DIESELFISH MEDALS AT CALIFORNIA DRAGON BOAT ASSOCIATION SPRINT RACE | DieselFish Dragon Boat Team | Serving San Jose, Peninsula, San Francisco

A mostly inexperienced crew trained hard and delivered on race day.

 

DieselFish overcame the odds and paddled away with a medal at this season’s California Dragon Boat Association Regional Sprint Race.

 

In recent months, the San Francisco Bay Area dragon boat team has experienced a recruitment boom that has nearly doubled the team’s size. More than half of the crew members that signed up for the race were rookies. Most had only started paddling in April.

 

In the weeks leading up to the race, Coach Jerry Lin led a series of hardcore practices designed to prepare the crew, veterans and rookies alike, for the intense physical and mental challenges of sprint racing. As a result, the crew was well prepared and paddled with focus, strength, and confidence.

 

The crew ended up medaling in their championship race, a feat worthy of applause and high fives.

 

The Regional Sprint Race should have been a learning experience for the rookies—a humbling introduction to competitive dragon boat racing. Instead, the team’s planning, training, and focus prevailed and the event became a moment to celebrate. All the hard work the crew put in during its practice sessions had paid off.

 

DieselFish’s rookies worked hard and earned a medal. That means you can do it, too! Email me now at DFcaptains@gmail.com for FREE lessons in Redwood City. Killer workouts, exciting races, and new friends await you.

 

- Alex, the Minister of Newbie Happiness 🐲

Photo: Jasmine L.

Photo: Jasmine L.

Copyright 2022 DieselFish Dragon Boat Team. All rights reserved.

YOU’RE MISSING OUT ON SUMMER | DieselFish Dragon Boat Team | Serving San Jose, Peninsula, San Francisco

If you’re still working out in a gym, you’re missing out on gorgeous weather and outdoor adventures.

Summer is finally here. The sun is warm. The days are long.

So why are you still exercising INSIDE your sweatbox of a gym?

NOW is the time to add some excitement to your workout by taking it outside.

When you sign up for a FREE dragon boat lesson with DieselFish, you’re not just getting a workout… You’re getting an outdoor sports adventure.

You’ll explore hidden waterways. You’ll feel the warm sun and ocean breeze. You’ll spot seals and hawks in their natural environment.

All while getting in a killer cardio and core workout.

The weather is just too gorgeous these days to stay trapped indoors.

→ Sign up NOW for your free dragon boat adventure with DieselFish! Email me now at DFcaptains@gmail.com to save your spot on the boat.

- Alex, the Minister of Newbie Happiness 🐲

Copyright 2022 DieselFish Dragon Boat Team. All rights reserved.

SEVEN GONGS FOR SEVEN FISHES | DieselFish Dragon Boat Team | Serving San Francisco, Peninsula, San Jose

DieselFish has a silly and painful tradition to welcome new members. Read on to find out more!

Every team has its own personality, quirks, and traditions. It’s with great pleasure that share with you, my dear Internet friends, one of DieselFish’s most important rituals: the striking of the New Member Gong.

Whenever the team gains a new member, I lug the New Member Gong out of our storage unit…and whack the hell out of it.

Here I go. Wait. How many people joined up so far? Wow, seven? That’s a lot of new members so early in the season. I better limber up first. [STRETCH] Oh, that feels better.

OK, NOW here I go!

[GONG] WELCOME, SHRUTI!

[GONG] WELCOME, LEAN!

[GONG] WELCOME, GRACE!

[GONG] WELCOME, JASON!

[GONG] WELCOME, SONIA!

[GONG] WELCOME, SHIPRA!

[GONG] WELCOME, POKY!

Look! The gong is reverberating. I can feel its vibrations through the fillings in my teeth!

How did this odd, noisy, and slightly painful tradition come to be?

DieselFish is a welcoming community. To drive this point home, we started striking the New Member Gong as way to celebrate when people join the team. The ear-splitting crash of the gong announces to the world that we have new members. The shockwaves from the impact symbolize the powerful energy the new members will bring to the team.

We realize the ritual is silly. But this silliness is also part of the DieselFish experience. Because having fun is essential if you want to be successful.

