Nippers
Whitmore Bay Surf Life Saving Club run a Nipper programme for children aged 7 to 12. Nippers start learning about surf awareness and beach safety, and will participate in board paddling, surfing, swimming, running, wading and other fun activities and games.
Practicing these skills allows the children to compete in local carnivals against other lifesaving clubs. While competition is an important element, surf awareness and education is our primary aim.
Any child aged 7+ can join nippers and they don't need to have any experience in the sea. We provide a safe environment for children to gain confidence in the surf through encouragement, education and training.
Activities
During the summer months, nippers train on Whitmore Bay, at Barry Island. On the beach they will practice beach runs and relays, surf wades and play flags. In the water they will complete surf swims, run-swim-run races and learn to paddle nipper boards out through the waves and surf them back in.
During the winter, nippers swim in the leisure centre. They are taught swimming but the emphasis is on lifesaving skills, so nippers also practice board paddling and rescue tube towing. These sessions are fun and provide them with confidence and fitness ready for the summer.
Joining Whitmore Bay Nippers
For more information about joining the Nippers please contact us. Before joining Nippers, the child must be able to swim 50m (2 lengths) and retreive an object from a depth of one meter.
