My Week at Camp (A Paddler's Perspective)

By Jordan Pascucci, Schuylkill Dragons

One year ago, almost to the exact date of my arrival at Florida training camp, I went to my very first dragon boat practice. My first season I only raced three times, and as I prepared to leave for a week of paddling I was very nervous. Even though I had spent time training indoors over the winter, I definitely considered myself a beginner. I took a chance and signed up for Florida Training Camp, along with a few fellow teammates. I have to admit that I was lured by a week in Florida and forgot to consider the physical challenge involved.  It wasn't until I was packing that I began to panic with questions like: How could I possibly handle multiple 75 minute practices each day, and on top of that, I signed up for the OC option - what was I thinking? 

It was one of the best things I've ever done! The experience surprised me, and I surprised myself. My body was pushed to the limits in new ways, but instead of feeling fatigued I felt energized. In my down time (which I assure you, there is, even with all of the paddling!) I found myself going to group stretching or on a run with my teammates, or even looking for more opportunities to get on the water. The world-class coaching, beautiful scenery and paddlers of all levels from around the world made it a relaxing, exciting and challenging experience.

The group I was assigned to included paddlers from over 5 different clubs, so our challenge was to grow as individuals and also find our rhythm as a team to be ready to race at the end of the week. Watching our boat come together was a great learning experience as Andrea, our coach for the week, helped us think about the boat and working together in new ways. I began to understand how every movement, every individual, impacts the boat.

At the beginning of the week, each paddler had the opportunity to share personal goals with Andrea, which she kept in mind throughout and helped each person achieve. From video-taping sessions I saw my motions and things I could work on for the first time. The individual attention really helped the boat develop as a whole, as each paddler focused on working "smarter, not harder." That was one of the phrases Andrea shared at the beginning of the week which really helped me to focus each time I felt I was losing my technique or struggling. It also came in handy when our boat completed the 18 kilometer trek to the Causeway. The water was much more open than anything I had experienced before, which made it a little rough. Waves tossing over the side, paddlers in the back seats bailing while the front tried to keep us on track - it was so much fun, an adventure inside a week of adventure!

On the final day our boat of paddlers from many different crews raced together as one, and I sat in the stroke seat. It was my first race ever in that seat.  If you had told me before I arrived that was how my experience would end, there's no way I would've believed it. But then again, before I arrived I lacked the knowledge and confidence to even attempt sitting in the stroke seat. In that one short week I learned enough from the wonderful coaching staff to sit proud and ready and enjoy my fourth and fifth races in what will hopefully be a long Dragon-Boat career.  

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