To nominate a fellow member for an award, please complete the online form which includes answering the three questions below (with each answer no more than 400 words). You can access the on-line form by clicking on this link - Nomination Form
Alternatively, you can submit a nomination by using the nomination form attached to this document.
Your nomination should address the following:
1. Tell us about the member / individual / team being nominated.
2. What has been achieved over the last 12 months (2025/26 season)?
3. What impact has this had, and for whom?
When showcasing members or teams achievements, you may want to consider the questions below to boost the quality of your nomination…
- What relevant positions, roles, or responsibilities do they hold?
- Have they done something in response to an identified need or problem?
- Have they done something new or different to achieve results?
- Have they inspired others to think or to do things differently?
- Have they had to overcome any challenges to make a difference or achieve success?
- Do they model positive and supportive attitudes, behaviours and actions?
(a) Surf Lifesaver of the Year:
An active patrolling member who has made an outstanding contribution to the delivery and development of surf lifesaving frontline services. The winner of the Club award will be nominated for the SLSI Ted Marshall Surf Lifesaver of the Year Award.
(b) Young Lifesaver of the Year:
An active patrolling member (between the ages of 15-21, this refers to the members age as at 30 September in the 2025/26 season) who has made an outstanding contribution to the delivery and development of surf lifesaving frontline services. The winner of the Club award will be nominated for the SLSI Young Surf Lifesaver of the Year Award.
(c) Club Member of the Year:
An impressive member who has made a difference through their volunteering efforts. The winner of the Club award will be nominated for the SLSI Keith Caldwell Volunteer of the Year Award.
(d) Young Volunteer of the Year:
An impressive member (between the ages of 15-21, this refers to the members age as at 30th September in the 2025/26 season) who has made a difference through their volunteering efforts. The winner of the Club award will be nominated for the SLSI Young Volunteer of the Year Award.
Surf Sports Awards
For all Athlete awards – some points to address
- Has the athlete competed in any representative teams (including international competition) during the 2025/26 season?
- If so, please list the team and how they contributed to the success of the team?
- List the competition results achieved by the athlete in the 2025/26 season at carnivals, championship events or other major surf sports events
- In the 2025/26 season how is the athlete a positive role model, a good sportsperson and/or an ambassador for Surf Life Saving?
- How do they contribute to broader lifesaving activities and engage with other members (including juniors or mentoring)?
- Does the athlete hold any coaching and/or officiating qualifications?
(e) Athlete of the Year: **
An athlete aged 15 or older (member’s age as at 30 September in the 2025/26 season) who has achieved sporting excellence in Open Aged Competition. See note below.
(f) Youth Athlete of the Year: **
An athlete between the ages of 15 to 18 years (member’s age as at 30 September in the 2025/26 season) who has achieved sporting excellence in youth and/or open aged competition. See note below.
** Note re Athlete and Youth Athlete of the Year: A youth aged competitor (i.e. aged 15 to 18 years as at 30 September in the 2025/26 season) may be nominated for both the Athlete of the Year and Youth Athlete of the Year. However, only results achieved in Open Age Events and Open Age Team representation are considered for Athlete of the Year Award.
(g) Junior Athlete of the Year
An athlete up to the age of 14 years (member’s age as at 30th September 2024 in the 2025/26 season) who has achieved sporting excellence in Junior Competition,
(h) Masters Athlete of the Year:
An athlete over the age of 30 who has achieved sporting excellence.
(i) Surf Sport Team of the Year:
The 38th edition of Surf Sport Manual defines a team as an event that is contested by more than one competitor from the same club or lifesaving unit who may either complete an event or race together as a discrete unit (e.g., boat race, IRB race, surf teams, R&R etc.) or separately (e.g., relay events, board rescue etc.).
(j) Coach of the Year:
An accredited coach who has made a significant contribution to athlete performance at a state, national and/or international level, to the development of athletes in SLS activities outside of surf sports, and to the educational development of other coaches in SLS.
Points to address:
- What coaching qualification does the member currently hold, Foundation, Development or Performance Coach?
- What coaching roles has the member fulfilled during the 2025/26 season at Club, and where applicable, Branch, State, National and International Level?
- List the competition results attributed to the coach, where this member was the primary coach for the athlete and/or team, in the 2025/26 season.
- Has the coach been involved in any mentoring and development of other coaches, creating of supporting documentation and/or programs. Please provide examples of where the coach has shown a positive and supportive attitude, behaviour and actions (including who it has impacted and how) in the 2025/26 season?
- Has the coach undertaken any personal development to improve themselves as a coach in the 2025/26 season.
(k) Official of the Year:
An accredited surf sports official who has made a significant contribution to both officiating at a state, national and/or international level, and to the educational development of other officials in SLS.
Points to address:
- What officiating qualification does the member currently hold, Core, Technical or Senior Official?
- List the member’s officiating roles which they have fulfilled during the season at Club, Branch, State, National and International level (where applicable).
- Describe the Officials achievements during the 2025/26 season, including examples, areas of achievement may be in mentoring, training, documentation and process, new programs, solving problems etc.
- Please provide examples of how the official adheres to and is a role model of the values of SLSA, Surf Sports and the SLSA Match Fixing Policy.
- List any training or development the official has undertaken this season to improve themselves and their impact.
Education Awards
(l) Trainer of the Year:
An endorsed Trainer who is passionate about building the skills of others, consistently delivers a positive learning experience, and who encourages other members to engage in the delivery of training.
(m) Assessor of the Year:
An endorsed Assessor who is passionate about building the skills of others, consistently delivers a positive and supportive assessment experience, and who encourages other members to engage in training or assessment.
(s) Facilitator of the Year:
A Facilitator who encourages members to engage in training or assessing, is passionate about building the skills of others, and consistently delivers a positive learning experience
Other Awards
(n) Patrol Captain of the Year:
A Patrol Captain who is passionate about improving the service their patrol offers to the community, or the experience it offers to members.
(o) Administrator of the Year:
An Administrator who consistently goes the extra mile to make the lives of other members easier, or to make the services and programs delivered by the club run smoother
(p) Junior Activity Volunteer of the Year:
An impressive member who has made a difference in our Junior Activities program throughout the season.
(r) Services Team of the Year:
An outstanding team who have made a positive impact in Surf Life Saving or the community through their volunteer services.
(s) Rescue of the Year:
Criteria: A significant rescue that occurred during the 2025/26 season, and that was considered worthy of nomination to SLSI for consideration as Rescue of the Month.
(t) Community Engagement of the Year:
The Community Education Program of the Year Award has been discontinued; this is a new award.
This award recognises outstanding, non-commercial programs, projects, or initiatives that demonstrate exceptional commitment to driving positive social change, promoting environmental sustainability, and/or advancing Diversity Equity & Inclusion. The initiative should significantly contribute to one or more SLSA’s strategic priorities.
1. Tell us about the initiative that is being nominated.
2. Describe the innovative or creative approach used in this initiative.
3. How has this initiative engaged with communities and responded to their needs throughout its development and implementation?
4. How has the initiative benefited the participants, the community, and the organisation?
5. How has this initiative built meaningful partnerships, and fostered effective collaboration to achieve its goals?
6. How can this initiative be sustained over time, and what potential does it have to be scaled or adapted to benefit other clubs?
(u) Patrol of the Year - solely a HSP Club award
This is the annual Patrol Competition with patrols judged on their performance over the whole season by the Deputy President. Nominations are not required for this award.
Click to Download Nomination From