Coach Wong writes...

21 people all signed up and ready to go!
Thank you for getting your waivers signed.

But... we need 20 people to paddle a boat + a drummer + a steersperson.
A dragon boat roster usually includes 24 paddlers. This way we can rotate paddlers if people need a rest, or somebody is sick or injured.

So please... tell your friends about the great experience you had paddling dragon boats on that sunny Sunday 2 weeks ago.

The "Killarney Cougar Dragons dragon boat team and paddling club" could be the COOLEST club at Killarney!!!
the most AWESOME club at Killarney!!!
the MOST FUN club at Killarney!!!

Paddling skills will enhance your life experiences. You will be a quick learner to hop into a canoe, kayak or outrigger canoe... I have canoed on Burnaby Lake, Stave Lake, English Bay, Kalamalka Lake in the Okanagan, and I have kayaked in Deep Cove, Hornby Island, English Bay, and Kyuquot Sound on the west coast of Vancouver Island.

Team skills will take you even farther, and can be applied to any group effort... and can make any group more effective for both performance and communication.

Swimming ability is not necessary to join the club. Everybody will be provided with a pfd (personal floatation device) / life jacket. Dragon boats are relatively stable... I have never tipped over in a dragon boat.. ever!

I look forward to seeing you on Tuesday 4pm at Dragon Zone!

Coach Todd Wong

Teamwork is everything...

"Teamwork is everything in Dragon Boat Racing. Synchronicity is more important than strength. A perfectly synchronized team will almost always beat a stronger, but less coordinated team" from the Great White North website.

Killarney's Own Cougar Dragons

Congratulations to the new Killarney Dragon Boat Racing Club team:
Caitlin Allum, Dipa Barua, Sally Chan, Cherry Chen,
Linda Chen, Justin Chow, Deborah Gee, Daphne Guan,
Eddy Ha, Krystal Han, Chi Hsi, Jordan Lee, Wayne Li,
Garry Ly, Garvin Pang, Irene Peng, Aleck Pham,
Jenny Tan, Stanley Tsia, Jordan Wong, Taylor Yee and Justin Yee.
Coach/Sponsor: Mr. Mackinnon; External Coach: Todd Wong

Thank you to everyone who came out to the meetings and showed interest. Maybe you will be able to join us next year.

Our first full practice will be Tuesday, 4 pm @ the Dragon Zone. Please be on time and remember, we practice rain or shine. If you need an ED please see Mr. Mackinnon in B109.

Will we paddle?

A bit of a hiccup on Tuesday. Not enough people had waivers/could come out to the practice and so it was cancelled. We must have at least 20 paddlers signed up by Thursday. Please hand in your waivers--signed by your parents--to Mr. Mackinnon by Thursday. Check back here Thursday to see if we have a team. We need 100% commitment.

Team Meeting and First Practice: Tuesday

All Cougar Dragons must attend a noon hour meeting in Mr. Mackinnon's room (B109) on Tuesday. Team members must bring their waiver forms, signed by their parents, and $20.00 to help pay the coaching costs. Students who have not brought their waivers cannot practice on the water. We will be on the water later in the afternoon. We will meet at the Dragon Zone at 4:00 for warm-ups and instructions. Warm-ups are mandatory. We will only have 9 practices before the Alcan Dragon Boat Festival, so everyone's full committment is important. We need 100% committment and 100% participation. See you Tuesday at noon.

Todd Wong to coach Cougar Dragons

Killarney Cougar Dragons are very lucky! Todd Wong coach of the Gung Haggis Fat Choy multi-cultural team and UA Dragons corporate team has agreed to coach for Killarney. Coach Todd Wong has over 12 years of experience including novice, recreational and competitive levels, with both community and corporate teams. In the 2005 season Todd led the Gung Haggis Fat Choy team to a Bronze medal at the Vancouver International Taiwanese Dragon Boat Race as well as receiving the David Lam Award for being the team that best represented the multicultural spirit of the Alcan Dragon Boat Festival. The Cougar Dragons are very lucky indeed!

