have a tissue with me… just use your sleeve.”
“Don’t bother wearing a jacket – the wind-chill is bound to improve.”

How do you answer a rhetorical question?

I think Chrissie (my wife) is showing the first signs of Alzheimers. She says she can’t remember what she ever saw in me.

Website

Now you’re on the club’s website, take a look around. There’s a lot of information embedded. For example did you know about the calendar – see here: https://nccslsc.com.au/nippers-calendar/

We also keep have Facebook (@NCCSLSC) and Instagram (@North Curl Curl SLSC) pages which are updated regularly with club news

And finally TEAMAPP for all Nippers Related communication – if you haven’t already, sign up to receive the alerts.

Please look back over previous newsletters – links are below:

Hodgie’s Bits

October 2019 – Welcome to the New Season!

You know you laugh! (Watch out for the deep & meaningful)

Please look back over previous newsletters – links are below:

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