3. Nippers

Welcome to another Woodside Nippers season at Trigg Island SLSC! Whether you're brand new or returning, every Sunday morning is designed to be safe, social and full of smiles — for kids and parents alike. Behind the scenes, the program is run by a team of volunteer Age Managers and helpers, many of them parents just like you — the more help they have, the more fun Nippers can have, so please get involved when you can.

At Trigg, we believe fun is the number one reason kids stay active and engaged in sport. That’s why every Sunday morning is designed to be safe, social, and full of smiles — not just for the kids, but for parents too! From beach games to board paddling, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. 

Nipper contacts

Age group contacts

Reach your child's Age Manager team directly by cap colour:

What's included

Every Nipper (U6–U13) needs at least one accompanying parent or guardian with a current Nipper Parent membership — without one, the Nipper registration can't be finalised. Your family will receive a hi-vis vest, an age group cap and a wide-brim Nipper hat, plus access to Sunday sessions, club facilities and boards, the Christmas celebration day, interclub carnivals, and the Surf Life Saving education program. Every member is covered by Surf Life Saving Insurance for approved club activities.

Find out more at NippersWA.

Age Groups and Caps

Each group has its own coloured cap to make them easy to spot on the beach.

Preliminary swim evaluation

Before Nippers head into the surf, every child completes a preliminary swim evaluation to check their swimming and water safety skills. This is an SLSA requirement and part of the Club's duty of care — it helps make sure every child is confident and safe in the water.

Can't make the session?

Your options are to:

• Ask your child's swim instructor or coach to sign a third-party swim proficiency form, or;

• Email Michelle Bowbridge (U7 Age Group Manager) to attend Carine SHS pool to observe your child's proficiency swim.

All third party completed forms go to your Age Manager team by email.

Every Sunday morning, Nippers come together on Trigg Beach for fun, friendships and surf safety activities.

What happens on Sundays

• Meet your Age Group Manager at your cap-coloured flag on the beach — arrive by 8:50am for a 9am start

• Roll call and a quick safety check

• Fun rotations: water skills, board paddling, beach sprints, relays, flags, games and surf safety education

• Grab a snack or coffee afterwards — kiosk proceeds go straight back into supporting Nippers

What to bring

• Age group cap (labelled)

• Hi-vis vest (labelled)

• Bathers or wetsuit (if your child gets cold)

• Sunscreen (apply before arrival)

• Towel, hat and a long-sleeve shirt for after water activities

• Goggles and a labelled water bottle

• A Nipper board, if you own one

• Warm clothes for cooler mornings

Trigg Island SLSC is a volunteer-led club, and that's what makes it special. It's a membership requirement that at least one parent or guardian from each family joins as a parent member — this lets you help with beach and water activities, and makes sure you're covered by insurance while doing so.

Ways you can help

• Beach set-up and pack-up — help put out and pack away equipment on Sundays and carnival days

• Officials and marshals — from judging to recording results; online Surf Sport Official courses are available, and the club will help you get started

• Water safety — qualified parents can assist on boards or with rescue tubes during water activities, with a Nipper Rescue Certificate (NRC), Surf Rescue Certificate (SRC) or Bronze Medallion (BM)

Nipper Rescue Certificate (NRC)

Nipper Water Safety – Trigg Island Surf Life Saving Club

Step 1 is to make sure you're the registered parent on your family membership. All participants must complete a 200m pool swim in under 5 minutes to be eligible; this can be done as part of the Nipper Preliminary swim evaluation. If you already hold an NRC, SRC or Bronze Medallion, you'll just need to complete skills maintenance rather than the full course.

Questions about NRC courses or skills maintenance go to the Nipper Education Coordinator, Jenny Taylor, via nrc@triggisland.com.

Age Managers

Every age group has dedicated Age Managers who lead Sunday sessions, support water safety, keep roll call, coordinate parent helpers, attend a monthly Nipper committee meeting (about 1.5 hours), and complete an Age Manager Award (a short online module plus two shadow sessions). New Age Managers are paired with a mentor and given lesson plans covering surf awareness, individual safety, lifesaving skills and surf sports. The club aims for 2–4 Age Managers per group, with a minimum ratio of 1 Age Manager to 25 children.

in becoming an Age Manager? Contact Lauren Robertson, Director of Nippers — nippers@triggisland.com | 0414 302 925.