→ Our next FREE lesson will be on Saturday, 5/28 in Redwood City. Email me now at DFcaptains@gmail.com to save your spot on the boat! Fitness, fun and possible hearing loss await you!

- Alex, the Minister of Newbie Happiness 🐲

Copyright 2022 DieselFish Dragon Boat Team. All rights reserved.

FOOD ADVENTURES: Marufuku Ramen Redwood City | DieselFish Dragon Boat Team | Serving San Jose, Peninsula, San Francisco

 Is it possible to make tasty chicken breast ramen? We went to Marufuku to find out.

Chicken breasts are a vital part of athletes’ diets. This cut of meat is an excellent source of inexpensive and low-fat protein. But that doesn’t mean we always enjoy eating the stuff. Too often, chicken breasts are dry, tasteless, and mealy. That’s why some of us were apprehensive about dining at Marufuku Ramen, a Downtown Redwood City restaurant that specializes in chicken-based ramen.

Most of us ordered the Chicken Paitan. We were shocked by how much we enjoyed this dish. One of us said that the milky white broth was probably the best chicken soup she ever had. We also enjoyed the whole chicken breasts that were served with this dish. Somehow, they were juicy and tender. We had mixed reactions, however, about the thin, springy noodles. Some of us prefer thicker noodles.

The real treat of the day, however, was the Chicken Paitan DX meal set that our manager Brian ordered. This special meal, limited to only 15 servings per day, is identical to the Chicken Paitan noodles, except it comes with a grilled chicken leg. Our jaws dropped when the server brought the DX meal to our table. The grilled leg sizzled and popped as it released its mouthwatering aroma. It took the combined efforts of Brian and another teammate to finish off the massive leg, which was marinated in a sweet soy sauce.

Marufuku’s chicken-based ramen defied our expectations and left us wanting more. We’ll definitely go back for more of its shockingly tender and flavorful chicken dishes soon.

→ Our next FREE lesson for beginners will be on Saturday 5/14 in Redwood City. Email me now at DFcaptains@gmail.com to save your spot on the boat! Fitness, fun and food await you!

- Alex, the Minister of Newbie Happiness 🐲

Copyright 2022 DieselFish Dragon Boat Team. All rights reserved.

COMING BACK FOR MORE| DieselFish Dragon Boat Team | Serving San Jose, Peninsula, San Francisco

The newcomers came back for more fitness, fun, and food with the team.

Remember all the newcomers that showed up for our free dragon boat lessons? Last Saturday, THEY CAME BACK FOR MORE.

More core-busting, heart-pumping workouts.

More new friends.

More fun times at lunch.

Everyone had a great time, on and off the water. And you know what?

This upcoming weekend, we’re going to do it AGAIN.

→ Our next FREE lesson for beginners will be on Saturday 5/7 in Redwood City. Email me now at DFcaptains@gmail.com to save your spot on the boat! Fitness, fun and food await you!

- Alex, the Minister of Newbie Happiness 🐲

Photos: @ankosquared and @pokywu

Copyright 2022 DieselFish Dragon Boat Team. All rights reserved.

DRAGON BOAT ADVENTURES FOR NEWBIES | DieselFish | Serving San Jose, Peninsula, San Francisco

Looking for a dragon boat adventure near San Jose and San Francisco? We got you covered.

On April 9 and 16, DieselFish offered a series of free dragon boat lessons created especially for newcomers. The response exceeded our expectations. Large groups showed up for both events. These newcomers learned how to paddle, explored Redwood City’s hidden waterways, and even competed in a (short) race piece. DieselFish is thrilled to have introduced so many newcomers to our sport. We plan to offer more introductory events in the future. Please contact me at DFcaptains@gmail.com to find out how YOU can join our next event!

→ DieselFish offers FREE dragon boat lessons in Redwood City. Email me now at DFcaptains@gmail.com for more information.

- Alex, the Minister of Newbie Happiness 🐲

 

Copyright 2022 Dieselfish Dragon Boat Team. All rights reserved.

THE DRAGON BOAT COMMUNICATOR | DieselFish Dragon Boat Team | Serving San Jose, Peninsula, San Francisco

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

- Alex, the Minister of Newbie Happiness 🐲

Copyright 2022 DieselFish Dragon Boat Team. All rights reserved.