Beach nippers not pool nippers...
The wind blew Saturday in, along with choppy seas and sunny skies.
Even before we had walked into the club, we were bombarded with, "Can we go to the pool?" "It's too windy!" (this is becomming monotonous! every week i get to repeat this season's mantra: "we are beach nippers not pool nippers"...)
This week, however, B and I had decided that we wanted to take the nippers to the pool. There were exams to be done and drills that we wanted to do.
We made the nippers earn it however. We asked them a series of questions based on their theory. Each correct answer gave them 1 point, each incorrect lost them 2 points and every time someone shouted out they lost 2 points. The end goal was 10 points...
I dont think that the nippers thought that we would actually take away points... The first time we did, we were gazed upon like aliens from another world! The nippers were horrified!!
They came close to 10 points a few times ,but then in the excitement, someone would shout out and would lose the team 2 points.
I must give the nippers a huge thumbs up!! They really know their stuff! Their theory knowledge is great!! (must have something to do with their coaches...;-)..)
No seriously, theyreally are a bright bunch! Rarely did the give an incorrect answer.
They hit 10 points and we piled into Paul's bakkie and Joe's car to head off to the pool.
Everyone was excited and then we arrived at the pool...
Nobody informed us that the pool was being used by the sea scouts that weekend!! They had their annual "do" so we couldn't use the pool! B and I felt quite bad as we had worked them into going and they had earned it....
oh well... gues my mantra rings true: We are beach nippers not pool nippers!!
So off we went back to the beach. There was some grumbling but the kids were really good! They all got changed quickly and were on the beach in a matter of minutes!
They ran to the traditional marker of the house before running back...
running back they had to run in 2 lines behind Bryan. If he sped up then so could they, but they had to stay in 2 straight lines... i think that some of the nippers need to be taught about lines...
but it was funny to watch some of the more competitive nippers trying to catch B on he sprints!!!
We then did some run-swim-runs... or in the nippers case some walk-walk-walks... we split them up into their age groups with the u/10's going first followed by the u/12's then the u/14's.
Now generally during a run-swim-run, you would sprint the first run, hit the water hard and swim, then you would finish your swim and run as hard as you can until you hit the finish line...
Very few of our nippers grasped this concept. they walked some, jogged some, wlaked the swim, walked in, and trotted to the finish line...
they learnt a hard lesson as they had to redo this exercise about 6 times until they all got it right... and were running and swimming and running!!!
Then we did some "ins-and-outs" relays. We did this a number of times ans everyone was enjoying it. We had 2 cripples who had to go against each other as it wouldve been unfair to put them against an able nippers... Dianne and Caitlyn did well, they held hands and hobbled though it together! Am very proud as they didnt stop but kept going!!
Some of the nippers wanted to go further out, so we put the them in oredr of distance. The first 3 in each team would go far out and then Bryan would come in for the next nippers who are not as comfortable going far out. Some the nippers realised that when B says far... he means far! Sometimes the nippers couldnt make it to him... when they said further he went further... they just didnt realise how far.
With the strong current, this made for some very tired nippers back on the beach!
Due to the chill factor of the wind, the nippers turned blue quickly... Dianne asked me if they could have a 1 minute shower.. (we had been giving the short showers due to their bad behaviour) I said "no, you can have a longer shower." Dianne got so excited she started telling everyone that they were allowed a 2 minute shower!! Then she realised that she was getting excited about a 2 minute shower... it was very amusing!!
In the end the nippers had about a 5 minute shower... we hauled them out as the lifeguards ahd to make a rescue...
they had to rescue a rescue craft!!
One of the newer lifeguard trainees ahd taken it out in the high wind and choppy seas!!! He fell off and chose to hang onto the paddle instead of the craft. The lifeguards werent aware that he was out there. By the time they were told, the rescue craft and blown halfway to Blouberg. 6 lifeguards then ran down the beach while 1 went into the water on another craft to try and rescue the craft...
after a hard paddle and a long swim for some, the craft was recovered! Was quite amusing for those of us watching!
The nippers also got to get a first-hand look at why you "know your limits" before going out!!
