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This article first appeared on paddlechica.com. Dragon boating is a bit like a a cult. A good one, but nonetheless it is cult-like. And because of that, there are some truths that just aren’t spoken about enough. When I was brand-new to the sport, I wish someone had told me all of this. Not that it all would have sunk in at the time, but at least I would have been forewarned about this crazy, wonderful, painful, exhilarating, addictive sport of ours. 1. Your butt will never be the same. Ever. Face it, from your first day on the boat your...

This article was originally published on paddlechicha.com.Winter training just started for my team and, I have to admit, I felt like I had lost my “mojo”. While I love my team and I love paddling, somehow having a break during the month of October didn’t seem like enough this year. Sure, I went to the gym and rowed on the erg during our time off, but I seemed to be missing some of that sparkly enthusiasm I’d had in years past. Knowing that I had lost a bit of my passion, I decided to find some ways to get my...

This article was originally published on Paddlechica.com. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately about what makes a good team leader. This thinking led to a lot of research and quite a bit of reflection. I thought about good leaders I’ve known on teams that I’ve been on and I thought about what a good leader looks like. A few commonalities began to emerge. Leadership roles within the team seem to naturally develop. Some people gravitate towards doing the organizational tasks of the team, while others tend towards more of the planning aspect. Some drift towards a captain-like role in...

This article was originally published on Paddlechica.com. Have you considered attending a dragon boat camp, but are unsure of whether you are up to the challenge of 5-6 straight days of paddling? Do you wonder what is involved in a camp that is so singularly focused on paddling? Have you inquired about a camp, but are nervous not knowing anyone who might attend? In this post, I’ve outlined a typical week at one of the camps I coached at the past two years in order to give you an idea what a dragon boat camp is all about. Keep in mind that all camps have different...

This post was originally published on paddlechica.com.When I first started paddling, I’ll admit it, like most people, I truly had no idea what I was doing. I mean, I really, really had no idea whatsoever. I enjoyed my time on the water, and when my team’s practice was finished, I would get off the boat, socialize with my teammates, maybe go grab a bite to eat with some of them, and then head home for a shower. Other than showing up to practice, I didn’t even consider my own role in my development as a paddler. For me, each practice...