2. Introduction
• Who we are
• What is Dragon boating
• Goals this year
• Why MSDBC is for you
• How to Join
• Next week
3. Who Are We?
• We are the Mon Sheong
Dragon Boat Club
• Known as Paddlebears
• Paddled together as a
collective for past few
years
• Part of bigger
organization, Mon
Sheong Youth Group
4. Mon Sheong Youth Group
• Founded in 1969
• Dedicated to promoting the Chinese
language, culture, heritage and philosophy.
5. What is Dragonboat?
• Sport of dragon boat racing originated in
China over 2000 years ago
• Initially boats part of a fertility rite and also
ensured a good harvest
• Folk legend starts with Qu Yuan
6. Dragonboat
• Paddle not row!
• 22 people in a competitive dragonboat
– 1 Drummer
– 20 Paddlers
– 1 Cox (steers)
• 3 Sections
– Pacers/Strokers/Timing Box
– Engine Room
– Rockets/Terminators
7. 2012 Club Goals
• Strive to achieve great synchronicity
• Continue to improve on our times as a team in
the 500m
• Maintain the same division at TIDBRF Festival
(J division)
• Get fit together as a team
• Get that hardware
9. Why join MSDBC?
• Besides joining a really, really, really, ridiculously
good looking team...
• Team sport; getting healthy and fit together
• Push each other to achieve our fullest potential
• Try something new
• We’re all here to have fun first
• Great way to meet new people
10. Season details
• 3-4 races this year.
• Pickering DBC Race Jun 3
• Toronto International DB Race Festival Jun 23-
24
• Montreal DB Festival (Tentative) July 21-23
• NDC Toronto Cup Aug 11
11. Season details
• Land Practice: start Jan 15, 2012
– Every Sunday (10am-12pm)
– Downtown practice-dependent on interest
• Fitness assessments- 3 total between Jan-April
• Individual fitness plans (to be done at home) will
be distributed after 1st fitness assessment
• Pool Practice: starts Mid Feb
• Water Practice: start April/May, Sat or Sun
morning/afternoon
• Team name: Paddlebears
12. Requirements & Costs
• Show up to practice
• Attendance essential
• Show improvement in Fit Tests
• Team player
• $30/person next week at fitness assessment
• $150/team member for season
13. Testimonials
• Edmund Cheung
• Yesterday, I got home at 2:30 in the morning to cap a whirlwind 3 days of NYC trip. Dehydrated from the Coffee, sleep deprived stiff from the car ride, I
made a bee line to my computer to watch one of my favourite players in NBA, Dennis Rodman give his acceptance speech when he made it to the Hall
of Fame. He was an amazing player, but crazy in life. Watching the clip however, I realize that even though he’s the prototypical bad boy, he still gave
genuine thanks to all the people who helped him in his life. This, along with me listening to 2 hours of Adele while driving has contributed to the follow
note/post.
The point of me writing this whole thing is I get the feeling that not a lot of people are going to return next year, be it their schedule, or joining other
teams. This may very well be the last time we would ever paddle together, and I just want to say that I’m grateful to every one of you.
I’ve made mistakes before, year after year in Mon Sheong, where I’d just keep to myself on the team because I felt it was pointless because people
would just leave the next year and I’d never see them again. This year just felt different. I thought it was the winning (all the damn time), but upon
some reflection, I realize it was the people on the team. I feel I made some new friends, and deepened my relations with others. If I see you again next
year, great! Let the good times roll. If I don’t, please know that though I might not remember your name (inside joke to Felix), I felt we had good times
together this year, and will definitely remember that.
The list of things I’ll remember about the Paddle Bears:
Derrick joking put in the suggestion for the name and conceptual design, only to realize that it was made into a reality.
Richard’s coaching voice where he wants you to “DIIIIG DEEEEP”
Felix’s insatiable appetite for food and life. “WAAAAH, I’m HUNGARRRY” “I am DYING” “You are PLAYING ANGRY BIRDS WRONG”
Cheering for the losing team because it means we won first.
Trying to spin the cheer because we were just happy for the other team to get a medal
Being embarrassed with the “clean” Paddle Bear cheer, but doing it anyways.
Raymond’s Heisman. You all know what I’m talking about.
Figuring out Raymond’s initials also spells RAY. Being jealous.
Dan’s “enhancement supplement” I swear it’s just like Kool-Aid
Felix’s testing of such enhancement
Martha’s Shifty Eyes and Lead Foot. Also the Paddle Bear Logo that was a hit in NYC, also the butt pad.
