PAPARAZZI!!

Hello fellow Dragons!!!

We were asked by the festival coordinators to write a brief description of our team in order for it to be published in the festival pamphlet!!! Teri, our wonderful writer, came up with a few descriptions and after some deliberations Kim and myself decided on one. We both think it describes our team perfectly!!!

Although we are rookies, beware; we are up for the challenge!

P is for Pictures. We snap pictures any chance we get, after all, we are the Paparazzi.
A is for attitude. Our great attitude is the first thing you will notice.
P is for Power. We will show you on the water.
A is for All-together. We work as a team.
R is for Rowing. Isn't that what we are here for?
A is for Atmosphere. We create a great one, Always.
Z is for Zoo. What our boat looked like on our first practice.
Z is for Zimbabwe. We couldn't find another word that starts with Z, think you could do better?
I is for Integrity. We will keep this at all time, Win or Lose.

We are here for fun but don't let that fool you, we are competitive and will give you a stroke and paddle for your money! We work together and laugh together and hope to see you at the finish line!

Its not whether you or lose, it’s how you play the game!

Love & Light
Paparazzi Dragons

THANKS TERI!!

May 22nd Practice is OFF

Hi everyone!

Unfortunately our new and improved coach is feeling a little under the weather and has to cancel tonight's practice. Check your emails because we will be rescheduling this weeks practice and we need to know availabilities.

Feel better soon, Chris!!!

Hello Dragons!!!

Both Kim and I want to congratulate all of you for doing such a great job last night!!!! You guys are awesome!!!! We paddled really well and our level of enthusiasm and motivation was GREAT!!!! Chris, our new and fantastic coach, thinks we have potential and he seems to enjoy working with us!!

Have a great day!!!

May 15th Practice is ON!!!

Hi fellow Dragons!!!

Just a little reminder.....TUESDAY MAY 15TH PRACTICE IS ON!

Please be on time (8.00pm at the foot of the basin)

See you all on Tuesday!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS FELLOW DRAGONS!!!!!!

First off, CONGRATULATIONS again to our awesome first time performance this week!!!!

What Sabrina and I need to know from you ASAP:

1) Competition time: Montreal Dragonboat Festival is July 28-29th, all day. If you are unable to attend please let us know ASAP so we can get backup paddlers for that time.

2) Time slot for practices: Several of you have requested if it was possible to have an earlier time slot for practice. We’ve been offered, as of the first week of June, a 7:30-8:30 spot on MONDAYS. I’ve had the spot tentatively penciled in for us. Please let us know if:
a) you are available
b) what your preference is (Mon 7:30-8:30 OR Tues 8:30-9:30)
A decision will be made based first on the full team’s availability and second, preference. You need to let us know ASAP, by Monday at the latest so that we can confirm with the Admin people. Thanks guys!!!!


Here’s some recent updates for you:

New team members: Good news guys, our boat is now full!!! We will have 3 new members next week. Katerina Benoit & David Chin, WELCOME! The 3rd new member is soooo new, I don’t even know her name yet! We all look forward to meeting you next Tuesday ☺

New coach: We’ve made arrangements to be teamed up with a new and improved coach. His name is Chris Moreau. We will be making a request to have him work with us on technique etc. Keep in mind, however, that we only have one hour on the water with the coach, so we want to be as focused as possible in that short time so that everyone can get as much out of the practice as possible. Our weekly objective is to improve as much as possible individually and, as a team.

Goal Setting for Competition time: Jessica has volunteered to do some research on what type of goal we should be setting for the competition according to our experience, team make-up etc. This way we can start timing ourselves and work on improving the power of our stroke and our speed until we achieve our desired time. We can also discuss this with Chris over the next few weeks. Thanks Jess, let us know what you find!!!

Warm-up/Stretching: Next week’s warm up will be more intense, so come prepared to work up a good sweat guys! Fitness & endurance level is a very important aspect of our training.

Lastly, seriously guys the enthusiasm level is FANTASTIC!!!!! Keep It Up!!!! It’s gonna be one AWEOSME season. See you next week……

PADDLES UUUUPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!

S♥ & K*

A Little Prayer for tonight...courtesy of Mark!

Our Dragon, Who art in heaven
Hallowed be Thy Name;
Let the Dragons Roar,Don’t make me become sore,
on Ile St.Helene as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily red bull,
and forgive us for swearing on how tired we are,
as we forgive those who swear on other peoples mothers;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from getting my hair wet.
Amen

PRACTICE IS ON FOR TUESDAY MAY 8

Practice is on tomorrow!!!! Check your emails!!!

TIME: Please be there for 8pm

PLACE: We'll meet at P2. P2 is near the boat storage/paddle distribution building. You can't miss it, its at the foot of the basin.

WHAT TO BRING:
1. Arrive at the basin dressed appropriately (sweat pants or track pants and running shoes)
2. Bring a change of clothes because WE WILL GET WET. Also if you wear glasses make sure you have a sport band to secure your glasses to your face.
3. $30.00 for your first installment for your registration fees
4. towel and bottle of water

DIRECTIONS:
BY CAR:Take the Bonaventure autoroute, get off at Bickerdike exit. Follow the directions to the Casino and head towards Parking P2 on Île Notre-Dame. Parking costs $12.

BY PUBLIC TRANSIT: When you get outside of Jean-Drapeau metro, turn left and head towards the Biosphere. Its 5 stories high, you simply cannot miss it! When you're close to it, on your right is a small bridge. Cross it. Turn left, keep walking towards parking P2. You are there! The total time to walk to the site is 10 mins.

What to bring for practice

There are locker rooms & changing rooms at the basin, for practices make sure to bring:

• your own lock
• water bottle
• a towel
• running shoes (for on-land training, you can wear flip-flops for training in the boat)
• change of clothes (seeing as we are TOTALLY inexperienced we ARE going to get WET...it's been suggested that we wear sweats/trackpants the first couple of weeks of trainging)

**if you wear glasses make sure that you get a sport band that secures your glasses.

Ten Commandments

[Provided by the Montreal Dragon Boat Festival]

1. Life jackets must be in the boat.
2. Buddy system: know name of row mate, if boat capsizes find buddy before swimming to shore.
3. NO standing in the boat.
4. Keep paddle outside of boat at all times.
5. Enter and exit the boat one row at a time.
6. Always listen to your coach.
7. No horseplay in the boat.
8. Always have a minimum of two bailers in the boat.
9. No more than twenty paddlers, one drummer and one coax-person total twenty-two people in the boat.
10. NO swimming in the basin.

Welcome to The Paparazzi Dragons Dragon Boat Team!!

Hi everyone, thanks for joining the boat. This blog will serve as a means to communicate with each other regarding practices, availabilities and any matters related to the team.