Grant, Martin Kenny and head coach Jack Hanson reflect on 100 years of the Alexandra Headland Surf Lifesaving Club

With the 2024 surf lifesaving championships on its doorstep, a legend of the sport and key Alexandra Headland identities have revealed their favourite moments and milestones from the past 100 years.

Alexandra Headland celebrate and reflect on 100 years as a surf lifesaving powerhouse.

The Alexandra Headland Surf Lifesaving Club has continued to make its 100 year anniversary special with some inspired performances at the 2024 Aussies Surf Lifesaving Championships.

Founded in 1924 with 32 dedicated members and a small shed, the club has come a long way over the last century, rising to more than 1700 members of volunteer life savers, nippers and parents, surf sports athletes and patrons.

Well-known surf life saving identity Grant Kenny reflected on his time with the club after securing two gold medals on Tuesday.

“I’ve got some really clear and vivid memories of our old club and how it sat on the beach, where the grassed area and ramp was, the training hall upstairs and so on,” he said.

“Over the years there’s been renovations, add-ons and stuff has moved but I’ve got these memories of all the different phases along the way which is cool.”

Nippers sign on day at Alexandra Headland in 1979.

Kenny started nippers in 1969 and continues to compete in the masters divisions at 60-years-old.

“There’s been a lot of good memories and I hope that these new kids that have just started or coming along can get a feel for what it was like in the rear view mirror,” he said.

“If I look at the competition side of the club, there’s nothing flash about our club in regards to the change rooms or anything.

“It just functions and I think that builds good character as people learn and come through the ranks quite tough.”

Grant and Martin Kenny. Picture: Facebook.

His younger brother Martin, 55, has been involved in surf lifesaving for 50 years.

“We lived across the road from the surf club and my kindergarten was at the surf club so everything was about being on the beach at Alex,” he said.

“There’s so many people from back when I started that are still involved, their kids have come through and now your mates are having grandkids and they’re starting nippers.

Alexandra Headland competitors in action at the Aussies 2024 Surf Lifesaving Championships. Picture: SLSA.

“It’s a privilege I think because it’s such a unique sport that also has the community patrol side of things and I know every club has their own unique story but I’m really grateful to be a part of the rich history for Alex.”

Current surf sports head coach Jack Hanson, who has been with the club for nine years, said he was proud to help shape the next generation.

“We’ve built a terrific program in the time before me and since I’ve been here to become one of the larger and more successful sports clubs in the country,” he said.

“It’s a great family club with really good people involved which is what’s kept me here.

“For us it’s really about nurturing that future and having that involvement in our nippers through to our youth and keeping them involved in our club and programs from those junior ranks right through to opens and masters.”