POLICIES
Code of Conduct
Expectations of the Junior Surf Athlete
- To show respect to others at all times
- To comply with the instructions of the coaches and their assistants at all times
- To give your best efforts at all times, being competitive yet fair
- To join in club competitions where possible
- To show care and respect for equipment used in training and competition
- To have fun, make friends and learn!
- To assist with the supervision of your children at all times and be prepared to help the coach as required
- Be prepared to be in the water with your child during all water sessions for children under the age of 10
- Encourage your children and praise their attempts “They are all winners; only a few become champions”
- Be a good role model to your child and to others
- Provide the opportunity for your children to extend and practise their new skills outside of Junior Surf.
- To ensure that registration details are completed and fees paid promptly
- Participate with fundraising activities to the best of your ability
- Consider being a coach or committee member: become involved, support your children and the club community
- To provide coaches who will teach to the age group level required
- To provide role models, inspiration and encouragement
- To operate in a safe environment and comply with adult/child ratios at all times
- Have the confidence to deal with injuries and seek assistance where required
- Provide a structured training regime that enhances skills and confidence
- Communicate clearly with both children and parents/caregivers
- Be fair and encourage fair play in competition
- Be sensitive to gender, race or cultural differences
- Encourage participation of both children and their parents/caregivers
- To provide integration through all levels of the club with assistance from senior members
Concerns/Complaints
We appreciate concerns parents or caregivers may have for their children. Managing your concerns and complaints is important to us. If at any stage you have a safety concern, please speak to the coach or surf patrol immediately.
If you have a concern please do the following in order:
If you have a concern please do the following in order:
- Speak to the relevant coach
- If this is not satisfactory then speak to the Junior Surf Coordinator
- If this is not satisfactory then speak to the Club President
- Write the complaint to the relevant person in the same order as above within a reasonable timeframe
WSLSC Board Policy
Equipment Hire & Use
For athletes using foam or fibreglass boards there is a small equipment gear levy as per the registration form. The levy is to cover damage and to provide the mechanism to invest in future board purchases.
Please ensure that equipment used by your child/children is washed and put away in the correct place at the end of each session. This ensures that the gear is well looked after and cared for. Due to the club’s investment in equipment, children who repeatedly do not wash down their gear and return it to the appropriate place may lose the privilege for future use.
If you happen to damage any gear, please inform your coach or Junior Surf Equipment Officer as soon as it happens so that the necessary repairs can be arranged. If equipment is used when damaged it can sometimes result in permanent or irreparable damage. Due to the nature of the sport we understand that damage can happen, however we would rather know immediately rather than by discovering the damage later.
200m Safety Badge
All children wishing to be allocated a paddleboard must have successfully completed the following requirements. In both the ocean and pool, athletes must swim 200m continuously, competently and confidently in freestyle stroke unless an exception to this is discussed and agreed with the coach and Junior Surf Coordinator. Immediately following the 200m swim, athletes will be expected to tread water for one minute without stopping after the swim. This one minute of treading water is included within the total time allocation.
POOL TIME – total 8 mins (Swim must be completed within 7 minutes, 1 minute tread time)
OCEAN TIME – total 10 mins (swim must be completed within 9 minutes)
These requirements are re-tested on an annual basis however coaches will ensure children swim at each session to keep up their swim fitness.
Note: When measuring the 200m badge course in the surf, the start and finish point is in the water at the approximate waist height of an 8 year old child (0.9m). The course is in a u-shape, 50m out to first buoy, 100m parallel to the beach to the second buoy and then 50m back to the beach.
Board Transition
Once an athlete can demonstrate the following they may be able to use a ‘foamie’ board or older children may transition from a foamie to a fibreglass board.
Boards are allocated by the Head Coach and/or Equipment Officer. Board allocations are not an automatic right as there are many safety issues to be considered. Please work with the club in regards to board allocation to your child.
Board Policy (applies to both foam & fibreglass boards)
For athletes using foam or fibreglass boards there is a small equipment gear levy as per the registration form. The levy is to cover damage and to provide the mechanism to invest in future board purchases.
Please ensure that equipment used by your child/children is washed and put away in the correct place at the end of each session. This ensures that the gear is well looked after and cared for. Due to the club’s investment in equipment, children who repeatedly do not wash down their gear and return it to the appropriate place may lose the privilege for future use.
If you happen to damage any gear, please inform your coach or Junior Surf Equipment Officer as soon as it happens so that the necessary repairs can be arranged. If equipment is used when damaged it can sometimes result in permanent or irreparable damage. Due to the nature of the sport we understand that damage can happen, however we would rather know immediately rather than by discovering the damage later.
200m Safety Badge
All children wishing to be allocated a paddleboard must have successfully completed the following requirements. In both the ocean and pool, athletes must swim 200m continuously, competently and confidently in freestyle stroke unless an exception to this is discussed and agreed with the coach and Junior Surf Coordinator. Immediately following the 200m swim, athletes will be expected to tread water for one minute without stopping after the swim. This one minute of treading water is included within the total time allocation.
POOL TIME – total 8 mins (Swim must be completed within 7 minutes, 1 minute tread time)
OCEAN TIME – total 10 mins (swim must be completed within 9 minutes)
These requirements are re-tested on an annual basis however coaches will ensure children swim at each session to keep up their swim fitness.
Note: When measuring the 200m badge course in the surf, the start and finish point is in the water at the approximate waist height of an 8 year old child (0.9m). The course is in a u-shape, 50m out to first buoy, 100m parallel to the beach to the second buoy and then 50m back to the beach.