Even before we had walked into the club, we were bombarded with, "Can we go to the pool?" "It's too windy!" (this is becomming monotonous! every week i get to repeat this season's mantra: "we are beach nippers not pool nippers"...)
This week, however, B and I had decided that we wanted to take the nippers to the pool. There were exams to be done and drills that we wanted to do.
We made the nippers earn it however. We asked them a series of questions based on their theory. Each correct answer gave them 1 point, each incorrect lost them 2 points and every time someone shouted out they lost 2 points. The end goal was 10 points...
I dont think that the nippers thought that we would actually take away points... The first time we did, we were gazed upon like aliens from another world! The nippers were horrified!!
They came close to 10 points a few times ,but then in the excitement, someone would shout out and would lose the team 2 points.
I must give the nippers a huge thumbs up!! They really know their stuff! Their theory knowledge is great!! (must have something to do with their coaches...;-)..)
No seriously, theyreally are a bright bunch! Rarely did the give an incorrect answer.
They hit 10 points and we piled into Paul's bakkie and Joe's car to head off to the pool.
Everyone was excited and then we arrived at the pool...
Nobody informed us that the pool was being used by the sea scouts that weekend!! They had their annual "do" so we couldn't use the pool! B and I felt quite bad as we had worked them into going and they had earned it....
oh well... gues my mantra rings true: We are beach nippers not pool nippers!!
So off we went back to the beach. There was some grumbling but the kids were really good! They all got changed quickly and were on the beach in a matter of minutes!
They ran to the traditional marker of the house before running back...
running back they had to run in 2 lines behind Bryan. If he sped up then so could they, but they had to stay in 2 straight lines... i think that some of the nippers need to be taught about lines...
but it was funny to watch some of the more competitive nippers trying to catch B on he sprints!!!
We then did some run-swim-runs... or in the nippers case some walk-walk-walks... we split them up into their age groups with the u/10's going first followed by the u/12's then the u/14's.
Now generally during a run-swim-run, you would sprint the first run, hit the water hard and swim, then you would finish your swim and run as hard as you can until you hit the finish line...
Very few of our nippers grasped this concept. they walked some, jogged some, wlaked the swim, walked in, and trotted to the finish line...
they learnt a hard lesson as they had to redo this exercise about 6 times until they all got it right... and were running and swimming and running!!!
Then we did some "ins-and-outs" relays. We did this a number of times ans everyone was enjoying it. We had 2 cripples who had to go against each other as it wouldve been unfair to put them against an able nippers... Dianne and Caitlyn did well, they held hands and hobbled though it together! Am very proud as they didnt stop but kept going!!
Some of the nippers wanted to go further out, so we put the them in oredr of distance. The first 3 in each team would go far out and then Bryan would come in for the next nippers who are not as comfortable going far out. Some the nippers realised that when B says far... he means far! Sometimes the nippers couldnt make it to him... when they said further he went further... they just didnt realise how far.
With the strong current, this made for some very tired nippers back on the beach!
Due to the chill factor of the wind, the nippers turned blue quickly... Dianne asked me if they could have a 1 minute shower.. (we had been giving the short showers due to their bad behaviour) I said "no, you can have a longer shower." Dianne got so excited she started telling everyone that they were allowed a 2 minute shower!! Then she realised that she was getting excited about a 2 minute shower... it was very amusing!!
In the end the nippers had about a 5 minute shower... we hauled them out as the lifeguards ahd to make a rescue...
they had to rescue a rescue craft!!
One of the newer lifeguard trainees ahd taken it out in the high wind and choppy seas!!! He fell off and chose to hang onto the paddle instead of the craft. The lifeguards werent aware that he was out there. By the time they were told, the rescue craft and blown halfway to Blouberg. 6 lifeguards then ran down the beach while 1 went into the water on another craft to try and rescue the craft...
after a hard paddle and a long swim for some, the craft was recovered! Was quite amusing for those of us watching!
The nippers also got to get a first-hand look at why you "know your limits" before going out!!
hmmm...sounds like the rescue was very similar to one from last year.
newbies should not hit the crafts in the wind. eek!
well, it will probably be me next time...its been a while since ive last been on one! i cant get craft in to the bath here!
see you on the beach soon!
***claire
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