Put a Smile on Dial of disabled surfers

Central Coast Disabled Surfers Association (DSACC) will hold a Smiles on Dials event at Umina Beach on Saturday, April 5, the last event of the season.

Following a successful March event, a large number of volunteers are needed to make the surfing experience safe and enjoyable.

Interested volunteers are asked to register online prior to the event via Humanitix or via https://bit.ly/DSACC5April2025 so the association knows how many surfers it can accept.

Volunteers can also register on the day.

Volunteers do not need to know how to surf although water skills are highly valued.

A rash shirt is provided for the day, and volunteers are encouraged to bring their own wetsuits or borrow one from DSACC.

A sausage sizzle and presentation will complete the festivities.

Volunteering at a Smiles on Dials event consists of helping surfers to and from the beach, assisting them in and out of the water and helping set up and clean up.

DSACC is a volunteer-run organisation that enables people of all ages and abilities to take part in one of Australia’s most popular pastimes, beach surfing.

DSA volunteers serve to provide a safe, and happy surfing experience to a wide range of people with various disabilities who would otherwise be unable to access the beach. 

To ensure safety DSA has a high volunteer to surfer ratio, with a minimum of six to one, up to as high as 30 to one for higher needs surfers.

Participants only surf in broken waves, in waist-deep water with volunteers helping participants enjoy the experience that able bodied people often take for granted.

The DSA, established in 1986, has 19 branches across Australia and New Zealand with the Central Coast branch being established in 2005.

The association sets world’s best practice for the sport of disabled surfing.

DSA training programs are award winning for Outstanding Achievement in implementing Safe Sport Practices and Minister’s awards for Most Significant Contribution to Water Safety by an organisation.

For more information on DSA, visit http://disabledsurfers.org. https://linktr.ee/disabledsurferscc