Joey Payeur
Members of the local dragon boat club are about to receive some top-calibre instruction.
U.S. national team assistant coach Megan Kress will be here to instruct a one-day clinic next Saturday (May 28) from 8 a.m.-2 p.m., with a meet-and-greet set for the evening before.
Kress has been coaching the St. Paul’s Dragon Divas for the past four years and Blue Water Paddling based in Duluth for the last 12 while also being on the national team staff since 2013.
“I’ve been wanting to grow the sport at a grassroots level here in the upper Midwest on a club level, not just the one-and-done festival-level teams and not just national team paddlers, but the stuff in between those two levels,” Kress said in explaining her decision to visit here.
“I want to help clubs get established, grow, and be sustainable,” she noted.
“I reached out to the Boundary Waters Dragon Boat Club early this year to say hello and connect, more than anything.
“I extended the invite to join our club in Duluth-Superior in the event that anyone was in the area and wanted to paddle,” added Kress, who also spearheads the Great Lakes Dragon Boat Alliance.
“After some discussion with [Boundary Waters coach Annely Armstrong-Thorstad] over e-mail, the idea of a clinic came about.”
Armstrong-Thorstad eagerly was anticipating what Kress’ visit will mean to the local dragon boat scene.
“Our club and seasoned paddlers are very fortunate to have the support and knowledge of someone of Megan’s calibre,” she enthused.
“I can’t express enough how very appreciative and excited we are for her visit.”
Kress’ introduction to the sport stemmed from the spirit of competition.
“I was recruited from area paddlers to go race at an event in Thunder Bay—I had no idea what a dragon boat was,” she recalled.
“We raced, won, and I said, ‘That was fun, not sure I’ll ever do it again.’
“Now, 16 years later, here I am.
“I guess the evolution of my increasing involvement in the sport is that it combined two of my favourite things: team competition and paddling,” Kress noted.
“I like that the sport attracts people from all walks of life, and gives people an opportunity to excel and compete in a variety of stages in life.”
Kress is right at home on the water, having undertaken such excursions as guiding wilderness trips by canoe, instructing sea kayaking on the Great Lakes, and leading paddling adventures to Greenland.
She’s also made her way around the rivers of Nunavut, as well as Northern Ontario and Manitoba.
“My paddling world lately has been primarily about racing and competition strictly,” Kress explained.
“But I do miss my wilderness days and the enjoyment of going places that you can only get to with a paddle and a boat—and sometimes a floatplane.”
Kress, meanwhile, said her coaching philosophy revolves around three areas of focus.
“First is about being a relentless technician,” she remarked.
“You have to do things properly to efficiently move the boat.
“Secondly, it’s about helping the athlete discover their potential,” she added.
“The third part is about encouraging a total team environment and fostering teams with significant team cultures.”
Kress is no stranger to this area (“Most recently for my NEXUS card interview,” she chuckled), and has stopped over in both Fort Frances and International Falls several times during her previous paddling exploits.
She noted the evolution of dragon boating in her years of involvement has been noticeable, but not dramatic when it comes to the equipment used.
“The equipment is pretty standardized per the [International Dragon Boat Federation],” she remarked.
“We’ve moved from teak boats in the ’80s to fibreglass hulls.
“Paddles are standardized, too, in their shape and profile, so the most variance you really see is in materials used to build them,” Kress added.
“There’s a large accessory market that follows paddlers: butt pads, paddle wax, waist pack style PFDs [personal flotation devices], but those are not essential to becoming a good paddler,” she stressed.
“Technique is the area where you see the most amount of variance and opinions.”
Next Saturday’s clinic will include training both on the water and in the classroom.
The fee is $25, with a limited number of seats available.
Those interested in taking part can send an e-mail to dragonboatff@gmail.com
