Awards

200m Swim Badge

Each year the club carries out a 200m Safety Badge assessment for junior members in the U10-U14 age groups. Children who are able to swim 200m under a target time (see below), followed immediately by continuously treading water for 1 minute will be awarded a cloth badge. This must be sewn onto their beanie so that it is visible to coaches at training and also to officials at carnivals.

The 200m badge assessment is carried out in a very supportive environment with the athletes, parents and coaches. Like all our Junior surf days, this is to be an enjoyable activity, so please let your child know that their best effort is all we are asking.

We require our Juniors to refresh their 200m badge every year so that we can update the SLSNZ database and children can track their improvement.  Throughout their final years at Junior Surf, children aim to build up to swimming 400m within under 9 minutes. This is the target time for the Lifeguard Award.

Why do children need a 200m badge?

• SLSNZ requires all U10 to U14 athletes, wishing to compete in water events at carnivals, to have their 200m badge. Children in these age groups who have not gained their 200m badge will only be permitted to enter the land based events. (NB: U8-U9 children do not require their 200m badge to enter carnivals as water events for these age groups are held within their depth. 
• Children must have completed their 200m badge in order to use a fibreglass board or to take a foam board out of their depth whilst training at Taylors.
• U10-U14s who wish to enter carnivals and are unable to attend the pool competency session at the beginning of the season should ask to do their 200m test with their swimming coach (e.g. Aquagym, Mac’s). Please provide a copy of the time with the coach’s signature to the Junior Surf Co-ordinators. 
• To be an active participant in the Taylors junior surf life saving programme, our athletes need to be competent swimmers. The SLSNZ required time for a 200m swim is 7mins, however each beach has different conditions  and here at Taylors Mistake we strongly recommend the following times:
  • U10s – 5.30 min
  • U11s – 5 min
  • U12s – 4.30 min
  • U13s – 4.15 min
  • U14s – 4 min

If your child is not currently meeting these times, please come and talk to us.

Achievement awards

In addition to the 200m swim badge there are a number of achievement awards that we work towards during the season. Surf Lifesaving is not only about developing water competence; it also requires an understanding of rescue techniques.

In the course of their time in Junior Surf, the children will achieve a graduated series of certification. These Awards go from Level 1 for seven year olds to Level 7 for thirteen year olds.

• Level 1 (7 yrs)
• Level 2 (8 yrs)
• Level 3 (9 yrs)
• Level 4 (10 yrs)
• Level 5 (11 yrs)
• Level 6 (12 yrs)
• Level 7 (13 yrs)

More details on the SLSNZ achievement awards can be found here