Dragon Boat Club
Description
What is dragon boat? Dragon boat has been an ancient sport and spectacle for thousands of years, with roots firmly within China. However, as of the 1970s, a modernized format of this thrilling sport has begun to emerge and spread in a revolutionary way. Dragon boat now has flourishing communities and programs all around the world, with the current hotbeds of talent being found in Thailand, Canada, and China, among others. Regattas (or dragon boat competitions) are now being held annually on both a local, national, and international level, with countries like Hong Kong, Hungary, and Germany as past World Championships hosts. Despite reaching to elite levels, this sport is also incredibly inclusive, offering opportunities for U18, U24, Senior, and Para-athletes to participate.
But what does dragon boat racing exactly look like? Essentially, twenty-two people form a single roster in a boat: one steersperson, one drummer, and twenty paddlers. The paddlers sit two to a row each paddling on a single side, ultimately forming ten rows in total. As a single unit, this roster coordinates and executes the perfect race plan to beat other boats for time in races across several distance formats. During a competitive season (April - late September), teams will train on the water within the boat and compete at regattas. From September to March, the off-season begins and athletes train to increase strength, endurance, and mobility in preparation for the next competitive season. This includes weight-lifting, HIIT, runs, and more.
At Western Dragon Boat Club, we provide a variety of opportunities to members. For those that are interested in reaching certain fitness goals or would like to participate in group workouts, we hold several team dryland practices and a technical pool practice each week within the Recreation Centre. For those that are interested in fuelling their competitive drive, we also train athletes interested in competing in the U24/University divisions of competition. In the summer, we form a competitive roster to train and compete against other Ontario and Canadian University teams.
If you have any questions, please email us at dragonboatclub@groups.uwo.ca
About the President
Hey! I'm David, and I'm the President of Western Dragon Boat Club for the 2023/24 year. I'm a fourth year studying a double major in Pathology and IMS, and I've been involved in dragon boat since my first year. My vision for WDBC is to foster a supportive and competitive environment that is fitness and fun oriented. The community here is super kind, and I'm sure you'll love our dryland workout sessions or our summer season on the water. If you're someone who is into fitness and looking to build on it, this is the club for you. Be prepared to sweat, laugh, and discover an amazing sport!
Sessions
Pool Sessions: Club members can learn the basics of dragon boating at our pool practices run by our very own pool coaches. Our coaches will break down, in a step-by-step manner, the essentials of paddling, the form WDBC uses to paddle and give tips on how to effectively pull water.
Dryland Sessions: Club members will engage in high-intensity training and conditioning, curated by our well-endorsed coach that has been in the dragon boat scene for decades. They coach top-level premier dragon boat teams and these practices will ensure the development of muscular endurance and strength.
Fees
Full-Year Membership: $75.00 +HST
Fall Term Membership: $37.50 +HST
Winter Term Membership: $37.50 +HST
Practice Schedule
Tuesdays: 5:00-6:00 PM
Wednesdays: 9:00-11:00 PM
Fridays: 3:30-4:30 PM
Sundays: 9:45-11:15 AM
Registration
Registrations for Recreational Sport Clubs will be available online only starting on Monday, September 18th. You can visit Western Sports & Recreation (westernmustangs.ca) to register. Payment options are VISA and MasterCard credit cards (VISA Debit and other debit or credit cards are not accepted).
Refund Policy
All memberships can be refunded within 14 days of purchase, minus a 10% administration fee*. After this 14-day trial period, partial refunds will be issued for medical reasons only (with written documentation).
*The 10% administration fee may be waived if transferring to another program/Club.
On occasion, certain facilities may not be available due to maintenance, special events, etc. Campus Recreation will provide notice whenever possible, but memberships will not be extended
