The Ocean Beach Kiwi Surf Lifesaving Club

Junior Surf with OBK

2010-2011 OBK Junior Surf Calendar

Junior Surf is a programme run through Surf Life Saving New Zealand which encourages children to have fun, participate safely and develop skills and confidence in the surf life saving spirit of fair play. Its objectives are:

To encourage children to participate in and enjoy surf life saving.
To assist children to develop and improve their surf life saving knowledge and skills.
To improve the self-image of children by developing self-confidence and social interaction skills.
To involve parents and interested members of the community as leaders, coaches and administrators.

For our club, this reflects our commitment to ensuring that New Zealand’s waters are a safe place for people of all abilities to enjoy and to encourage our members to continue their involvement with the club into adulthood as life guards.

Introduction to Junior Surf

The Junior Surf programme at OBK caters for children from ages 7 - 13. Ages are calculated at the 1st October 2010. Children are trained and compete at carnivals within the following age groups:

11 year olds and under.
Cadets (12 and 13 year olds)

Junior Surf training takes place on Sunday mornings. Programmes are delivered in a manner appropriate to the development and skill level of the children. Emphasis is given to water skills, craft handling and beach events. There is no requirement for the children to be strong swimmers, but they will be encouraged to become competent swimmers as they progress through the seasons.

Accordingly, we encourage the children to join swim programmes suited to their ability levels. Swimming is the key to the fitness and strength required in many surf lifesaving disciplines. A child’s level of enjoyment of surf sport often depends on their swimming ability and the confidence that creates.

Swimming lessons, improvement classes and fitness training is provided by many pool complexes and swim clubs around Hawkes Bay e.g. Napier Aquahawks at the Onekawa Pool, Sundevils at Flaxmere Waterworld and the Greendale Swim Club at the Greendale Pool.

A Typical Sunday Morning

Sunday at OBK starts with a meeting at the clubhouse at 10.30 am. The children then participate in a variety of activities which include:

Theoretical surf safety and beach knowledge
Sprints and relays
Beach flags
Swimming and wading
Bodyboard and board paddling
Team games

At the end of a session (usually about noon), if a child wishes to return to the water they must be supervised by a parent.

An alternative program will be run in poor weather or the session will be cancelled.

The emphasis for the Sunday sessions is for the children to have fun while gaining confidence in and around the water. In addition they learn valuable skills that lead on to them becoming fully qualified patrolling lifeguards.

Mandatory Safety Requirement

200 Metre Test. For safety reasons, we strive to have the children demonstrate that they are confident in the ocean and are capable of returning to shore if they are separated from their equipment. Each year, the children are asked to attempt a timed 200 metre swim.
The children must swim 200 metres (using any stroke competently) in either ocean (within 9 minutes) or pool (within 7 minutes). Following the 200m swim, the children must tread water for one minute.
We will hold 200 metre test within the first few weeks of the season. The test must be passed before the children are allowed to compete in the competitive arena at carnivals. Children who do not pass the test can still compete in the land events in the competitive arena but they cannot compete in the surf events in the competitive arena.

Clothing and Equipment

At each session the children will need swimwear, a cap (retro pink) and possibly a wetsuit. The weather can be cool before Christmas so extra gear can be handy. Thermal shirts are great as well as wind breakers, beanies, towels, food and drink and a bag to carry your gear down to the beach.

This season we would like to see all of the children wearing caps when in the water for safety reasons. Ideally they should also wear their OBK togs but that is not compulsory. The club has available for purchase club togs, shirts and caps.

Parent Responsibilities

Parental involvement is important at any club and ours is no different. For all water activities there must be one adult for every five children. Parents are encouraged to join in the various activities both in the water and on the beach.

Some other specific ways you can be an active parent, is to: