I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase “paddle whore” before. I used to use the term frequently to describe my love of being a guest paddler. I make it a habit to paddle or steer wherever and whenever I can. When I travel to other cities, I contact a local team and ask to attend a practice. When other teams need extra paddlers for races and my own team isn’t entering that race or that division, I join them to compete. I’ve been fortunate to paddle in Bristol with the Bristol Empire Dragons, in
Ringers. A delicate topic full of opinions and emotion. There are at least as many points of view on this issue as there are dragon boat teams. A “ringer” is defined as a highly proficient person brought in to supplement a team or group. Some teams use them, other teams are staunchly opposed. Whether your team uses so-called “ringers” or not, it is important to understand the rationale for using them. In a talk given by Canadian National Team coach Albert McDonald at Jim Farintosh’s Bow Wave camp in April, Albert explained how teams
We all want to be better at paddling. We spend hours training both on and off the water. We push to become better and develop our individual selves. However, dragon boating is a team sport that requires the collective efforts of the club. So, what habits can you incorporate into your discipline that will not only help you, but also help your team? Here are 10 principles to adhere to in order to be a better teammate. 1) Listen to your coach. Listen to the coach’s feedback. Not just when it’s directed
We all know that paddling is a great workout, but there is a distinct difference between being in shape to paddle and using paddling as your primary method of getting in shape. Quite often, newbies join a dragon boat team to lose weight and/or get fit. That is actually what I did many years ago. I was looking for a way to get out on the gorgeous water in Miami and get in a good workout at the same time. True, for many people being out on the water with teammates is often more fun
Being part of a dragon boat team is so much more than simply showing up to practices and races, yet far too many paddlers don’t recognize the various facets involved in improving the team and being a good teammate. Chris Edwards, a Canadian National Team coach, gave a talk about the three pillars of a successful teammate which he credits to an NCAA hockey coach. Here are the three pillars that each teammate needs to exemplify: Builder Each member of the team must be willing to help build the team. Your club might be well-established, but if you do not work
Coaches are a vital part of every team. The team’s trainer, teacher, mentor, negotiator, problem solver, motivation provider, facilitator, and organizer; a coach is a vital part of the team. Sometimes coaches can be a bit intimidating, especially when you are new to the team. We look up to our coaches, not only because they are selecting the race crew, but also because they hold such in-depth knowledge of the sport. Having a conversation with the coach might not always be easy, but open communication with your coach is essential to your
Face it, being an active part of a dragon boat team requires a certain amount of commitment. Practices, gym time, races, committees, recruiting, fund raising. All of these things take time out of our regular lives. We wouldn’t do it if we didn’t love the sport so much. But at what point did you take vows to love, honor and cherish your team? We might not remember exactly when we got married to our team, but for the love of the sport most of us have said “I do” at one point or
Looking to improve your paddling skills this season? Here is a list of the top ten things that successful paddlers do on a regular basis which make them so outstanding. 1) Set goals Successful paddlers have a path of progress in mind. They set goals in order to determine the best route to achieving those objectives. Goals can be performance- or habit-based. Examples of performance-based goals might be aiming to make your team’s mixed boat, or shaving two seconds off your time trial. Examples of habit-based goals might be going
As it is Thanksgiving in the United States, I can’t help but think about all the reasons I’m thankful for dragon boating. Like most people, when I first picked up a paddle years ago, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I had never paddled anything more than a kayak, bodyboard or surfboard. I had never even heard of dragon boating before! I thought to myself, “People do this for FUN?!?” I still tell newbies the story of how on my first day of practice we paddled
We’ve trained all season, we’ve worked hard, we’ve won (and sometimes lost) medals. Everyone sees the work that happens on the water or in the gym. We get rewarded for that work with the medals we earn at races. But what about all the other things that help make a good team the smooth, well-oiled machine that it is? It’s important to recognize those who make a positive difference in our sport! Tweet it! For many of us in the northern hemisphere our season has come to a close or is
