Nippers FAQ

Register online.

Registrations can be completed online via the Surf Lifesaving Portal. The portal is very easy to use and allows family groups to be set up to renew all family members at once.

Note that all family members need an individual account within the portal before they can be added to a family group.

When joining or renewing online, please ensure all mandatory fields are completed – emergency contact details are mandatory and we are unable to accept a ‘pending renewal’ into the system without this information being completed. The category Junior Activity Member (not Probationary) should be chosen for all nippers, 5 – 14 and General for all nipper parents.

Renewing and annual fee payment are two separate steps, so please ensure you also make your payment at the same time.  As well as via credit card on the portal, payments may also be made by direct debit into the Dee Why SLSC account: BSB 062-155 Account: 10425496. Please include your surname as a reference. Fees payable are available here.

Certainly, Dee Why Surf Club will take members from any location – it is not necessary to live in the area to participate.

Children need to be 5 years of age by the opening of the Nipper season is the second Sunday in October.

The price differs depending on age group. Please view our membership fees page for the latest prices.

Yes. The Dee Why Surf Club requires that at least one parent or guardian’s join as a Nipper Parent to accompany your child.

As a Nipper Parent you are also required by legislation to complete a Working With Children Check. You can apply for the Working With Children Check with Service NSW. Follow the link here. Service NSW

Yes. Visit our membership fees webpage and look for ‘family group’ to view current pricing.

There are a range of beach and water events as well as a surf education component and introductory lifesaving skills.

Beach activities include Flags, 1km run, beach sprint and beach relays.
Water events include a Wade (run on sand and knee deep water) for U8s only.

Board events for U9’s and up.

Swim up to 290 m surf swim around cans for age groups U9s and up.

Iron Person, for age groups U9s and up. Not for the faint hearted – 290m swim, 70 m run, 400m board paddle and 70m run.

A complete list of aged activities is available on our What Nippers Learn webpage.

Nipper season usually starts on the second Sunday in October.

Use your age groups chat on Team App.

Visit this page to view a matrix that defines which age group your child will be in – dependent on the year and month of their birth.

The 2021 Preliminary Evaluation swims will be held on Sunday the 30th October and Saturday 6th November from 2pm – 3pm at the Dee Why ocean pool.

Yes. Arrangements can be made for swimming evaluations to be conducted on any child unable to attend the official preliminary evaluation day.

Alternatively Age Managers will conduct Preliminary Evaluation Swim at the Dee Why Pool early in the season.

The season runs from October though to March with two weeks break over the Christmas / festive season.

Yes.

Marshaling in front of the club takes place at 7.45am or 8:45am, depending on odd and even age groups as per season calendar

8:00am Nippers is scheduled to finish by 9:30am and 9:30am Nippers finishes at 11.00am.

Parents are required to assist in beach set up and pack down and BBQ duty when their respective groups are rostered on. This only happens twice a season as a rule.

Your age managers will remind you when it’s your respective group’s turn to assist on these duties.

Please refer to the Nippers Calendar for more information.

Please refer to the Nippers Calendar for more information.

Parents are expected to stay on the beach while Nippers is in progress. They are asked to assist where possible and to be involved.

In order to participate, all Nippers must wear a Dee Why Nipper cap with their name clearly marked on it, a high visibility rash vest and a pair of Dee Why swimmers or shorts.

These items and others are available for sale from the Uniform Shop – located behind the first aid room on the ground floor of the clubhouse.

During Nippers only Dee Why swimmers, shorts and rash vests are permitted to be worn.

View our Nippers Clothing webpage for more information.

The uniform shop is often open during nippers sessions. Check Team App for updates.

Nippers will only be cancelled in the event of severe weather such as thunderstorms – check Team App for updates.

Water events will be held at the discretion of water safety and the patrol captain. The decision will be made based on conditions and the age group’s competency.

Yes. Please ensure your child’s name has been marked off the roll with the respective Age Manager – prior to leaving the beach.

Children in U6 & U7 can still join nippers even if they are not proficient (able to swim 50metres) in the water.

However, once children reach U8 and above they are required to take an annual preliminary evaluation swim and float test.

Children U8 and above must be proficient (able to swim 50metres) in order to participate in the Nipper program.

With so much blue and white, little ones can easily end up in the wrong age group or find themselves ‘lost’.

In this event children should seek out an Age Manager, identified in the white long sleeve shirts or proceed to the ‘red’ patrol tent for assistance.

Educating your child to ‘go to the red tent’ if lost is recommended and instilled in children during surf education sessions.

A scheduled calendar of events is available in the Nippers Calendar. This can be accessed from our Nippers Calendar webpage.

Nippers presentation is held after the season has finished and is generally held on an arranged date after the last Sunday Nippers. Please refer to the Nipper Calendar for exact dates. This can be accessed from the Nippers Calendar webpage.

Yes. Swim, Board, Flags, Sprints, 1K Run and Cross Training runs week days and on Saturday.

These sessions and times will vary from season to season. Check the Team App calendar for further info.

Parents should check with Age Managers if their children can participate in these sessions.

** ONLY children that are proficient swimmers i.e. can swim 200 metres are able to participate in water (board & swim) training. Saturday sessions are open to Nippers (U8 – U14) at all levels – but they must be proficient.

From U8’s upwards.

All competitors must complete a minimum of 7 surf education days throughout the season and all water competitors in Under 9’s and above are required to complete a competition evaluation prior to participating in any Sydney Northern Beaches Carnival.

Competitors must complete a minimum training requirement in order to compete. This can be with the club or through an external source such as swimming training / squads / sprint training or the like.

Due to the escalating cost of carnival entry fees, it has been necessary to have a once off competition fee of $100. This is payable by any nipper that enters carnivals. If a Nipper is entered into a carnival and does not compete then new levy will be imposed.

These dates and locations are set by Surf Lif Saving Sydney Northern Beaches and will be available at the beginning of the season, and listed in the Nippers Calendar.

Generally carnivals take place at Manly, Freshwater, Queenscliff, Newport, Narrabeen and Dee Why.

Competitors and their families are expected to stay for the duration of the carnival to encourage their team mates and assist if and where required.

Yes. Just turn up at the venue and register then, however an additional fee will apply