PRACTICES

Our paddling season starts tentatively early May and ends at the end of September/early October. We practice twice a week, on Thursday evenings 6:15pm and Sunday afternoons 4:00pm. Practice time means on-water time, so we ask paddlers to arrive about 15-30 minutes prior to practice time as that gives us time to have a quick warm-up, gather equipment and line-up the boat. Practices are about 1 hr & 15 min. on the water but you should plan for about 2 hrs total including before and after.

TEAMSNAP

We use a website called TeamSnap for keeping track of the schedule and for team communication. It’s also available as an app on most smartphones. We ask that paddlers indicate whether or not they’re coming to practice by 24 hrs prior to practice.  This allows our coaches to know how many people to expect, which is really important given that we have minimum and maximum numbers of seats to fill on the boat. Too few and we can’t go out – too many and we need to find a second boat.  Most team communication is done via TeamSnap email, so it’s important to keep an eye out each week for new info.

IF YOU’RE LATE OR NEED TO CANCEL LAST MINUTE

No worries – it happens to all of us sometimes that we’re stuck at work, or in traffic, or get sick at the last minute. Please just send your coach a quick text to let them know. If you’re going to be late, we can always take the boat out and come back for you 10 minutes later. That way you still get your practice in and we don’t hold up the rest of the team.  Note who is coaching that night by checking TeamSnap.

CANCELLATION DUE TO WEATHER

It’s very rare that we’ll cancel due to bad weather. If it’s raining, we’ll usually just dress appropriately and head out. Often the weather will change by the time we paddle the length of the Reservoir!  On occasion, we will cancel due to thunder/lightning or very high winds. Your coaches will usually not make this call until we’re on site, however, in consultation with the Boat Patrol. VERY rarely, we’ll cancel ahead of time and will let you know via text or email as early as possible.  

LOCATION & PARKING

We meet in front of the Calgary Canoe Club in North Glenmore Park. You take Crowchild Tr. South as far as it goes. It will lead you straight into North Glenmore Park and you’ll see the blue Canoe Club building on your left. Please park in the lot closest to the road (LOT A) instead of the lot closest to the building itself. We like to leave that lot open for the Canoe and Rowing clubs. As it gets further into the summer, Lot A may become full and you may have to drive further into the park and use Lot B. It’s not a far walk & another good reason to arrive early!  Please don’t ever park along the road into the park or the road leading to the Canoe Club as you’ll get ticketed there!  Parking Enforcement does patrol often and issue tickets for improper parking.

 

CLOTHING & EQUIPMENT

Wear weather-appropriate clothing that can get wet. In the early part of the season, you may need layered, warmer clothing while in the summer, you’ll want to dress light, wear a hat & sunscreen and always bring a water bottle. For your feet – it’s personal preference. A lot of people wear flip-flops or water sandals/shoes, while some prefer more of a sturdy running shoe. Just note again that your feet will get wet too. It’s always a good idea (especially on colder days) to have a change of clothes in your car. You are welcome to use your own dragonboat paddle and/or PFD if you have them. Otherwise, they will be provided for you. The Canoe Club has washroom facilities, but please leave any valuables locked in your car or on your person. It’s not a bad idea to have a ziplock bag to keep keys/phone dry if you’re planning to bring them on the boat. You can also buy small dry pouches at places like MEC.

SAFETY

Your coaches and/or steerspeople will go over safety protocols prior to you getting in the boat and we do go over them again several times during the season as a team.  There is an Online Waiver for the Calgary Dragon Boat Society that you will sign as well prior to practicing and a listing of emergency contact information.

FEES

Returning paddlers must pay fees by May 1st each year, while new paddlers can try us out for 3 practices first before they pay their fees by the 4th practice.

a) Fees = $300. Fees cover both your practices as well as festival attendance. We do not charge additional fees to reserve your spot in the boat at festivals.

b) Jersey: If you race, there is also a race jersey to buy (about $50-$65). The jersey can be paid for when it arrives, as we don’t know the exact cost until we put in each year’s order.

FESTIVALS 

Our team typically competes annually in at least 3 festivals per season, Lethbridge (end of June), Calgary (mid-August), and usually a third West Coast location (TBA) in September/October. You don’t have to be able to attend all festivals but we do have sign-up deadlines for each one. Paddlers pay their own travel expenses, but we do our best to keep costs down by sharing rides/accommodation etc. if desired. The dates for this year’s festivals are:

PHILOSOPHY

HAVE FUN! We know you're spending your off-time doing this and we want you to have as much fun as possible.  We encourage paddlers to try new things such as steering later on, and we sometimes will be able to try out other types of paddling such as outrigger or voyageur canoeing.  There are opportunities for team fitness activities in the off-season and we try to keep social activities afloat year-round to encourage team cohesion.  We always welcome suggestions on ways to improve your experience.

MEET OUR COACHES

KERI RAK (Head Coach)

I started paddling with the Red Eyes in 2001 after an invitation from friends in my kickboxing class. I fell in love with the sport and with the team and think of the Red Eyes as my second family. I started managing the team and coaching in 2005. Since then, I have completed courses in both coaching and officiating, have become a Director of the Calgary Dragon Boat Society, and traveled to Italy to participate in the World Club Crew Championships. In addition, I like to paddle and race in outrigger canoes when time permits and am a member of the Calgary Canoe Club. When not paddling/coaching with the Red Eyes, I’m playing squash, co-hosting a radio show on CJSW, working for the City of Calgary, and spending time with my family.

My coaching philosophy is to impart a love of paddling and the camaraderie of dragon boat to the team, while providing them with a workout that’s fun as well as physically challenging. We will always strive to improve throughout the season in both our practices, competitions, and in our social ‘blending.’ I believe we all can learn new things each season, whether we are new to the sport or have been paddling for years.