Free Paddling at the Cherry Blossom Festival

Dragon Boat Cherry Blossom Friendship Regatta

Invite your parents and friends for free paddling lessons, and paddling demonstrations. Saturday from 2-4 pm at the Dragon Zone

Canadian International Dragon Boat Festival Society (Free)
21-Apr 2:00 PM-4PM "Dragon Zone" outside Creekside Park, south of Science World

For more info about the Cherry Blossom Festival:
http://www.vancouvercherryblossomfestival.com/vcbf/calendar

Thank You KPAC!

A huge thank you to the Killarney Parents Advisory Council (KPAC) for their support of dragon boat racing at Killarney. Their financial support means that the Killarney Dragon Boat Racing Club (KDBRC) will be racing this year at the Alcan Dragon Boat Festival--one of the premier dragon boat races in the world. Without the help and support of the Killarney community our dream would never have come true. This is just another example of what makes Killarney the best school in Vancouver. Cougar Passion + Cougar Pride = Cougar Dragons!

See you on Tuesday 24 April for our next KDBRC meeting in room B109

Cougar Dragons Hit the Water!

10 members of the Killarney Cougar Dragon Boat Racing Club (KDBRC) hit the water on Sunday, paddling with the Gung Haggis Fat Choy multicultural community team. Cougar Dragon coach/sponsor Mr. Mackinnon and Gung Haggis coach Todd Wong led the Killarney contingent through a full practice. The Cougar Dragons performed admirably, especially considering it was the first time most of them had been in a dragon boat. Well done Chi Hsi, Aleck Pham, Taylor Yee, Jordan Wong, Jordan Lee, Dipa Barua, Justin Chow, Krystal Han, Sally Chan, and Linda Chen! Thank you to the generosity and mentoring of the Gung Haggis alumni. The students enjoyed meeting you and learning from you. We look forward to our next practice when we put a full team afloat.

Come out and Paddle this Sunday

The Gung Haggis Fat Choy team invites all Killarney Cougar Dragons to try out paddling a dragon boat this Sunday (15 April 2007). We meet at 1 pm in the Dragon Zone--Creekside Park, just south of Science World. Take Skytrain to Main st./Science World and follow the seawall around. You can't miss the Zone. Mr. Mackinnon and several members of the Gung Haggis team will be there to welcome and mentor you, including Coach Todd Wong. All interested Killarney students are welcome.

Dragon Boat Races April 14th

On Saturday 14 April there will be Dragon Boat sprints (200m) at False Creek. Races start at 10:00. Come on down and cheer Mr. Mackinnon in his first race. See what you will be a part of. Come down to the Dragon Zone (Creekside Park--just south of Science World). Bring your friends, bring your parents, bring yourselves.

Would you like to volunteer at this weekend's regatta? We are recruiting for enthusiastic volunteers for this regatta as well as the June 2/3 500M regatta and the June 16-17th Festival. If you have family or friends you'd like to have involved with this event, please pass this information on.

We offer training for all positions, a nice lunch, t-shirts, entry in our volunteer draws as well as the opportunity to work with a great bunch of people.

Starter
Finish line
Race Referees and boat drivers
Crew Marshalls
Dock Marshalls
General information person

The shifts are 8 am to 12:30 pm, and 12 noon to 4:30 pm.

Festival weekend positions on land are also available.

For more information please go to the ADBF website,
adbf.com.

Welcome to the Killarney Cougar Dragons team blog

Hey everybody. This is your source for everything dragon at Killarney. Practice times and messages will be left here for you.

Our inaugural meeting on Friday was terrific. Thanks to Coach Todd Wong of the Gung Haggis Fat Choy multicultural dragon boat team for coming all the way out to Killarney to help us get off the ground. 12 people came out for the first meeting but by the end of the day we had 19 people sign up. We will need a couple of more to make a team, but I am confident that will not be a problem. Stay tuned for more information coming up. Our first practice time will be announced here, so check back often. If you want any more info, please stop by room B109 and ask me.

Coach and sponsor
Mr. Mackinnon