Registrations for the Starfish Nipper Program for season 2017/18 are open!

Venus Bay Surf Life Saving Club, which is the 2017 National Club of the Year, is very proud to continue the Starfish Nippers program. This is a modified nipper program for children and young adults with special needs which is run with our traditional program.

Our Starfish Nippers program caters for children and young adults ranging from 6 years and above with special needs. We believe everyone deserves access to nippers and the popular Venus Bay Nipper Program has been greatly enhanced by the addition of the Starfish Program.

Activities for our Starfish Nippers include the traditional beach games and activities, beach running, beach flags, swimming, board skills, water familiarisation, beach, water and surf safety. We have an instructor for every nipper, a ratio of 1 nipper per trainer for beach activities and in some cases 2 trainers in the water activities depending on the nipper’s ability. This ensures the program can be specially tailored to meet individual needs and skill levels in and out of the water, we offer positive instruction and encouragement along the way.

The sessions are conducted on the same days and beginning at the same time as our existing nipper program, with a total of ten sessions running from 10.00am till 11.30am each nipper day during the summer school holidays. We commence on the 27^th December 2017. A full schedule of dates can be found on the calendar.

Enrolments for the current season are open until 30th November. The program will have limited spots to ensure we can maintain our extremely high standards of water safety and quality instruction so please enrol quickly to avoid disappointment. Enrolment fees fall under the Venus Bay Nipper Program.

Typically the participants will need bathers, a rash vest or a top that covers the shoulders, a wide brim (bucked style) hat or legionnaire style cap, sun block, towel, water bottle, club cap, club hi-vis rash vest (pinky) and a wetsuit (if desired). Many of these items can be purchased from the club.

Please refer to our Starfish Nipper website for a greater understanding of our Starfish Nippers program at Venus Bay and to see all the other clubs around Victoria have started Starfish nippers at their club. starfishnippers.com.au

If you are interested in finding out more about the program, signing up or becoming a trainer for Starfish Nippers at Venus Bay Surf Life Saving Club, please contact Ann Cornish on 0427 840 077 or via email to ann.cornish@bigpond.com.

What is the Preliminary Assessment?

Life Saving Victoria (LSV), has provided guidelines relating to Water Safety Personnel to Nipper ratios during all water based activities.

These ratios are based on the swimming ability of each individual Nipper. It is therefore mandatory that each Nipper complete the Preliminary Assessment and be signed off correctly with Competent (C) or Not Yet Competent (NYC) by their swim teacher. If NYC the nipper can still participate in all activities.

It is important to understand that this Preliminary Assessment is simply designed to assist the Junior Co-ordinator, Water Safety Co-ordinator and Coaches ensure that the correct ratios are met at all times.

ALL Nippers must have this form completed as part of their registration, in order to participate in the Nipper water activities.

Download the Nipper Swim Assessment Form

What is the Skills Evaluation?

Life Saving Victoria (LSV), has provided guidelines relating a Nipper’s ability to participate in Junior Carnivals. LSV dictate that certain skills MUST be demonstrated prior to a Nipper being able to participate in certain events.

At VBSLSC, the relevant Nipper’s (Age Groups Under 9 and above) are given the opportunity to be assessed during Session 2 in Walkerville and again after Session 6 in Inverloch. It is left to the discretion of the Junior Co-ordinator and Coach to judge the suitability of Nipper’s for competition. The Nipper and parents will be advised accordingly.