In 2001, a community petition of some 150 persons interested in the establishment of a surf lifesaving club at Coogee, was developed at the Coogee Beach Party and was submitted to the City of Cockburn. On 30th January 2002, following consultation with Surf Life Saving Western Australia (SLSWA), a series of community meetings were held and the Coogee Beach SLSC Steering Committee was formed on 21st February 2002. These initial members of the Steering committee were: Daryll Smith, Ken Hodgkinson, John Bate, Scott and Michelle McKee, and Sandra Winter, and they became the Founding Members of the Club. The Club was incorporated as an Association on 2nd May 2002, with the adoption of the Club Constitution, and election of the inaugural Board of Directors at the first Annual General meeting of the Club on 14th May 2002.
Training commenced in July 2002 with Instructors Daryll Smith and John Bate, and the Club’s first Bronze Medallions were awarded in November 2002, with the first beach patrol being conducted at Coogee Beach on 10 November 2002.
The Club was given two years by SLSWA to satisfy a stringent list of financial, governance and local government approvals and support. Qualified members and essential patrol and training equipment criteria were required to achieve full affiliation with SLSWA. These criteria were rapidly achieved and full affiliation with SLSWA was granted by SLSWA State Council on 11th January 2003, the quickest progress to full affiliation by any new club in Western Australia. Community support for the new Club was outstanding with some 230 members in the first year, double initial estimates, with strong membership growth in subsequent years.
In 2001, a community petition of some 150 persons interested in the establishment of a surf lifesaving club at Coogee, was developed at the Coogee Beach Party and was submitted to the City of Cockburn. On 30th January 2002, following consultation with Surf Life Saving Western Australia (SLSWA), a series of community meetings were held and the Coogee Beach SLSC Steering Committee was formed on 21st February 2002.
Initial members of the Steering committee were: Daryll Smith, Ken Hodgkinson, John Bate, Scott and Michelle McKee, and Sandra Winter, and they became the Founding Members of the Club.
The Club was incorporated as an Association on 2nd May 2002, with the adoption of the Club Constitution, and election of the inaugural Board of Directors at the first Annual General meeting of the Club on 14th May 2002.
Two of the Club’s founding members, Daryll Smith and John Bate became the first instructors, and the Club’s first Bronze Medallions were awarded in November 2002, which was also when the Club conducted its first patrol at Coogee Beach.
Next steps were to meet essential patrol and training equipment criteria in order to become fully affiliated with SLSWA. Commitment was strong, and the Club quickly progressed to full affiliation in January 2003.
Support for the Club was fantastic which quickly had 230 members and growing. The Nippers program got underway in October 2002 and take up was so strong the Age Group Managers at the time worked tirelessly to quickly establish a fun and exciting beach program for the ever-growing numbers of Nippers.
As the club continued to grow, at the end of 2004 the Minister for Sport and Recreation noted,
“In two short years, the club has displayed all the attributes and traditions that make surf lifesaving such a well-respected institution throughout the nation. Coogee Beach is a local community-based club, with 99% of its members residing in the City of Cockburn. It is providing this fast-growing community a place where everyone can develop skills, make new friends, and improve their health and fitness while giving something back to society.”
The Club grew so rapidly in the period between 2005 to 2008 that a long-term vision and business plan was needed. Club members produced a development plan; the result of which was an Integrated Community Facility at Poore Grove, Coogee as a home for the Club. The new facilities included custom-designed clubrooms, equipment storage, gymnasium, sheltered public outdoor areas with BBQs and new beach access pathways.
The facility was completed in 2013 and is now widely recognised as the best planned operational Surf Life Saving Facility in Australia. The Club was ready for the next stage in the Club’s promising future.
In the season since moving into the new Clubrooms the Clubs membership numbers continue to climb and the Club has passed some important milestones, demonstrating a maturity beyond our young years.
Since our inception in 2002, the Club has grown from 230 to over 1200 members. We have a proud history as a Patrolling Club and also boasts a growing successful record in Surf Sports.
We encourage all Members to work towards obtaining their Surf Rescue Certificate and Bronze Medallion qualifications so that they can patrol our beautiful beach.
Our next generation of beach guardians are being trained in the Club Nippers Programmes. With this rapid growth comes a demand for the Club to keep pace and deliver quality programmes and resources.
Coogee Beach has junior Members becoming involved from age 5 and we have programmes that develops young people up 14 years; which is when they move on to qualify as Active lifesavers.
This unbroken chain of development is a unique feature of Surf Life Saving.
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