Board Transition
Once an athlete can demonstrate the following they may be able to use a ‘foamie’ board or older children may transition from a foamie to a fibreglass board.
- Can confidently swim a distance of 200m in the pool and in the ocean as defined in the 200m Swim section
- Show in Junior Surf sessions that they have the strength to control a board
- Are able to hold their board in different surf conditions and if they lose their board are able to get back to shore confidently
- Demonstrate that they can look after their board all season (washing, waxing, taping)
Boards are allocated by the Head Coach and/or Equipment Officer. Board allocations are not an automatic right as there are many safety issues to be considered. Please work with the club in regards to board allocation to your child.
Board Policy (applies to both foam & fibreglass boards)
- The criteria detailed in the Board Transition section must be met by the athlete
- Boards can only be allocated to athletes who attend 3 sessions each month
- Athletes who competed at Oceans in the previous season automatically qualify for a board this season
- Treat all gear with respect
- Wash all gear down and return to storage in the correct place immediately after use
- Carry – DO NOT drag gear. If you need help ask a fellow athlete, parent or coach
- Notify the Equipment Officer immediately when gear is damaged
- No stand up surfing of waves on kneeboards
- Do not remove equipment away from the club without permission for the Equipment Officer
- When travelling to carnivals you must load and unload your gear onto the gear trailers OR find a person willing to and capable of doing this for you
- Board washing must be done on grass area.
WSLSC General Equipment Policy

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PATROLLING POLICY
Aim:
To watch over the swimming public and beach users, and ensure their safety and enjoyment at all times.
A member must:
12. IRB and quad logs to be filled in and signed by operators and checked by the Patrol Captain at the end of each day.
When dealing with the public, smile, say hello and be polite. It all helps!
To watch over the swimming public and beach users, and ensure their safety and enjoyment at all times.
A member must:
- Be currently financial, having paid an active membership.
- Wear the correct uniform as per Surf Life Saving New Zealand regulations.
- Ensure that the patrol flags are placed in a safe area at all times.
- Flags are to be in place at the advertised start of patrol and moved as the tide rises and falls or to safer area as conditions alter.
- Call Whakatane Coastguard at the beginning and end of the patrol day.
- Call Harbour Wardens if boats or jet skis are endangering swimmers.
- Answer the telephone "Whakatane Surf Club ___________________ speaking".
- Maintain all patrolling equipment in good working order at all times.
- All patrol equipment to be washed and stored away correctly.
- Radio batteries to be placed on chargers.
- Report any damaged or malfunctioning equipment to the Club Captain that day.
- Permission is needed by the Patrol Captain or IRB Driver before use - even to move the IRB trailer.
- Bags to be kept in bunkrooms not the lounge.
- Kitchen to be swept and dishes to be washed immediately after use.
- Showers and toilets to be washed.
12. IRB and quad logs to be filled in and signed by operators and checked by the Patrol Captain at the end of each day.
- Fuel levels to be adequate for a rescue.
When dealing with the public, smile, say hello and be polite. It all helps!
IRB POLICY
Background:
The IRB is a vital component of the surf rescue equipment used in beach safety patrols. It is of critical importance that at all times the equipment is operable and available at the Whakatane Surf Club headquarters and that the operators are competent to handle the equipment in a wide range of rescue conditions.
Operation guidelines:
Refer to current SLSNZ IRB Operations Manual.
Particular attention should be paid to equipment checks before and after use.
All IRB use to be logged in the log book.
Equipment problems are to be rectified, or reported directly to the Powered Craft Officer.
Equipment availability:
At all times, there shall be one fully functional hull and two fully functional motors available at the Whakatane Surf Club.
While on beach or water, operators shall have VHF radio for communication with the patrol tower.
The approval of the Powered Craft Officer is required before equipment can be taken for use elsewhere.
Personnel:
Crew and drivers shall be qualified, or subject to the overview of a qualified coach or driver.
Drivers shall be active members of the Whakatane Surf Club, shall be refreshed annually and shall be up to ate with their volunteer patrol commitments.
Public relations:
IRB use is readily observed by members of the public. Funding for IRB operations is derived from a variety of sources, including donations from the public.
It is important that all IRB operations demonstrate the appropriate levels of responsibility and competence of the operator. It is important that public perceptions of confidence in the rescue capabilities of IRB crews are maintained.
The IRB is a vital component of the surf rescue equipment used in beach safety patrols. It is of critical importance that at all times the equipment is operable and available at the Whakatane Surf Club headquarters and that the operators are competent to handle the equipment in a wide range of rescue conditions.
Operation guidelines:
Refer to current SLSNZ IRB Operations Manual.
Particular attention should be paid to equipment checks before and after use.
All IRB use to be logged in the log book.
Equipment problems are to be rectified, or reported directly to the Powered Craft Officer.
Equipment availability:
At all times, there shall be one fully functional hull and two fully functional motors available at the Whakatane Surf Club.
While on beach or water, operators shall have VHF radio for communication with the patrol tower.
The approval of the Powered Craft Officer is required before equipment can be taken for use elsewhere.
Personnel:
Crew and drivers shall be qualified, or subject to the overview of a qualified coach or driver.
Drivers shall be active members of the Whakatane Surf Club, shall be refreshed annually and shall be up to ate with their volunteer patrol commitments.
Public relations:
IRB use is readily observed by members of the public. Funding for IRB operations is derived from a variety of sources, including donations from the public.
It is important that all IRB operations demonstrate the appropriate levels of responsibility and competence of the operator. It is important that public perceptions of confidence in the rescue capabilities of IRB crews are maintained.