Proficiency Swims For Nippers

PRELIMINARY SWIM EVALUATION

Before a child can participate in any Nipper's event, they must complete the Preliminary Skills Evaluation. This season, these swims will be conducted during Nippers activities sessions over the first few weeks.

To maintain safety and lifesaving standards, SLSA has set a minimum level of proficiency that Nipper members must achieve before being eligible to compete in carnivals.

Children will have the opportunity to complete their Competition Skills Evaluation during the first few weeks of Nippers.  

It's important that all Nippers complete their respective swims every year for their respective Age Groups as the following rules apply:

• "No Water Activities for Nippers with No Proficiency Swims Completed"  and
• "No Sand or Water Competition for Competitors with No Competition Swim Evaluations Completed"

Due to the unprecedented circumstances presented by COVID-19 we need to make some temporary changes to processes to ensure that we are able to continue lifesaving activities.

One such impacted process is the Junior Activities Preliminary Skills Evaluation, which due to limited access to pool facilities and clubs not being able to congregate in groups at a pool has become difficult to conduct.

Therefore, it is necessary to provide some exemptions for conducting Junior Activities Preliminary Skills Evaluations for this season.

The pool evaluation conducted “in a safe constructed pool environment with a water safety ratio as per the SLSA Policy 1.01 – Water Safety – a 1:5 water safety ratio is to be implemented for all members under evaluation.” may now also be conducted in open water (ocean, rock pools and ocean baths) away from surf conditions for both new and returning nippers, effective immediately.

To ensure the safety of members, the following strategies should be followed:

1. All Local, State and National Government restrictions must be abided by
2. All state COVID-19 restrictions must be abided by
3. This exemption will be available to returning members with a water safety ratio of 1:3, and new members will have a water safety ratio of 1:1.

This evaluation should be conducted in a safe aquatic environment with appropriate participant to water safety personnel ratios. A 1:1 water safety ratio is especially important for new members where clubs may not be familiar with the ability of the participant.

See below the water safety to participant ratios for conducting Preliminary Skills Evaluation by age groups for returning members (for both beach and pool settings)

As a result of this change Maroubra Nippers Proficiency Swims will be conducted as part of Nippers over the first few weeks of Nippers, subject to favourable surf conditions

It is suggested that due to fresh water conditions, that wet suits can also be worn if available.

In instances where evaluations cannot be completed a qualified and accredited swim coach can be endorsed to sign off the preliminary skills pool assessment.

• Swimming coaches are required to provide their Australian Swimming Teachers and Coaches Associate (ASTCA) number, their name and email address and the name of the children who have successfully completed the swim.

Information:

• SLSNSW Age Groups, Preliminary  and  Competition Evaluations
• Pre-Season Meeting Presentation 2020