A group of Nipper parents decided to band together and become Nippers too; all to help volunteer lifesavers cope during the busy season.
Cape Town, South Africa (26 July 2023) – The Big Bay Lifesaving Club have been training up a new generation of lifesavers but the catch is that they are a group of parents aged between their 40s and 50s! While the Nippers are usually made up of high-energy children eager to get into the ocean, this group are eager to do the work, hit the beach and save lives!
Speaking to Ewald van Heerden, he shared how the group have been working hard to qualify and make a difference. He says it all started when a group of parents who have children in the Nippers programme, wanted to take part too. The coaches agreed they would set up an adult class if there was enough interest – and boy was there!
“They agreed that if we could get enough parents and coaches together they would run a course for us, which would allow us (if we make it!) to qualify as lifeguards, and eventually serve voluntary duty.”
“Our idea started when we saw how busy the beaches were this last summer season, and how difficult it was for the lifeguards to do their jobs given that many of the lifeguards are purely volunteers, and the behaviour and number of people on our beaches during summer, especially public holidays, makes their job very difficult.”
The parents signed up for 18 weeks of training, spending several hours each Sunday, learning the skills needed to be a lifesaver. Additionally, they committed to getting their fitness to the right level and took on additional training to make it happen.
They undertook various theoretical studies for the ocean, signals, rescue techniques, first aid and more. To qualify, each parent needed to pass a theory and practical exam to complete a POE.
“As part of the physical we are required to perform certain timed challenges, for example, a 400m pool swim in under 8 minutes, and a run/swim/run which involves a 100m soft sand run, 300m ocean swim in waves, and then another 100m soft sand run, in under 10 minutes.
We are also tested on our ability to perform certain technical rescue techniques, like retrieving an unconscious patient from the surf with a rescue board, performing a boxline rescue, and stabilising, securing and removing a spinal injury patient from the surf.”
Related Story
“We managed to get around 18 people who turned up for the first training day. Our whole crew is aged in their 40’s or 50’s, with varying abilities and fitness levels. It is safe to say in week 1 we were all shocked at how challenging it would be, and I don’t think any of us would have made the physical challenges in week 1.
Along the way we have suffered some injuries, like a torn calf and one of us even dislocated their shoulder when we did training on a weekend that was particularly stormy with a huge swell. Now 10 weeks later the majority of us did a trial run of the physical exam and the theory, and for the majority, it looks like we are very close to being able to complete the exam.”
The Nippers parents have given themselves the name of “The BigBay Ballers” and are feeling excited to make it to the end of the course.
“We have even started calling ourselves the BigBay Ballers, and I am sure there is a proper reason for it that I cannot remember, but I think it is because it almost sounds like Big Bay Ballies! We are hoping that if we complete the course it will inspire other parents or any non-lifeguards to think about doing the course so that they gain the valuable skills and we can grow the community of volunteers that are out there and available to assist by preventing drownings on our beaches.”
Ewald and the fellow BigBay Ballers have an exciting few weeks ahead of them, so if you see them during training, shout out some encouragement. They are changing the face of lifesaving in South Africa and we love it!!! If you are curious about taking on this awesome and worthy course, you can reach out via email here.
by 