iSurf Nippers – 2016 Newsletter

2015 saw the start of something really special and the reason for starting iSurf Nippers was because we realised there was a real need for this by young people who are interested in surfing, the beach and generally in the outdoors.

The first regular session started at Compton Farm end of Compton beach and the main reason for using this particular stretch of beach is because it is the sandiest area along this whole coastline. Access to the beach can be tricky, with steep steps down to the beach. There were around 10 regulars from Brighstone primary which quickly grew overnight to around 30-35 children. As a result of this, we started 2 more sessions on a Wednesday and Thursday evening from the iSurf base on Sandown seafront. Sandown offers a nice safe alternative to Compton and is more suitable for the younger children where typically the waves are a lot smaller most of the time. Each of these sessions saw around 20-30 children attending each week.

Each sessions focuses on a warm up of running, stretching, fun games and then some on the water activity i.e. surfing and if there is no surfing we play some games. There is also regular input as to safety every time they go in the water.

For 2016 we are going to be offering more sessions, offering children the opportunity to have a yearly membership which brings down the weekly cost but includes membership with Surfing GB, the governing body for the sport in the UK. Once a child is a member with Surfing GB, they can then follow the junior scheme, which is a structured pathway of certification. We feel that most of the children will opt in for this based on the existing members and what they say.

The plan for the future is to grow the club and to get them to a standard whereby they can start to compete nationally at club level.

We are always on the look out for old short boards that are in good condition so the children can try a variety of different boards before they potentially buy a board themselves.

If you are interested in getting involved or joining the club then please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Chris