Southerndown S.L.S.C.- Patron: Earl of Dunraven.

Welcome. Another year on and we are all still smiling at Southerndown Surf Lifesaving Club.
Our reputation as a friendly, enthusiastic club seems to have attracted lots of new members this year. I hope you all enjoy our new training regime, which promotes high standards in all aspects of lifesaving and life guarding and a whole lot of fun as well!
Vigilance and Service is the lifesaving motto, here at Southerndown we aim to provide the highest Standard of training to ensure we continue to provide confident and enthusiastic beach and pool lifeguards. Congratulations to everyone who qualified this year and well done to all our instructors- a job very well done. Our new theory and practical training is obviously working extremely well and you should be proud.
Members rehearsing the Spinal Lift before their NARS Award.
This years patrolling and coaching certificates proved popular. And showed what a dedicated team of lifeguards we have here at Southerndown. Patrolling allows us to show the public exactly why we train, and is a way of giving something back to the community. After all, the reason the club exists is to provide the knowledge and training required to help people become lifeguards and lifesavers, promoting good practice and helping the public to remain safe on our beaches.
This year we have also been encouraging the more competitive members with our new competition training. Ski training, board training and running club now run all year round. We have great fun and the results speak quite plainly for themselves! Over the winter we will also be introducing Still Water Competition training twice a month. I'm thankful to everyone who has helped me run these sessions and to all who've turned up- keep up the good work. Competitions are fun and a chance to get together with other clubs all over GB.



At Southerndown we value everyone and at this years fun and sponsored events we've really enjoyed getting together. Dolygaer training camp was an absolute scream! Everyone is still talking about it. 
We've had the Big Freeze, pyjama patrol, Nipper camp, The surf festival, St.David's training weekend, car washes, sandcastle competitions, a 12 hour iron man, BBQ'S, birthdays, the bike ride of doom and collections- to name quite a few! It's been a fun packed and exciting year! But you should see what we've got planned for next year!!
We are a truly amazing club. Congratulations and well done on another superb year.
Our presentation evening in September helped to celebrate all of our achievements. The Nippers received Water Safety and Beach Awards and had a chance to congratulate their hard working coaches!

Congratulation to Josh Beames who won The Most Improved Nipper 2005-2006. Very well done Josh. All that training has paid off at last.

The Juniors and Seniors had a very busy night collecting coaching certificates, patrolling certificates, Board, Ski and Surf Competencies, NARS and Lifesavers Awards, Sponsored Iron Man Certificates and Masters Awards.

The Most Improved Junior of the Year went to Fiona Henson. 
She has shown tremendous dedication to all our training sessions this year. Fiona is always smiling, never complains and always does her best. She has a fantastic attitude to the club is always helpful and has improved in leaps and bounds this year. Well Done!



Junior Captain 2005-2006 was awarded to Ami Byles. 
Ami is a fantastic girl who has amazed us all with her dedication and desire to train. She has been at practically every training session, sponsored event, patrol and competition. If we trained Seven days a week she'd be there! Ami gives up a lot of time to helping the club and encouraging others to get involved- Congratulations Ami.

The Most Improved Senior Award 2005-2006 went to David Oakley. 
He has been a great example to us all this year by showing great dedication to his training and coaching. I hope he's enjoyed taking a more leading role and Dave continues to compete and coach with such a superb attitude. You're a great Asset Dave, well done!

Senior Captain 2005-2006 goes to Jonathan Komor. 
Jonny is constantly surprising us all with his fearless antics and lifeguard skills. He has only just qualified as a lifeguard this year but his enthusiasm and hard work means he has been an extremely valuable member of our beach lifeguard team. Jonny trains hard and is a great example to us all with his boundless enthusiasm. He's a pretty mean running coach too! A regular hero of the ocean- Congratulations!

his years Loyalty Award went to Phil Chamberlain / Bob The Builder for service above and beyond the ordinary. He has spent years working tirelessly to keep the club running smoothly, without him we'd all be sunk or continuously going around in circles with duff rudders! He's become very busy thanks to our new craft and training regime. We simply couldn't manage without you Phil- You're a superstar- a genius of craft hut engineering - Thanks!

 

The IRB Award went deservedly home with the Champion of Ridiculous Blunders- Will Hedges. 
A quick account of nominations are as follows:

Will- for losing his glasses in his own pocket.
Jamie- for getting stuck in the shower.
Will- for putting in the swim of his life during the 12hr iron man to escape a deadly seal - or an old man resting!
Jonny K- for truly fabulous death defying entries and exits from dumping surf
Jonny K- for incorrect radio procedure followed by a scare from OB
Karen- for redesigning the nose of the old gaisford.
Karen- for not recognising Will's IRB Award- fooled by my own ingenuity.
Anthony- For spraying us with Brown sauce.
Josh- For turning up to the bike ride of Doom on his granny's bike and then taking it off road!
Will- for failing to apply brakes and flattening a prize winning garden after mid air gymnastics
Ami- for turning up to first board training session in April in a shorty!
Tash- for breaking her toe taking part in the dangerous sport of bunny hopping!
Tash and Rhian- for making us paddle to Ogmore when leading a training session then getting out and phoning for a lift whilst the rest of us had to paddle back again!
Will- for the sink.

Well done Will- we all know you'd have been heartbroken if anyone else had won!

I would like to thank Natasha O'Leary for being a great 2004-2005 Junior Captain. You have been a wonderful member and a great inspiration. We wish you the very best of luck for the future.
Finally thanks must go to the 2004-2005 committee:
Karyn Melbourne Thomas- Secretary
Ann O'Leary- Competition Secretary
Jane Stephens- Treasurer
Phil Chamberlain- Gear Steward
Rebecca Melbourne Thomas- Club Captain
Will Hedges- Patrol Captain

And all the parents and coaches who have helped make this year a great one. It's been hard work for us all but we have made a wonderful team. Just look at all the smiling faces...
Once again I hope you all have a great 2005/6. Remember Southerndown is only as good as you make it. Keep up all the enthusiasm and hard work!

Karen Bale - Chair person.








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