LOUISE SANTOS
Life Member BSBLSC
15th September 1969 - 25th September 2023
Life Member Louise Santos joined Bondi SBLSC in 2003 after moving to
Bondi from the northern beaches where she had grown up as a Dee Why
Nipper, competing at pool swim events and in other sports. She gained
her Bronze Medallion at Bondi on 13 April 2003 and became Vice Captain
of Bassingwaithe Patrol (2006-2008), attaining her Long Service in 2014. In
2023 she became the first female Life Member of the Club in 2023, an honour
recognising her significant and distinguished service to the Club.
Louise was Bondi’s first female individual Australian Titles gold medallist in
2005 in the 35-39 years Ironwoman and a member of the team that became
our first female Opens Australian gold medallist when they won the Open
5-Person R&R in 2006. They went on to win four consecutive Australian Titles.
Louise also medalled in two other Open events and was a member of our
first Masters Female Team at Aussies in 2008. She medalled in more than 40
Australian Masters and World Masters Titles events, evidence of her versatility
as a competitor.
Louise continued to be a fierce competitor and team player for the Blue and
White, with our current Swim Captain Nick estimating she entered more events
in the 2022 season than anyone from any club in Australia.
She has competed in the Coolangatta Gold Long Course – previously
considered an endurance event that women could not complete - on several
occasions and, in 2018 at the age of 49, placed second in the 35-49 age group.
At a Club level, Louise has been Female Club Champion four times (2006/2007,
2007/2008, 2009/2010, 2012/2013), a member of the Stan Mac Relay team
(2004/2005) and was Harry Nightingale Open Patrol Person of the Year
2006/2007. She was also the first female at Bondi to complete the gruelling
Gold Medallion at Bondi in 2008/2009.
As an Administrator, Louise became our first female Director of Competition
(now Surf Sports) in the 2006/07 season, excelling in the role. More recently, she
held the roles of Youth Captain (2016-2017), Board Captain (2013-2016 and 2017-
2023) and Registrar (2022-2023)
She was the driving force and organiser of a number of highly successful
initiatives aimed at retaining our Youth/Cadet members including the
introduction of the Cadet of the Month award and Cadet Patrol mentorship
program in 2018, Cadet movie and pizza night, Cadet Wet n Wild Water Park
day and has spent many years coaching Cadet age competition board
groups (2009-2016).
In addition to her work as a professional Coach for the Club, Louise spent
countless hours as a volunteer on the beach coaching Nippers, Cadets and
new Masters athletes in board and ski skills. Similarly, she was employed in the
Office for a period but also assisted the Club with administration tasks on an
unpaid basis over the years since, including as Registrar in 2022-23.
For the past five years, Louise became increasingly involved with the Junior
Club – as an Age Manager Assistant and water events Coach since 2018, Age
Competition Manager 2019-2021, Nippers Competition Manager 2021, State
Nippers Team Manager and Nipper board and swim Coach. She was also
the Senior Club’s Board Captain, going above and beyond to fix competitors’
damaged boards or drive them to the Northern Beaches to be fixed.
Louise was a consistent water safety volunteer and all-round volunteer for 20
years. She was part of the organising team for the Century Ball, organised the
annual Clubbie Classic barbecues, was the sponsor liaison for the Nipper and
Senior Club barbecue from 2016-2023, volunteered at every opportunity for
fundraisers and appeals including 18 City to Surfs, the 2020 BushFire Appeal
and every Bondi Blue Water Challenge from 2011-2023.
Her vigil at the club was attended by hundreds of people. The service at Mary
Immaculate Church in Manly and paddle out at Bondi that followed a few
weeks later showed the depth of love and respect Louise had throughout the
Lifesaving movement, not just Bondi.
She will be missed by all our members, and especially Stuart, her husband, and
Josh, her son and a Bondi Nipper, who she was so very proud of.
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BONDI SURF BATHERS’ LIFE SAVING CLUB