Club History
From an idea shared in 2025 to a growing community ocean-safety program.
Early Days
Planning for the Koh Samui Surf Lifesaving Club began in November 2025, when local swimming volunteer Gary Sparkes shared the concept with Matt Glynn. Through Matt's relationship with Nature Bar in Maenam, discussions commenced about establishing a permanent ocean-based surf lifesaving club that would provide local children with free ocean swimming, water safety, and lifesaving education.
On 17 December 2025, the club held its very first planning meeting, marking the official beginning of what would become a thriving community organisation.
The club's inaugural beach session took place on Sunday, 4 January 2026, at Nature Bar, Maenam, where the vision of providing free ocean education to local children became a reality.
Just one week later, on 11 January 2026, a large contingent of the inaugural working group and committee attended the Sunday morning session with the Thai children. Those in attendance included Juliette Alemany and Tom Bizal, George Pilovski, Max and Ray Leggett, Tony Stephens, together with Gary Sparkes and Matt Glynn. Their commitment in those early weeks laid the foundations for the club's future success.
Early Personal Support
The club was fortunate to receive generous support from a number of early donors who believed in the vision from the very beginning. These included:
- Max and Ray Leggett, who donated children's swimming equipment.
- George Pilovski, who generously supplied the club's first T-shirts and stubby holders.
- Air Sirinya Page from New Leaf Wellness Resort, who donated the club's inaugural surf rescue paddleboard, providing an essential piece of lifesaving equipment for training and beach activities.
- Craig 'Polly' O'Brien donated a surf rescue paddleboard after attending the Surf Club's ANZAC Day event and recognising the need for additional lifesaving safety equipment.
Building the Community
During its first six months, the Koh Samui Surf Lifesaving Club hosted a wide range of successful community events to help raise funds and build awareness. These included weekly quiz nights, beach parties, beach craft markets, and the inaugural ANZAC Day Dawn Service, which received tremendous community support. Special thanks go to Bloom Samui for donating the commemorative wreath and The Beat Boat for generously providing the vessel used for the dawn service at sea.
By August 2026, more than 50 local children had participated in the club's free community ocean safety program, with attendance continuing to grow each week. The increasing number of participants reflects the strong community support and the importance of teaching vital water safety and lifesaving skills to the next generation.
The continued success of the club would not be possible without the dedication of its regular volunteers. Weekly helpers, including the two Aussie Peters, one being Doc, and Khun Kanok, all continue to make an invaluable contribution to the growth of the club through their time, enthusiasm, and commitment to helping local children develop confidence and skills in the ocean.
Although still in its infancy, the Koh Samui Surf Lifesaving Club has already established itself as an important community organisation. With a permanent beach base, a growing volunteer network, generous community support, and an ever-increasing number of young participants, the future is bright as the club continues its mission of making Koh Samui's beaches safer while inspiring the next generation of surf lifesavers.
