A Special Welcome to our

Community & Corporate Crews!

We wish you a successful and fun-filled Dragon Boat season.

The practice schedule is now online.

The Safety Orientation (formerly known as Dryland Training) is mandatory for all novice crew members and optional for more experienced paddlers. Safety orientations commence May 4, 2010.

All Steers must attend a classroom session and new Steers must be accredited prior to solo practice. If you have any questions, contact the coaches. Check the Practice Schedule for dates and times.

To contact the Practice Scheduler please click here.

CREW PRACTICES

Crews should arrive at least 30 minutes prior to scheduled practice time in order to check in for the practice session, access equipment, complete a crew warm-up and the appropriate line-up.

NOTE: A minimum of fourteen (14) paddlers in addition to the steersperson and drummer is required before a crew will be allowed to practice in a Dragon Boat.

ATTENTION STEERSPERSONS: Please use left hand turns during practices.

Practices consist of:

• Safety Orientation
• Warm-Up And Stretching
• Boat safety
• Loading and unloading the boat
• Proper practice to minimize risk of injury
• Dragon boat commands
• Drills For:
  • Paddling technique including focus on different parts of the stroke
  • Timing
  • Endurance
  • Strength
• Simulated racing (including start pieces)
• Individualized Feedback to Improve Technique
• Racing Strategy
• Cool-Down And Stretching

Additional Crew Practice Information:

• All local crews receive 2 practices with entry fee.
• Novice Crews and all new paddlers must have a safety orientation. We encourage more experienced paddlers to attend a safety orientation. All paddlers must have two “on water” practices.
• Novice crew (paddler) has 0 to 1 season of dragon boat paddling
• Experienced crew (paddler) has two or more seasons (50% of the crew must fit in this range for the crew to be considered experienced
• Coaching for novice local crews is mandatory and available to all crews.
  
• Extra practices may be available at $40 each per practice. (Time and resources permitting, up to a maximum of three more practice sessions are available of which ONE must be a Saturday).
• Cheques for payment of extra practices should be made payable to the Lethbridge Rotary Dragon Boat Festival. All practice fees must be paid in advance of practice.
• Practices start in May (weather and resources permitting). All equipment will be provided.
• Crews may use their own coach(s) if the crew coach attends a safety clinic. All coaches must have at least two years of dragon boat racing experience.
• Clinics will be provided for steerspersons and drummers; this is mandatory for novices and is recommended for experienced participants.
• All Steerspersons must be accredited by the Steering Coaching staff prior to steering alone with the crew.
• Local crews are required to suggest dates for two practice times and three alternate practice times on their crew entry form.
• Lack of attendance is not a valid reason for cancellation of a scheduled practice. There will be a $30 cancellation fee for any practice that is cancelled without 24 hours advance notice by the crew.