Nippers Newsletter
25th February 2020
Dear Parents & Nippers
Message from your Nipper Officer – Allie Absalom
“As we head into a new week. A week that will be filled with excitement and eagerness. I would hereby like to share a very personal message that comes from the bottom of my heart.
For those who walked this journey with me will know what this means to me.
With this I would like to urge you all to show the support for every nipper that will compete for us this coming weekend. They deserve it big time!
I would also hereby like to congratulate all those nippers who in their own brave way attempted so hard this season to get through the qualifying exams. They are all embedded in my heart because of their fighting spirit and never give up attitude. I am 100% sure that day will come for them. Most of all remember that you all part of this fantastic nipper family.
One day a nipper will be called upon to rescue someone….we are just but playing a small part in preparing them for that day.
All the best to you all.
Kind Regards
Allie”
2019/2020 Nipper Captains
Congratulations to the newly elected Nipper Captains: Roman Colonnello and Maja Alexander, as well as their vice-captains: Mathew Brading and Babette van Rooyen.
Senior and Juniors Western Province Champs
A huge congratulations to the Juniors and Seniors who performed incredibly at the Western Cape Champs held at Milnerton Beach this past weekend. Both teams won their individual competitions and Fish Hoek won the aggregated by almost 300 points!
And to top it all off, Warwick, Holly and Jake Schoeman received Victor / Victrix awards for their performances this weekend. Congratulations!
The Juniors and Seniors wish the Nippers the best of luck for this weekend’s competitions.
FPS Fun Beach Gala
Fishhoek Primary School hosted its first every Fun Beach Gala at the Fishhoek Surf Lifesaving Club on Friday the 21st February. Swimmers from Reddam, Sweet Valley, Kirstenhof and Fishhoek all took part and had a fantastic time. Congratulations to all those who took part, and we look forward to this possibly becoming an annual event.
In other news
Our nippers have done it again with 3 of our nippers standing out at the District Athletics meet this past week. Congratulations to Zoey Niemann for placing 1st in the u11 1200m run, Teagan Hudson for placing 2nd in the u11 1200m run, and Josh Chown for qualifying for the next round for Shotput. Good luck for the Western Province Tryouts taking place this Friday in Paarl.
Upcoming Events:
- Western Province Champs – This will take place on Saturday 29th February and Sunday 1st March at Hout Bay. Entries close on 27th February. Entries are open via the Management System. More information will be sent out about this in the next week.
- SA Champs briefing and campout – 14th March: We’re going bigger and better this year with our briefing and kit handout for SA Champs. Come and camp with your family for the night at Imhoffs and enjoy a final fun training session, boerie rolls and lots of fun as we celebrate the hard work that has gone into this season.
This event is for all nippers competing at SA Champs.
R80 per person per night or R20 per day visitor.
Boerie Rolls will be provided for on Saturday lunch, outside of this please cater for yourself. Braai drums and wood will be provided.
Please note that parents are responsible for the care for their own children during the duration of this event.
Please RSVP to this event via the Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1052927655076200/ - SA Champs – This is the culmination of all the hard work the Nippers have put in over the season. This year the SA Champs will take place at Kings Beach, Port Elizabeth from the 18th -21st March. Entries close on 20th February. Entries are open via the Management System. More information will be sent out about this in the next week.
Training
As we head towards the final competitions of the season, training becomes more and more important. Please note the following times for training for the remainder of the season:
• Sunday beach training: 10:30 – 12:30 – All age-groups, all nippers (Micro and Starfish 10:30-11:30)
• Tuesday beach training: 17:30 – 18:30 – All age-groups, all nippers
• Wednesday Pool training: 17:00 – 18:00 – All age-groups, all nippers
• Thursday beach training: 17:30 – 18:30 – All age-groups, qualified nippers only
Hot Chocolate
We would really appreciate it if everyone who attends Tuesday and Thursday training could please donate at least 1 x 500g container of hot chocolate and 2L of long life milk. If you know of any organisation/retailer/wholesaler who can donate towards this, that would also be fantastic. Our nippers really love their hot choc when they come out the water on a cold evening! Thank you.
If any parents are able to assist with the serving of hot chocolate, please contact Katya at the club on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.
Micros and Starfish
Our MicroNipper and Starfish groups are growing in numbers, and confidence, with every training session. In order to keep the training at the level that Fishhoek prides itself on, and to keep the safety as top priority, we need to get some more parents involved. If you would like to become more involved in helping these little ones, whether it be as a coach or as an assistant, please contact the Micro and Starfish Manager, Lauren Hudson, on 082-375-1666.
Notice for U8 Micros
Next year when you move up to U9, you will need to be able to swim 12 lengths of a 25m pool in under 8 minutes, before you can take your exam and enter competitions. Please start working towards this now! Many of our U9s have been disappointed to not qualify to take the nipper exam yet, as they couldn’t complete their swim time. If you start extra swimming lessons and start working on this now, it will be much easier for you next November.
To all the moms and dads who would like to get more involved with the Fishhoek Nipper family, please get in touch to find out how. We would love to have you join us. Because as they say, “Show me a successful Nipper and I’ll show you a dedicated parent”! 
Very important safety notice!!!
Parents please note that Nippers is not a drop and go activity. Safety is a huge concern of ours, and we need you to be watching your child while he or she is in the sea. We also need to know where you are in case we need you.
Here are the rules re leaving your child at the beach:
- Starfish & Micros: You need to stay with your child for the whole session, and either watch or get involved with the training session.
- Unqualified nippers: If your nipper has not completed their pool test and passed the nipper exam, they are not considered safe on the beach at all. You need to stay with your child and either watch or get involved with the training session.
- Qualified nippers: Your child is considered safe on the beach, so you may designate another adult to be responsible for him/her during training. However, your child needs to know exactly who is watching them and where they are in case we need them.
- U9/u10’s: All u9’s and u10’s are to wear their pink vest to training.
See you on the beach!
The Fishhoek Nipper Team
Dates to Diarize
· Sunday 16th February: Comp #3 hosted by Strand Surf @ Strand
· Saturday 29th February: Western Province Champs – Day 1 @ Hout Bay
· Sunday 1st March: Western Province Champs – Day 2 @ Hout Bay
· SA Champs – 19 March – 21 March @ Kings Beach, Port Elizabeth
