This 2023/24 season has seen a lot of effort
brought to bear on some really important areas
of the Club and its key operations and without
question, the Club as a whole has greatly
benefitted from these efforts.
We have grown in strength of numbers, focus,
process, improved training and qualifications and
we leave 2023/24 in an excellent position to go
forward into the new 2024/25 season.
It continues to amaze and impress me that the
tasks involved in keeping the Club patrol teams on
the straight and narrow, which enable us to claim
‘no lives lost’ are carried out by volunteers.
These tasks are many and varied and it is only by
dividing and conquering that the Lifesaving team
has once again carried out the roles so well, we have
been blessed with Simon Smith and Laura Manuel
running the Lifesaving department for another
season and juggling the myriad of aspects involved.
For my part, I have focused once again on
communicating regularly with the Patrols and their
leaders to try and ensure they are equipped both
right now and going forward, with the manpower
they need to patrol effectively.
The process involves working with the subtleties of
several aspects, including the number of allocated
Members to a patrol, the reliability of these
Members, the skills gaps that develop as a season
progresses, the age and gender balances etc etc.
Add to this equation conversations about the
future plans of Patrol Captains and their Vice
Captains and the succession process and it’s a fun
balancing act as the Membership ebbs and flows.
We have been blessed with many magnificent
new patrolling Members and after allocating them
as needed, I can see each patrol is up to good
strength and ready for next season’s tasks. I’m
happy to pass the Captain of Lifesaving role on
to new hands next year and remain close by to
lend help if asked, by the newly appointed position
holder.
CAPTAIN OF
LIFESAVING
Geoff Sumner
Captain of Lifesaving
24
BONDI SURF BATHERS’ LIFE SAVING CLUB