By
Alex Ling
It’s
a reunion
 |
| Akash first came to us a kid. Now he's back! |
Nothing
good gets away. Like Akash Singh, for example. He first came to DieselFish when
he was a kid. Akash then took some time off to focus on school and work, but
now he’s back. Almost by accident.
A
chance encounter provided Akash the opportunity to reconnect with the team and
the sport he loves. Now, Akash is back on the boat and better than ever. I
spoke with him about his career in dragon boat and his thoughts about
DieselFish.
DF: How did you get
started in dragon boat?
AS: I was introduced
to dragon boat racing by friends who were members of the Mountain View Dragon
Boat team when I was in high school. I joined Mountain View Dragon Boat in 2008
and continued with them until early 2010
DF: Why did you start
paddling with DieselFish?
AS: I graduated from
high school and needed a new team. I started paddling with DieselFish because the
scene was so young and most colleges were just in the phase of building a team,
so I didn’t have an option for college. The adult teams seemed more interesting
and competitive at the time.
DF: That’s when you
initially joined DieselFish?
AS: Yes. I was one of
the youngest people on the team.
 |
| Young Akash during his first stint with DieselFish |
DF: You took some
time off from paddling. What did you do during this period?
AS: During my time
off, I focused on finishing my undergrad and wrapping up my graduate degree. I
started my career shortly after graduating.
DF: How did you get
back into paddling as an adult?
AS: It happened
because of a coincidence…
I
got back into paddling after finding out my friends Bryan and Conely were
paddling with my old team. I was surprised and this gave me a reason to return.
It’s great seeing them every week at practice.
 |
| Akash and his friends Bryan and Conely |
DF: Is the experience
of paddling on the dragon boat team different now that you are an adult?
AS: I find it’s just
a change of pace due to experience. My time off from the sport gave me the
chance to reflect. I missed paddling, and I began to think about what I would
do if I returned to dragon boat.
DF: What do you like
about the sport?
AS: I honestly enjoy
the peaceful and relaxing atmosphere that comes from being a boat and paddling.
Although the actual activity is physically demanding, just being on the water
is a nice break from my normal schedule.
DF: What do you like
about DieselFish?
AS: DieselFish for me
has always been about enjoying the sport and the people you’re with. Races are
a perfect example of this. People show up to compete but also enjoy their time together
as a team.
DF: Thanks for
sharing this! See you on the water!
AS: Sure!
You can begin your own
dragon boat journey, too! You’ll get stronger, meet new friends and join a
supportive community. Email me at dfcaptains@gmail.com for free dragon boat lessons in Redwood City!
