NIPPERS FAQs
Registration for nippers who participated in the 2025/26 program opens at 10am on 7 September 2026. General registration (including the U7 age group) opens at 10am on 10 September 2026.
Nippers registration is $200 per participant. Starfish Nippers registration is $95.
Age groups are determined by your age as at 30 September 2026. For example, if you are 10 on 30 September 2026, then you will be in the U11 age group for Nippers this season.
The accreditation swim allows our water safety team to assess your child’s ability before participating in water-based activities. They can only participate in beach activities if they don’t satisfactorily complete the accreditation swim. The accreditation swim will be held from 8am-12pm on Sunday 6 December, at Sandridge SLSC, 240 The Boulevard, Port Melbourne.
Yes, the accreditation swim is a prerequisite for participating in our Nippers program for all ages (U/7 to U/13).
Upon satisfactorily completing the accreditation swim, your child will receive a coloured wristband which must be worn each day of the Nippers program. No wristband = no water-based activities, no exceptions.
You can have a swim school teacher sign off that your child satisfies the accreditation swim requirements. The form can be downloaded here and must be emailed to nippers@portseasurf.com.au no later than 11 December 2026.
Yes, please ensure that the swim school teacher uses the correct form which can be downloaded here and must be emailed to nippers@portseasurf.com.au no later than 11 December 2026
If you are unable to satisfy the accreditation swim requirement by 11 December 2026 DO NOT REGISTER YOUR CHILD FOR NIPPERS. There will be NO accreditation swim sessions run during the Nippers program
No. You get your Nippers bag when you have successfully completed the accreditation swim. Once you have successfully completed the accreditation swim, you will be given a wristband and can collect your bag from the Nipper admin desk.
Nippers packs will be available for collection on 27 December. 27 December is your best opportunity to change the size of your child’s rashie.
Your Nipper pack will contain your rashie, a skull cap, a bucket hat and goggles.
All participants must wear Portsea SLSC swimming togs. These can be purchased from Swimwear Galore in Sorrento. Portsea SLSC jammers are only available from the Portsea SLSC shop. If your child wears a wetsuit, the Portsea rashie (from the Nippers pack) must be worn over the top of the wetsuit.
You can apply for a refund if you withdraw from Nippers before 6 December 2026. Please contact nippers@portseasurf.com.au.
Once the program has commenced, no refunds will be provided.
Please contact our Nippers Administrator at nippers@portseasurf.com.au.
NIPPER PROGRAM DATES
The dates for the Nipper program are as follows:
- 6th December – Accreditation Swim, 8am-12pm, Sandridge SLSC, 240 The Boulevard, Port Melbourne
- 27th December – U7-9 Session 1; U10-13 skills session
- 29th December – Session 2
- 31st December – Session 3
- 2nd January – Session 4
- 3rd January – Nippers Disco
- 4th January – Session 5 + Nipper Parent Cocktail Party
- 6th January – Session 6 + U13 farewell BBQ
- 8th January – Competition Day + Nipper Helper drinks
ACCREDITATION SWIM
| AGE GROUP | FLOATATION | SUMMERSION | PROPULSION |
|---|---|---|---|
| U7 | Back or front float for a minimum of 10 seconds, recover to stand. | Submerge to touch the bottom with hands. | From standing position in waist deep water, perform a front glide (2-3 metres) and recover to stand. |
| U8 | Back or front float for a minimum of 15 seconds, recover to stand. | Swim on front any stroke (distance 20 metres) followed by swim underwater (distance 2-3 metres). | |
| U9 | Front to back float or back to front float – 5 seconds each side. Tread water and/or any stroke sculling for a minimum of a minute. | Submerge to touch the bottom with hands. | Swim on front through water any stroke for 25 metres, followed by survival stroke(s) breaststroke and/or sidestroke and/or back sculling for minimum 10 metres. |
| U10 | Swim on front through water any stroke for 25 metres, followed by survival stroke(s) breaststroke and/or sidestroke and/or back sculling for minimum 25 metres. | ||
| U11 | Front to back float or back to front float – 5 seconds each side. Tread water and/or any stroke sculling for a minimum of 2 minutes. | Submerge to perform forward or backward roll/somersault underwater, recover to surface, submerge to touch the bottom with hands. | Swim on front through water any stroke for 25 metres, followed by survival stroke(s) breaststroke and/or sidestroke and/or back sculling for minimum 50 metres. |
| U12 | Front to back float or back to front float – 5 seconds each side. Tread water and/or any stroke sculling for a minimum of 3 minutes. | Submerge to perform forward or backward roll/somersault underwater, recover to surface, submerge to touch the bottom with hands. | Swim on front any stroke for 75 metres, followed by survival stroke(s) breaststroke and/or sidestroke and/or back sculling for minimum 50 metres. |
| U13 | Swim on front any stroke for 100 metres, followed by survival stroke(s) breaststroke and/or sidestroke and/or back sculling for minimum 100 metres. |
ACCREDITATION SWIM TIMES
The accreditation swim will be held from 8am-12pm on Sunday 6 December, at Sandridge SLSC, 240 The Boulevard, Port Melbourne.
ACCREDITATION WRISTBANDS
Accreditation wristbands will be provided to all participants who meet the above requirements, and they must be worn throughout the program. No wristband, no water-based activities, no exceptions.
COMMUNICATIONS - STACK TEAM APP
Please ensure that you join the “Portsea SLSC Nippers community” on Stack Team App as soon as possible. We will be using Stack Team App for all communications in relation to the program.