The Greenmount Nippers Club was formed by the Old Boys Association, this Association was formed at a Foundation Meeting on the 17th November 1962, over the years it has been, and still is a great supporter of all sections of the Surf Club.
At the Annual General Meeting of the Old Boys Association held on the 29th October 1966, member Allan Miller outlined the formation of a Nippers Club at the Cudgen Surf Club with approximate attendance of seventy members who were divided into 2 age groups, 9 to 10 (juniors) and 11 to12 (seniors). Time of training was one and a half hours plus a half hour for shower and to get dressed. This was run by the Old Boys Association and held on every Sunday for 3 months of the season.
It was moved by Russell Howard, seconded by Peter Winter, that the formation of a Nipper Club to be forwarded to the incoming Committee as a recommendation from the Annual General Meeting. At a Committee meeting held on the 13th November 1966 it was moved M. Lillie, seconded B. Halpin that a letter be written to the Point Danger Branch notifying them of the formation of a Nipper Club under similar rules of the Surf Club. At this meeting they elected Allan Miller as President, Peter Winter –Registrar, Bill Halpin-Publicity Officer and at a later meeting John Zahn was elected as Treasurer.
The membership fees to join the Club were to be 20c per member and 10c per member if 2 or more in the same family. Uniform bathers were purchased and issued to the members free, but remained the property of the Club, and the caps were made by a Nipper parent Mrs Aileen Bullock and were issued on the day of Nippers and they were collected and washed by a parent each time they were used, ready for next weekend, the club colours then were yellow bathers and caps.
As this was one of the first Nipper Clubs in Queensland and something new in the Life Saving movement in the State, the Club was invited to put on a demonstration by way of a small carnival at the lunch break, 11.30 am to 1pm, at the Point Danger Branch Championships on Sunday the 12th February 1967. Other competing nipper clubs were Tugun and Palm Beach.
The TH&C Nippers Club remained as an Old Boys project and competed as the TH&C Nipper Club for about 9 years and then the name was changed to Greenmount Nipper Club, and after the
change they were run by their own Committee. All this time it was an all-male Club like the Senior Club was. The Nipperettes were formed in 1977 and competed amongst themselves and it wasn’t until the 1981 Junior State Titles at Mooloolaba that they competed against the boys for the first time. The formation of the Nipper movement has been a great asset to Life Saving Clubs, with a lot of Nipper members coming into the Senior Clubs, and there have been a lot of talented members amongst them in the competition field. Information from original Minutes and Reports.
Prepared By Alan Hickling, TH&C Nippers Club Foundation Member.
