Most 18-year-olds like hanging out at the beach.
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But for Samantha Hallett, being at the beach year round is a passion for many reasons.
The devoted Caves Beach surf-lifesaver is a valued member of the club’s successful Inflatable Rescue Boat racing team, which recorded their first podium finish on the national stage this year.
She is also a dedicated volunteer for the club. And it was her efforts for the surf-lifesaving movement in the past 12 months which earned her statewide recognition when she was named Young Lifesaver of the Year at the NSW Surf Life Saving Awards of Excellence this month.
It is an honour Hallett is extremely proud of.
“I was just happy to be nominated, even just in the Hunter region where my club nominated me for the position,” she said. “I was ecstatic about that.
“Then to find out that branch had nominated me for state, I was just stoked to even be considered.”
Hallett started nippers in under sixes and has been doing volunteer patrols since she was 13.
She also has a youth development role with the club as well as being an age member.
“I’ve grown up with the surf club,” she said.
“It’s been something that I’ve always aspired to be, to be a lifesaver.
“To be someone that helps and gives back to the community just because they have done so much for me and helped me gain so many skills, things I wouldn’t have previously thought I could achieve.
“At Caves Beach the community is very close and being part of that is just something that has been a fantastic opportunity for me.”
Hallett juggles studies and her role as Warners Bay High school captain with her passion for lifesaving.
In the 2015-16 season she made an enormous contribution to her club, spending 78 hours on patrol with 100 per cent attendance.
She plans to eventually captain her own patrol and is a passionate advocate for providing youth with opportunities in surf lifesaving.
Redhead’s Daniel Collins was crowned Athlete of the Year at the state awards in Sydney.
In the past year, Collins represented Hunter branch, captained the Youth Interstate team at Torquay, was capped in two Australian Sanyo Bussan Cup Teams, and was also selected in the NSW Pool Rescue team.
He is the NSW under-19 ironman champion and at the Australian titles won the under-19 men’s board rescue and under-20 2-kilometre men’s swim.