No one is better at teaching newcomers how to paddle than DieselFish's Coach Marynka.
A prominent member of the Northern California dragon boat community, Coach Marynka Rojas Gorgen is an experienced dragon boat communicator. No one is better at teaching newcomers how to paddle. Marynka is an expert at diagnosing and correcting technique errors. She combines this knowledge with her natural ability to motivate people to help newcomers reach their personal bests.
Marynka began her career coaching corporate teams competing
in the California Dragon Boat Association’s (CDBA) Northern California International Dragon Boat Festival. During this period, she was tasked with instructing large
groups of newcomers how to paddle in a short amount of time. In 2016, Marynka
became the coach for DieselFish, Silicon Valley’s premier dragon boat team.
When she’s not coaching, Marynka serves as a board member
for a number of the sport’s governing bodies. In these positions, she shapes
policy for the dragon boat community on the national level.
DF: What dragon boat-related positions do you
currently hold?
MRG: I currently serve as:
* Head Coach, DieselFish
* Board Member, Pacific Dragon Boat Association
* Board Member, United States Dragon Boat Federation (USDBF)
* Chair, USDBF Nominations Committee
* Business Development Manager, Burnwater
* Past CDBA Board member and Treasurer
DF: How did you become a paddler?
MRG: My company heard about a local fundraising race
and put a team together. I enjoyed paddling so much I joined DieselFish.
DF: How did you start coaching? Which teams?
MRG: The California Dragon Boat Association needed
help with coaching corporate teams, so I volunteered. I've coached a number of
organizations over the years, but most notably Bank of America Asian Leader
Network Silicon Valley, Sutter Health, Facebook, and Google (Google won gold!).
DF: What is your coaching philosophy?
MRG: My job as a coach is to motivate paddlers and
get them excited about paddling so that they improve their skills. It doesn't
matter how many corrections I offer if they have no interest in getting better.
DF: What do you do to help newbies learn to paddle?
MRG: I not only show them the basics of the stroke,
but also talk about the benefits of paddling (physical, psychological, build
community). I make sure they understand that it takes time and at first there
is a lot to learn so they don't get discouraged. I also try to make it as fun
as possible.
→ Our next FREE lesson for beginners will be on Saturday 4/16 in
Redwood City. Coach Marynka will personally show you how to paddle and reach
your personal best. Please RSVP now at EventBrite: https://bit.ly/358nSwX
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Alex, the Minister of Newbie Happiness 🐲
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2022 DieselFish Dragon Boat Team. All rights reserved.
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