Keeping Nippers safe

We are committed to creating a safe and supportive environment for all participants and their families.

• Nippers must always stay with their Age Group Manager, unless handed over to a coach or parent/guardian

• Parents and guardians must remain on the beach during all Nipper sessions and training — your children remain your responsibility

• Kids only enter the water when instructed by their Age Group Manager

• Nippers must be signed out by a parent or guardian before leaving at the end of the session

• Hi-vis vest and age group cap are compulsory for all water activities

Member protection

Trigg Island SLSC is committed to providing a safe, fair and inclusive environment for everyone involved in the Club. The Club's obligations, the SLSA policies behind them, and how to report a concern are set out in Member Protection.

If you are volunteering with Nippers in any capacity, start with Working With Children — it covers whether you need a WWC Check, the parent exemption, and how to apply.

In the U8–13 age groups, Nippers develop board paddling skills as part of Sunday morning activities each week. U6 and U7 Nippers get some board exposure during the season when conditions are suitable. The club has both foam boards (U8–U10) and fibreglass boards (U11–U13) for use during Sunday activities and additional training sessions.

Board Specifications

U8-U10 - foam encased Nipper board / 2.0m length with no specified weight

U11-U13 - fibreglass Nipper board / 2.0m length and 4.5kg

Buying Your Own Board

As your child progresses, they may choose to buy their own board for private use, giving them the chance to practise outside club activities. Suitable suppliers include:

• Kracka Surfcraft

• Race One Surf Craft

• Ocean Built

• NIPPER — bennettsurf

Second-hand boards are also available through other surf club websites, Gumtree, Facebook groups (such as WA Surf Lifesaving Craft/Accessories Sale, or Trigg Boards & Craft for Sale), and club noticeboards.

Trigg Island SLSC is one of the Western Australian clubs delivering the Woodside Nippers All Abilities Program for the 2026–27 season — a state-wide initiative from Surf Life Saving WA (SLSWA) that makes Nippers accessible to children with diverse needs and abilities.

What the program offers

All Abilities Nippers is built around enjoyment, social interaction, water and beach familiarisation, and physical activity — adapted to each participant's individual learning needs. Children take part in the same broad areas as regular Nippers — beach safety, swimming and board skills — building fitness, coordination and confidence along the way. Depending on interest, some participants may also get involved in competition, patrolling or other club activities as they progress.

• For children aged 5 and above — there's no upper age limit, and sessions may combine different age groups

• Runs alongside the Club's regular Woodside Nippers program in January and February

• Every participant receives their own Woodside Nippers uniform — hi-vis vest and cap — the same as every other Nipper

• A parent or caregiver is required to be present and involved throughout sessions

Getting involved at Trigg Island

To find out more or register your child for the All-Abilities Program at Trigg Island, contact the Director of Member Services, Rochelle McKee — membership@triggisland.com.

U8–U13s have the opportunity to compete at interclub carnivals and state championship events. To enter water events, a Nipper must first be assessed by their Age Manager as meeting the competition evaluation swim, ahead of the entry deadline — this assessment happens as part of normal Sunday activities. Taking part is encouraged but optional; Sunday sessions still run at Trigg even when there's an interclub carnival on the same day.

What events can my child enter?

Carnivals are split by age: Little Nippers (U8–U9), running about 2–3 hours, and Nippers (U10–U13), running about 3–4 hours (longer at State Championships).

• Little Nippers — individual events: surf race, board race, sprint race and flags

• Nippers — individual and team events, including surf race, board race, ironperson, surf teams, board relay and Cameron relay, plus beach events: 1km or 2km run, sprint race, beach relay and flags

All competitors must wear a fluoro yellow vest, club bathers and the club competition cap. Entry process and carnival program details are shared by your Age Manager team, and via The Islander, before each entry deadline — visit the SLSWA MyBeach website for carnival dates and registration information.

Parent help is always needed for trailer loading/unloading, officiating, marshalling and water safety at every carnival.

Team selection

General carnivals are about fun and participation. For State events, selection shifts to a performance focus, made by Age Managers and coaches based on performance at Nippers, training and earlier carnivals, conditions on the day, and team balance and spirit.