The Albatross Nippers reflect on what it would mean to them if they took out an award at the SLSA Awards of Excellence
Marching past supporters to rapturous cheers and a standing ovation, the Albatross Nippers were not only welcomed but embraced by the surf life saving community.
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MARCHING past supporters to rapturous cheers and a standing ovation, the Albatross Nippers were not only welcomed but embraced by the surf life saving community.
March 2019 at the Queensland Youth Surf Lifesaving Championships marked the first time that a group of children with special needs were able to join the iconic March Past event.
The Albatross Nippers were launched to provide an avenue for children with special needs to be included in surf lifesaving activities alongside their siblings and friends and has since been recognised with more than a dozen awards.
Tomorrow night at the Surf Lifesaving Australia Awards of Excellence, the program has been nominated for the Education Program of the Year and the Innovation of the Year awards for the history making March Past.
And if they happen to take either award out, program founder and coach Nick Marshall believes it will be a celebration of what the surf life saving community is able to achieve.
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“I always tell this story that a week before the championships, our flag-bearer, Lily-Anne Stephenson, injured both her knee caps so everyone was saying that she wouldn’t be able to do it,” he said.
“We ended up getting a wheelchair for her and there’s this iconic photo of her on the beach waving the Nobby’s flag.
“We couldn’t fit the wheelchair into our club bus so we had to borrow a Northcliffe bus to get it down there and then I needed help with the uniforms which I got from Tallebudgera.
“Marching past the beach in their Nobby’s caps represented all of the people who helped us.
“It’s amazing what we can do when the whole surf life saving community comes together.
“You always chip away at what you’re doing thinking nobody is taking notice but to be nominated recognises all of the volunteers who come down each weekend.”
Marshall hopes that success tomorrow night will allow more clubs around the country to at least start a conversation about inclusive surf sports programs.
“There’s a few clubs around Australia who are running disability programs but they’re on a separate day and they don’t get to do activities alongside their peers,” he said.
“Hopefully we can start conversations at surf clubs around Australia.
“I’m happy to help anyone who wants to start a similar program.”
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