Welcome to the February Edition
of the
Surf Life Saving Illawarra Newsletter
Welcome to our February edition of Surf Life Saving Illawarra Member's Newsletter for the 2023/24 Season.
February has been a busy month for Surf Life Saving Illawarra with our Branch Championships being held at the beginning of the month, all our club's Nipper programs returning to the beach after a holiday break and Surf Life Saving Illawarra holding a Stall at O Week at the University of Wollongong.
Keep reading to hear and see more about all the excitement and what's coming up in Surf Life Saving in the Illawarra.
Albert Program Expressions of Interest are Open
ALBERT is Australian Lifesaving Boat Emergency Rescue Training, a program which has been developed and successfully delivered to further develop our Inflatable Rescue Boat (IRB) Drivers and Crew.
This course is open to IRB Drivers and Crew only and is going to be held at Towradgi SLSC on Saturday 13 February and Sunday 14 April 2024.
A circular has been sent to clubs about expressions of interest for the Albert Program. Drivers and Crew need to be endorsed by their club.
Please see the circular, which can be found in the Surf Life Saving Members Area and speak to your club's Club Captain for more information or contact the SLSI Office at office@slsillawarra.com.au
Download Beachsafe App!
Access the latest information about every Australian beach or find a beach near you including local conditions and lifesaving services. There’s also safety advice and information about flags, signs, rips, waves and more.
Surf Life Saving recommends swimming at patrolled beaches, between the red and yellow flags.
Upcoming Branch Courses
Are you a current financial member? Are you interested in joining a patrol and helping out your club and community? Please keep reading below for more details on upcoming courses. These courses not only help you obtain lifesaving skills or upskill your current lifesaving skills but allow you to help out your club on patrol and contribute to the greater community.
Did you know that you can join a patrol in different roles? If being in the water performing rescues is not for you, than maybe you might like to be the First Aid Officer on patrol. If this sounds like something for you, then why not join our next First Aid Course. Details below.
First Aid
The next branch First Aid Course (HLTAID011) is being held at North Wollongong SLSC on the evening of Tuesday 5 March and Wednesday 6 March. First Aid is open to current financial members who are above the age of 14.
If you are interested in attending, please contact Amy at North Wollongong SLSC on amy@nwslsc.com.au
Surf Life Saving Illawarra Bluescope WIN Community Partners Branch Championships
SLSI's Branch Championships were held on Saturday 10 February. Sadly the surf conditions were too hazardous to run the water events and as such only beach events were held on Saturday for juniors, but that didn't stop everyone from having fun and getting involved in some friendly competition.
The hazardous surf worsened on Sunday, with high tides and not much beach to race on, which meant Seniors and Masters beach and water events were cancelled.
Thanks to Bill Wilkins, from Bluescope WIN Community Partners, our wonderful sponsor and SLSI patrons, Alison Byrne MP, Member for Cunningham and The Hon Paul Scully MP, Member for Wollongong for attending our March Past and Junior Life Saver of the Year (JLOTY) presentation.
Many thanks to our host club Thirroul SLSC and our wonderful referees and officials and and helpers on the day. A big thank you to our water safety volunteers (although we didn't end up using you in the water) and of course SLSI's Director of Surf Sports, Kevin Starling and Director of Member Services , Maria Caldwell, who put both worked very hard to organise different aspects of this carnival.
We are looking forward to next year, where hopefully we can get in the water for some competition as well as on the sand!
To enjoy more photos and videos from the carnival click on the following link; www.instagram.com
Upcoming Surf Sports Events
State Championships are coming up next month. All the best to our athletes from the Illawarra who will be competing. We look forward to hearing your results!
If Surf Sports interests you, subscribe to Surf Sports Weekly to stay up to date; www.surflifesaving.com.au
Junior Lifesaver of the Year (JLOTY)
Our new Junior Lifesavers of the Year were announced at SLSI Branch Championships.
Congratulations to Audrey Steffen from Scarborough Wombarra SLSC and William Papandreas from Helensburgh Stanwell Park SLSC. Well done to all JLOTY finalistS, including Kieran Ritter from Scarborough Wombarra SLSC, Jackson McLennan from Port Kembla SLSC and Olive Stevens from Port Kembla SLSC.
Audrey and William will now attend the JLOTY Camp with the other JLOTYs from each Surf Life Saving Branch in NSW.
Vale Evan Griffiths OAM
We would like to acknowledge the recent passing of one of our life members of Surf Life Saving Illawarra, Evan Griffiths OAM of Helensburgh Stanwell Park. Evan was a much loved and respected member of Surf Life Saving community, dedicating much of this life to the Surf Life Saving movement. Evan will be sadly missed.
Surf Life Saving Illawarra's stall at University of Wollongong (UOW)'s O week
SLSI held a stall at UOW's Orientation week on Wednesday 21 February and Thursday 22 February. We met lots of students over the two days who were really keen to hear about beach safety and the importance of swimming between the red and yellow flags at patrolled beaches.
We were also there promoting membership at our 17 clubs in the Illawarra and the different ways you can held out as a member, including being on patrol.
It was a really worthwhile event, with lots of students walking away so thankful after learning about the dangers of rip currents and how to say safe at the beach.
A really big thank you to Felicitas from Fairy Meadow SLSC who volunteered her time to help out at the stall. Felicitas was an international university student herself who joined Fairy Meadow SLSC so she could learn more about being safe swimming in the ocean and has been loving helping out on patrol. Thank you also to Taryne who is the Club Capability Officer for Surf Life Saving NSW, who came to help out both days.
Youth Development Day
Join us at our upcoming Youth Development Day!
The youth day will be held on Sunday, 24 March 2024 at Woonona SLSC. There are two sessions available (you only need to attend one):
- Session 1: 9:30am – 2:30pm
- Session 2: 12:30pm – 5:30pm
We will be sending out an Expression of Interest to both youth members and facilitators over the coming days, so please keep an eye on your emails! This will provide more information about the event and allow you to register your interest in attending.
SLSI Life Member's Morning Tea
Our next SLSI Life Member catch up is coming up on Friday 5 April 2024.
SLSI life members, please check your email for an invitation with further details.
Surf Life Saving Illawarra Awards of Excellence
SAVE THE DATE!!
Our Awards of Excellence will be held on Friday 14th of June 2024 at City Beach Function Centre.
The Surf Life Saving Illawarra Awards of Excellence are an opportunity for our members to get together and celebrate another season of Surf Life Saving in the Illawarra. With many different categories of awards being celebrated on the night, including awards representing excellence in lifesaving, surf sports and support operations.
More information to come regarding nominations for Awards and how to purchase tickets.
We are looking forward to a great night!
Do you want to put your swimming skills towards a good cause?
The 2024 Wollongong MS Mega Swim is fast approaching. Held on Saturday 9 March 2024, 12 midday at UniActive Pool at UOW.
Help raise much needed funds for people living with MS.
Swimmers of all ages and abilities are welcome - swim one lap, or fifty, for ten minutes or four hours. Your team just needs to have one swimmer in the pool at all times.
Surf Life Saving Illawarra have been given a discount code for our members for 20% off entry fee. Use the code SAVE20
For more information and to register, please visit the following link; www.msmegachallenge.org.au
OUR NEW WEBSITE IS LIVE; Check it out at www.slsillawarra.com.au
USEFUL DOCUMENTS
SLSNSW National Coastal Safety Reports
NEWSLETTERS
Does your club have any news, training dates or just anything you would like to share. Send it through to the SLSI branch office and we will put it in the newsletter.
