Registration days for Umina surf club
Umina Surf Life Saving Club will be holding its annual registration days on Sundays, September 21 and 28, from 9am to 11am, at the surf club.
Umina Surf Club's publicity officer Brian Jackson said that Umina club was a family-orientated club and catered for children.
Activities for the under-6s and -7s run on Sunday mornings from 8am.
Mr Jackson said that the activities were aimed at teaching the children not to be afraid of the surf and were run in a safe and fun way.
On Sunday mornings from 8am, the Under-6s and -7s go through their paces before the big boys and girls get going.
"These guys might be small in stature but they make up for it in determination," Mr Jackson said.
"As well as the normal activities, its not unusual to see 40 or 50 mini nippers playing follow the leader, or filling buckets with water, playing soccer or just playing."
"Umina will always be a family club."
Activities for the under-9s to -14s follow from 8:45 am, with activities for the under-14s to -18s running from 11am.
"The focus for these children is to teach them surf awareness skills and to promote surf life saving as a vital community link," Mr Jackson said.
The children learnt how to handle themselves in the surf and learnt rescue techniques, culminating in training for the Surf Rescue Certificate, which teaches basic first aid and resuscitation.
The Umina Surf club now has up to 200 Nippers.
"The nipper program helps children become proficient lifesavers and help make our beaches safer," Mr Jackson said.
The club has also improved its overall ratings over the last three years at competition level.
The club improved from 87 top six placings to 173 last year and 190 top six placings this year.
In the 2002/2003 season, 21 of these placings were gold medals, up from 16 the year before.
There five State medals, with competitors in 33 finals.
Phil Moore is now head board coach.
The club has also achieved first place in the branch handicap point score and forth place overall, as well as a second placing in the Westfield Rookie Challenge.
Individually Liam Jackson (U13) and Marissa Moore (U11) represented the Central Coast at the Interbranch carnival, with Liam going on to gain selection in the NSW state team.
Both also gained gold medals in individual events at the state championships at Swansea-Belmont.
Sunday morning sessions now include surf education, novelty games, beach volleyball, team only mornings and sleepovers.
Newsletter, September 16