South Maroubra Surf Life Saving Club
by Casey Morton
How many members does your club have?
South Maroubra Surf Life Saving Club is a family-orientated surf lifesaving club located at the southern end of Sydney 's famous Maroubra Beach . South Maroubra has a current membership of over 850 members and believes it is their family orientation that keeps bringing the members back.
What is it about your club that is attractive to your members?
South Maroubra is all about having a good time in a relaxed atmosphere, while also doing a valuable job for the local community. We serve our purpose on the beach through our patrols, but there is so much more to South Maroubra than just patrolling. The club provides some of the best facilities seen in any surf club in the Sydney basin, with a state-of-the-art clubhouse, gymnasium, and a heap of equipment all free for use by South Maroubra 's many members.
What sort of social events does your club run?
South Maroubra is also well known in the eastern suburbs for its exciting social calendar. Events include the Maroubra Fun Run and Oktoberfest celebrations, $35 Fundraising Day, annual trivia challenge night, U18 touch football competitions and the infamous New Year's Eve party.
What is the 'most looked forward to' event on your calendar?
It would have to be our Annual Presentation Evening that is generally considered the most 'looked forward to' event on the social calendar. The night is used to recognise all members who have made a significant difference in areas such as lifesaving, education and surf sport. The awards ceremony is then followed by a dance, which is where the real partying happens.
What kind of club do you pride yourself on being?
The club prides itself on a number of successful competition teams and groups within the club, including a highly successful board and ski team, a large surf boat contingent, medal-winning beach team, rescue and resuscitation team and an inflatable rescue boat section that competes throughout the winter. South Maroubra was acknowledged last year as being the 'Best Surf Board Riding Club' in Australia and was also the winner of the Sydney Inflatable Rescue Boat Team of the Year.
At the last Australian Titles (2003), South Maroubra was one of the leading Sydney clubs, with three finalists and numerous semifinalists to their credit. However, it is not only the top athletes who are catered for at South Maroubra . The club has a 'cater for everyone' policy that keeps bringing the competitors in, and is one of the reasons why the competition team is so successful.
Competition isn't always about being the best. Sometimes it is just about getting out there and having a go. And that is what surf lifesaving in general is all about.
What do you do to keep informed of what your members want from your club?
South Maroubra appoints coordinators to all sections of the club. These coordinators act as the liaison to their sections and report back to the relevant sub-committees. We also have a mentoring system within our patrolling ranks. This involves our newly awarded Bronze Medallion and Surf Rescue members being coupled with senior patrols and members who mentor and guide our junior lifesavers in their first year of beach patrols. This system provides constant feedback from our 'front line' lifesavers to the committee coordinators.
How do you tackle retention issues within your club?
South Maroubra tackles retention from as far down as nippers. We do this by running social events for the young kids, such as barbecues, discos and movie nights, and also running events on the beach in which all nippers can participate. On a cadet level, we try and keep all our cadet and junior members involved in something outside of their patrol, such as competing in a touch football team with other members of the club and also taking part in events such as the branch youth teams challenge. Every second year our club conducts a youth (13 to 16 years) weekend camp where friendships are cemented, ideas are exchanged and a great time is had by all.
What makes your beach different from other beaches?
South Maroubra is different from beaches in our local area mainly because it is partially secluded from the hustle and bustle that other beaches in the eastern suburbs regularly attract. It is because of this that many beachgoers choose South Maroubra as their weekend getaway from the rush of the city.
What are your club's plans for the future?
South Maroubra is a club on the move, with big plans and a bright future. Quality professional coaching structures are currently in place and being expanded in all competition areas within the club. Building extensions and renovations are in progress and education programs are continually revamped and put in place to ensure that our members receive the best in lifesaver education and coaching. This ensures that the bathing public at South Maroubra is in safe hands.
What sort of facilities do you provide for your members?
South Maroubra boasts some of the best facilities seen in a surf club in the eastern suburbs. These include a state-of-the-art gym equipped with some of the latest in fitness equipment, a brand new bar area available for use by members on Sunday afternoons and also available for member hire, and another lounge area used by members at their leisure. Ample free car parking is always available. Due to South Maroubra 's large corporate and local business support, our club is able to provide the best for the best.
If you could sum up your club in five words or less, how would you do so?
Enjoyable, worthwhile, comradeship, community service, fun.
