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:
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:
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)
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.
Information:
Age Group |
Preliminary Skills Evaluation |
Pool Swim Evaluation |
Beach Evaluation |
Surf Education |
Under 6 |
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Under 7 |
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Under 8 |
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Under 9 |
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Under 10 |
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Under 11 |
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Under 12 |
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Under 13 |
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Under 14 |
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Notes |
Every junior member competing in branch & state competition must have completed the preliminary & competition evaluation swims & received the appropriate surf education award |
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This must be completed for the relevant age group before being able to compete at surf carnivals |
The relevant age surf education awards must be completed each season prior to 31st December 2019 and meet the 80% attendance requirement. Talk to your age manager about absences. |