My Week at Camp (A Coach's Perspective)

By Coach Christopher Marquart, Schuylkill Dragons Coach, Philadelphia Dragon Boat Association

After a long cold dark winter, no one really needs an excuse to go to Florida for a relaxing week on the water. Many of my paddlers have been visiting GWN's Dragon Boat Camp for a number of years and now it was my turn. As a coach my main mission was to determine if the differences in the stroke techniques being taught at the camp and those taught by the Philadelphia community of coaches was real or imagined.

In order to accomplish this task efficiently I signed up for the entire camp experience - the basic dragon boat camp, the outrigger clinic and the coaching clinic. As a result, my schedule was packed from my initial OC-1 session at 6:45 AM to my second and final session in the Dragon Boat at 5:00 PM. In between these sessions on the water, the schedule included various training presentations, as well as daily stretching and pilates sessions. Considering I had trained the SDs and myself fairly hard throughout the winter, I was surprised at the level of fatigue I was experiencing by the end of the second day. Our on-the-water sessions were not overly intense but the mileage adds up quickly and it takes a day or two to adapt. However, given the choice, I would much rather do my initial over-distance training in shorts and a tank top in Florida than under four layers of clothing in Philadelphia. I found the training presentations to be very informative and I was very pleased with the level of knowledge of the coaches at the camp. There were plenty of opportunities to discuss coaching issues and techniques, both during and outside of the coaching clinic. As a paddler, you will find as the week wears on you may need to skip a session once in a while to grab a nap or a bite to eat.

The facility at which the camp is held, although not 5-star, is absolutely ideal to host this type of camp and you will not find cheaper lodging anywhere in the area. I know because I was originally "wait-listed" for a room and had to look elsewhere until a spot became available.

As far as accomplishing my main objective, I found that the differences between the strokes were mainly perceived as a result of differences in the terminology used to teach them. At one time there were significant differences in the strokes used by elite teams throughout North America, but those differences have largely disappeared as most teams have adopted a stroke adapted from outrigger canoeing as the most efficient baseline stroke. The real challenge for any coach is wading through the differences in terminology so that you and your team can agree upon a set of "descripters" for the stroke that works for your team. If you want your crew to "lengthen" during a race you want them to process that command immediately without undue mental calculations that they can't afford while experiencing the pain and fatigue of a race.

 If you are a paddler returning from the camp you should make it a point to sit down with your coach at home and review both the stroke and the terms used. A good coach will appreciate the input if it is done constructively. Failure to come to a meeting of the minds can lead to a situation where paddlers start to experience what I call "Latent Stroke Anxiety Syndrome" (LSAS) because they have no clear direction about what stroke to adopt. This situation can spread through a team and eventually effect your boat's performance. It was evident that the staff at GWN had made a considerable effort to standardize the stroke that was presented by its various coaches during the camp and it was much appreciated.

So what did I think of Dragon Boat camp?  I found it to be one of the most rewarding experiences in my 22 years of dragon boating! It is tiring and at times confusing but there is something really special about being able to roll out of bed and build your entire day around a sport that you enjoy. With the demands on our time from careers and families, few of us often have that opportunity. Judging from the number of paddlers who return each year, I think most of the camp's attendees would agree with me. 

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