Junior Surf at Westshore Surf Life Saving Club - Westshore Beach - Hawke's Bay

JUNIOR SURF

Junior Surf is a programme run through Surf Life Saving New Zealand which encourages children to have fun, participate safely and develop skills and confidence in the surf life saving spirit of fair play. Its objectives are:

To encourage children to participate in and enjoy surfing and surf life saving activity.

To assist children to develop and improve their surfing and surf life saving knowledge and skills.

To improve the self-image of children by developing self-confidence and social interaction skills.

To involve parents and interested members of the community as leaders, coaches and administrators.

For our club, this reflects our commitment to ensuring that New Zealand’s waters are a safe place for people of all abilities to enjoy by, firstly, helping train New Zealand youth in safe water practices; and, secondly, encouraging our members to continue their involvement with the club into adulthood as life saving guards.

Introduction to Junior Surf

The Junior Surf programme at Westshore caters for children from ages 7 - 13. Age groups are calculated from the ages at the 1st October 2006. Children are trained and compete at carnivals within the following age groups:

7 to 9 year olds.

10 and 11 year olds.

Cadets (12 and 13 year olds).
(14 year olds and over are members of the Senior Division of the Westshore Surf Lifesaving Club).

The Junior Surf programme is held on Sunday mornings from 10.30 am. to 12.00 pm. Each group has its own set of instructors and equipment. Programmes are delivered in a manner appropriate to the development and skill level of the age group. Emphasis is given to water skills, craft handling and beach events. There is no requirement for our members to be strong swimmers, but they will be encouraged to become competent swimmers as they progress through the season(s).

Our programmes are delivered by suitably qualified instructors and lifeguards but it is important for parents to recognize that they do not have the expertise or time to provide swimming instruction during the delivery of our programmes.

Accordingly, we encourage our members to join swim programmes suited to their ability levels. Swimming is the key to the fitness and strength required in many surf lifesaving disciplines. A child’s level of enjoyment of surf sport often depends on their swimming ability and the confidence which results.

Swimming lessons, improvement classes and fitness training is provided by many pool complexes and swim clubs around Hawkes Bay e.g. Napier Aquahawkes at the Onekawa Pool, Trojans Swim Club at the Clive Pool, Sundevils at Flaxmere Waterworld and the Greendale Swim Club at the Greendale Pool.

Registration
Registration is held each year on the two Sundays prior to the Opening Day from 10 am to 12 am. Membership fees are collected on that day and uniforms issued.

Parent Responsibilities

Parental involvement is important at any Club and ours is no different. For all water activities there must be one adult for every five children. Parents are encouraged to join in the various activities both in the water and on the beach. Surf Lifesaving Hawkes Bay provides coaching courses designed to help parents gain confidence and the skills required to assist with helping the children.

Interested in joining one of our junior programmes, please contact us here»

Further information is available by downloading this:

Season Handbook
(8 pages 256K)

JUNIOR SURF

Introduction to Junior Surf

Nipper Newz

Parent Responsibilities

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