Alicia genetic tolerance of very spicy food “Meh, it’s not that spicy” while everyone else is drinking like their life depends on it…especial Felix’s
Fun Alicia and Even more fun Alicia, and Alicia’s guns “Daaaaaamn” and her discovery of such guns.
Stephen’s shades
Dom’s guns and tuna
Natalys backwards peace sign
Sandy’s teacher voice, her sweet china town cab hookups, and her amazing lunches she eats right before race time. Carbo-loading right before race
time is right!
Oi and her love of backstreet boys, also her very scary coaching “My coaching style is not as soft as Richards. When I coach we never stop paddling.”
I’ll remember most on the NYC trip where nicknames were cool again and a source of comedy all around. I’ll remember the responsible consumption
of both food and beverages where responsible fun and amusement was had all around. I will remember the straight and direct route to get from point
A to point B was the mandate and was achieved constantly and consistently. I will also remember the strict adherence to the traffic laws of NYC. I’ll
also remember the sweet china town cab service, except for that time where they refused to pick us up from the flushing area. I will remember getting
back to the hotel room, only for more responsible consumption of snacks and beverage.
Want to give thanks to Paddle Bears for the best year that I’ve ever had in Dragon boating, hopefully with more good times to come.
Special thanks to Richard, Raymond, Felix, and Dan. Through good times and bad, they kept the core team intact and we had fun, and also got a lot of
medals because of it.
I know I said that I only paddle to win medals and my idea of a good time is going to the event, WINNING, and show my wife the medal that I won.
However, because of the Dennis Rodman HOF clip, I too realize what I tell people is not how I truly feel. I do want to win, but I would rather lose with a
group of friends than win with random strangers, but if I can win with the group of friends, it’ll be excellent. In that regard, you were right
Sandy, medals/winning isn’t everything.
Thanks to everyone!
The origin of dragon boat racing can be traced to events that happened in southern China over 2,000 years agoOriginally, boats adorned with dragon heads were part of a fertility rite as a way to encourage plentiful rains and a good harvest. Dragon boat racing within the context of a festival became much more important in Chinese culture with the tragic events surrounding Qu Yuan (pronounced Chu Yuan) around 277 BC. Qu was a senior minister, diplomat, and poet in the Ch’u feudal kingdom. As a man of integrity and wisdom, he gave truthful advice to the king, advice that angered his political rivals. These rivals persuaded the king to banish Qu Yuan. Despondent over his exile and the subsequent decline of the government, Qu put stones in his pocket and drowned himself in the Mi Lo River. When local fishermen raced out to rescue him, they beat their drums and splashed with their paddles to scare the fish and water dragons away from Qu Yuan’s body. They also threw rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves into the water, hoping that the fish would eat the dumplings and leave the body alone.To commemorate their beloved Qu Yuan, the people of southern China staged dragon boat races to remember the day when they raced into the river in an attempt to save him. The dragon boat races, and the serving of rice dumplings or rice cakes, became an annual event on the fifth day of the fifth month, believed to be the day that Qu Yuan drowned in the Mi Lo river.
Pacers/Strokers/Timing BoxThis is the first 3 rows, which includes your lead stroker. They all should be locked in to a desired pace and set the overall pace of the boat, and should be reserved for paddlers with good long paddling strokes. The rest of the boat needs something visual to follow. The rest of the boat will have short choppy strokes if the front has short choppy strokes.Engine RoomThis is the middle of the boat. The paddlers here must have the determination and endurance to continue to apply the pressure up front. The middle eight or the “engine room” is usually reserved for the heavier, stronger paddlers. During the middle of the race the engine room dictates the pace. The stroke rate of the crew is usually determine by the engine room. The stroke rate is not too fast as long as the big engine room paddlers can twist and reach. Once the engine room paddlers start shortening up on their stroke, you know the pace is getting too fast.Rockets/TerminatorsThe back six paddlers of the boat should have the strongest people in the boat.These are the last 3 rows of the DB, these rows must have strong front end grips to keep the pressure on the fast water passing by. (Water towards the back of the boat is very fast from all of the paddlers in front of you. It is very easy to paddle back here so it is very important that you push yourself to apply the pressure at all times.Front end gripThis is when you’re over the head hand pushes forward. This applies pressure to the water against the paddle.4-keys to your stroke1. The Catch: When your paddle enters the water. (exhale breathing begins)2. Compression: when your legs, abs, back pull you in a sitting up positioncausing the paddle to be pulled toward your hip. (exhale finishes)3. Exit: This is when you exit the paddle out of the water. (inhale begins)4. Recovery: When you turn the waist bringing your paddle forward to begina new stroke finishing with the catch of new water. (exhale ends)
