You have to be strong and confident to drum in a
dragon boat race.
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| Photo: Ed Nguyen Photography |
Look at Angeline! She’s drumming her heart out in this
race at last month’s Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival.
Look at the determination in her eyes! She’s scanning her
boat for timing issues.
Also, do you see the way she’s pounding the drum? That
steady beat keeps the crew in time.
Angeline is also belting out commands at the top of her
lungs. She knows when the boat needs to speed up.
She’s whiteknuckle gripping the seat for her dear life.
That means the boat is surging through the water. Angeline is getting heaved
back and forth with each monster stroke.
What a wild ride! What a great performance!
You see, Angeline’s commanding presence helped our
women’s team win a silver medal in that race. It shows you the importance of
drummers.
Drummers act as the boat’s brains and COMMAND the crew
with their voices.
DieselFish takes drumming seriously. Every season, we
train select members to run the boat from the drummer’s perch.
The trainees learn how to fix timing issues. They also learn
how to give the boat an extra burst of speed at just the right moment. The
trainees also learn how to get into the crew’s collective conscious and push it
in the right direction.
But more importantly, they learn how to lead with confidence.
“Teaching someone how to drum is rewarding, because you
get to see that person blossom into a leader,” said Coach Marynka Rojas.
Coach Marynka also said, “We had two new drummers at the
festival, Angeline and Bryan. We built up their confidence and that allowed
them to control and motivate the boat. I
knew they had the ability to lead the boat. My job was to show them that they
could do it.”
“Drumming helped me learn how to project my voice,” said
Angeline. “I feel more confident, and I like that I am leading my team.”
“I was nervous about drumming my first race,” said Bryan.
“But I felt better after I sat down on the seat. I remembered all my training
and felt ready to compete.”
Bryan also said, “It’s interesting that I can help win a
race by thinking. I have to read all the boats on the racecourse and issue
commands.”
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| Bryan's drumming debut |
It’s not easy becoming a drummer, but it’s worth the
effort. Drummers lead the team to victory with their brains, voices and beats. They
learn how to be strong and confident along the way, too.
Dragon boat racing
is not just a sport. It’s a life-changing experience. You will become stronger
in ways you never imagined. Contact me now at DFcaptains@gmail.com for free dragon boat lessons in Redwood City.
-Alex, the Minister of Newbie Happiness
