Nippers

Nippers (U6 & U7)

Our Under 6 and Under 7 age groups mark the exciting beginning of your child’s journey into surf awareness and education at The Lakes SLSC!

This program is all about having fun, making new friends, and learning how to safely enjoy and respect the beach and surf environment.

Program Highlights

• Age-Appropriate Learning: An engaging introduction to surf safety concepts and beach awareness tailored for young minds.

• Shallow Water Play: Kids only enter the water up to their knees, allowing them to gain confidence with the waves in a safe, controlled way.

• No Swim Test Required: Because activities are strictly limited to knee-deep water, there is no swimming proficiency evaluation or swim time requirement to join.

It’s one of our most popular age groups on Sunday mornings—a fantastic way for little ones to build confidence on the sand and in the shallow surf!                                                                                  

Nippers (U8 - U12)

As our Nippers grow, so do their skills, confidence, and opportunities! For our Under 8 to Under 12 age groups, we build on the foundations of beach safety while introducing friendly competition and new surf disciplines.

While the action steps up, our core focus remains firmly on surf awareness, ocean safety, and having fun.

What’s New in U8 – U12?

• Pointscore & Friendly Competition: Starting in Under 8s, we introduce weekly pointscore events into our Sunday morning program, encouraging personal improvement, sportsmanship, and teamwork.

• Surf Carnivals: Nippers can represent The Lakes SLSC at local surf carnivals, testing their skills against other clubs in a supportive and exciting team environment.

• Board Training (Optional): As kids grow more comfortable in the ocean, they get the opportunity to learn board paddling techniques. We offer optional board training sessions to help them develop their skills at their own pace.

• Advancing Ocean Awareness: Nippers continue to deepen their knowledge of rips, tides, wave types, and general ocean safety, giving them skills for life.

Whether your child is keen to try board riding, race on the sand, or simply build confidence catching waves with friends, our U8–U12 program offers something for every young ocean enthusiast!                                                        

Rookies & Youth (U13–U19)

Our Rookies and Youth programs are designed to transition our older Nippers into the next generation of confident, skilled Surf Lifesavers!

This age group bridges the gap between Junior Activities and full active lifesaver duties, combining leadership development and life-saving skills with plenty of social events and fun.

Rookie Lifesaver Program (Under 13 – Under 14)

The Rookie Lifesaver Program gives our U13 and U14 members a pathway into real-world surf lifesaving.

• Pathway to Patrol: Rookies start learning the practical skills required for patrol duty, working alongside qualified lifesavers.

• Leadership & Teamwork: Builds responsibility, emergency awareness, and confidence in and out of the water.

Youth Engagement Program (Ages 13–19)

Following on from Rookies, our Youth Engagement Program keeps our teenagers connected, motivated, and engaged as they grow within the club.

• Core Values & Mentorship: Focuses on developing essential life skills, teamwork, and positive behaviors for future community leaders.

• Fun & Social Community: Organised social activities and team-building events that ensure being a lifesaver is as rewarding as it is fun.

Whether they are training for their Surf Rescue Certificate (SRC), preparing for patrols, or just staying connected with mates on the beach, our Rookies and Youth programs offer a supportive pathway for every young member.