The Boogie Youth Lower Mid North Coast development and coaching clinic aimed to give young people a chance to learn about bodyboarding in a holistic way that included maintaining their health and wellbeing and respecting the environment. 

Participants from around the region, 16 girls and 33 boys, were greeted with a one-foot swell and offshore winds. 

A talk by the director of environmental movement Take 3, which aims to eliminate waste, was followed by water safety and surf awareness training with the experienced instructors. All participants chose a board, wetsuit and fins to utilise through the day. 

Boogin Amnesty provided many boards, wetsuits and fins for the young participants to use and keep, allowing them to stay active in our oceans, and organisers thanked all the contributors who made that possible. 

All then hit the water for a quick bash in the shories, allowing instructors to determine skill sets and water awareness. 

During the day, the groups of youths rotated between advanced bodyboarding sessions and drop knee session with instructors, including body placement, duck-diving, how to paddle onto waves, and introducing spins and rolls. 

Gavin Williams from Forster Surf Life Saving Club broke down all aspects of hazards, first response, DR ABCD, first aid and rips. All youth got hands on experience with rescue techniques.

Instructors assisted all to develop self-confidence, surf awareness and trust of craft, by the afternoon all were trimming, setting a line, and some were attempting and perfecting spins and rolls. 

Biripi community representative Dominique Clarke said the Boogie Youth Program was a great initiative for all. 

“The Boogie Youth Program offered our local Aboriginal and none-Aboriginal youth  an opportunity to participate in an initiative that focused on the skills required for body boarding, water safety, how to apply first aid to real life water situations and how to care and respect the land and water through recycling and conservation. 

“Aboriginal people have a strong spiritual connection with land and water and it was great to see your program honour, acknowledge and promote the cultural significance of the location of the program, land where it was held and the traditional owners the Aboriginal people.”

Congratulations to Jakade Currie for winning a New QCD Bodyboard. Taking on the biggest shories, and nervous at the start, by end of day Jakade didn’t want assistance, paddling, trimming and scoping onto some awesome waves.  

Organisers thanked everyone who contributed, from those who donated goods, to the instructors and food for the day. 

The next Boogie Youth Development Clinic is being held in Maroubra in mid August. Remember, if you have any old or used boards, fins and wetsuits please donate and help the next generation get the froth for the perfect barrel.