The Draman family of Cabarita Beach are proof positive that Surf Lifesaving offers something for the family.
The family of nine (including, mum, dad, four teen-aged sons and three foster children) were among the 3000 competitors and even more supporters to head to Cudgen Surf Lifesaving Club last weekend for the NSW Junior Surf Lifesaving Titles. And do you know what? They’ll be back again this weekend as another 3000 competitors head on to the beach for the NSW Open titles.
Last weekend it was only 13-year-old Nathan in the water competing, but this weekend his older brothers Brett, 18, Troy 17 and Hayden, 15 (who were all at Cudgen last week volunteering in different capacities) will compete against some of the State’s best across a wide range of events.
For mother Lorraine, a weekend at the beach is just par for the course for the family. Heavily involved with the Cabarita Club the Dramans are no strangers to the surf or competition.
Lorraine is the club’s registrar, her husband Shaun is the bar manager, while Brett is now a life-guard and all the kids compete and help out around the club. Even the couple’s seven-year-old foster son has now joined the nippers and the couple’s two young foster daughters are also water babies.
“We’ve been involved nine years this summer,” Lorraine said.
“It keeps us busy.
“When we moved here 10 years ago, we wanted to get the kids involved in nippers. My husband and I both thought it would be good for the kids to learn about the surf.”
Although both Shaun and Lorraine had both grown up near the surf, the family had been living at land-locked Dalby for work before coming here to the coast.
And now they wouldn’t want it any other way and will be just one of the many many families on the beach this weekend competiting at the NSW titles.
Organisers said competitor numbers from last weekend were just over 3000, with the same number entered for this weekend. Overall, carnival organisers and the club was happy with the way the weekend went. Despite the competition areas being spread to the south and north, the vibe from competitors and spectators on the beach was good.
The conditions were testing on Saturday and Sunday for some of the younger age groups, with a couple of precautionary spinal management cases – kids complaining of sore necks or backs after being pummelled by some of the larger waves, particularly onto the sandbank at low tide. They were all OK, and paramedics were pleased to see the highly professional actions of the first aid team in dealing with these cases.
Several cases of lost children, and parents, added to the hectic activity, however all were successfully reunited.
The hardworking 400-odd officials have been enjoying a well earned break, before competition began again on Thursday with the Masters’ events. The big guns arrive today – Open Ironman competitors and surfboats.
