DieselFish Dragon Boat | Redwood City, San Francisco Bay Area: November 2023

Wednesday, November 15, 2023

DRAGON BOAT SUCCESS STORIES: PIAO’S FIRST RACE | DieselFish Dragon Boat Team | Serving San Jose, Peninsula, San Francisco

Piao’s dedication and enthusiasm helped her paddle hard during her first dragon boat race. Read on to find out more.

Everyone let’s give a huge round of applause for our new teammate Piao. (“My name rhymes with ‘Meow,’” she explained.) Since joining DieselFish this summer, Piao has become a core member of the team. She has a perfect attendance record and is making excellent progress in her stroke technique. Piao recently completed a paddler rite of passage: her first race. On August 12, Piao competed in the California Dragon Boat Association’s Sprints Race at Leo J. Ryan Park in Foster City.

Piao was exhilarated after her first race. “This is my first race after joining Diesel a month ago,” she exclaimed. “It’s really interesting and exciting. I was quite nervous I think with the first race happened, but I think it started to get more into the groove with the race going on.”

Piao is also enthusiastic about DieselFish. “I really like DieselFish the team, because I feel like everyone’s very chill but very energetic when we’re racing together,” she warmly explained.

Congratulations, Piao! You did great in your first race. Your dedication and enthusiasm paid off. We can’t wait to see what comes next for you in your dragon boat journey. DieselFish will be there for you every step of the way.

→ If Piao can do it, so can YOU. DieselFish offers FREE dragon boat lessons in Redwood City. Email me now at DFcaptains@gmail.com to reserve your seat.

- Alex, the Minister of Newbie Happiness 🐲

Copyright 2023 DieselFish Dragon Boat Team. All rights reserved.

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Friday, November 3, 2023

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US | DieselFish Dragon Boat Team | Serving San Jose, Peninsula, San Francisco

Our 25^th birthday was filled with hugs, stories, paddling. Read on to learn more about this fun and meaningful event.

October 21, 2023, was one of the most important moments in DieselFish’s history. On that day, we celebrated our 25th birthday. The celebration was filled with long hugs, colorful stories, and mouthwatering food. Oh yeah, we paddled, too.

We started the celebration with a practice session. Many DieselFish alums (the “Salty Fishes”) dusted off their paddles and combined with the team’s current lineup for a cruise around Bair Island. Not surprisingly, the practice began late. Because most of the Salty Fishes hadn’t seen each other in ages.

“IS THAT REALLY YOU?”

“You look the same…”

“I can’t believe we’re all here again…”

Time stood still as we hugged and joked around. We cut this reunion short when it was finally time to get back into our boats.

Most of the alums hadn’t paddled since leaving the team. So we took it easy. Gradually, the Salty Fishes remembered their techniques and the boats gained speed and power. Soon, we were chugging along at a brisk clip. The memories began flooding back:

“Remember when we medaled at TI?”

“Ken, I’m finally using the technique you taught me 20 YEARS AGO!”

After we docked, we gathered at Sports Basement’s community room for a joyous gala. There, we played games, gobbled catered food, and created new memories. Occasionally, the store’s customers peeked into the room to investigate the source of the boisterous laughter coming from inside.

The celebration was fun and meaningful. As we paddled, partied, and chatted, we remembered that we’re part of something bigger than ourselves. We’re part of a family that has been growing for a quarter of a century. We may not see each other often, but we’ll always be connected.

→ The DieselFish family is still paddling long and strong in Redwood City. Contact Alex now at DFcaptains@gmail.com for a FREE lesson.

- Alex, the Minister of Newbie Happiness 🐲