KRAKEN KREW Parents & Kids Team

I have been coaching a parents and kids dragon boat team since 2006 and this has been the most rewarding program of any that I have been involved with.  The idea of the team started after the Dec. 26, 2004 East Asian Tsunami. My daughter's school (Huron Street P.S.) had a former teacher whose parents founded and ran an orphanage in Sri Lanka called the Paynter Home. After the tsunami, there was an influx of orphaned children in the large area affected. The school raised money for the orphanage and as dragon boat racing is most often about raising money for charity I put two and two together and put together a team to raise additional money. We raised about $1500/year for a few years.  

I had already been doing dragon boat presentations to the school classes for years. This included kindergarten classes for which I was thankful to GWN for loaning me props such as dragon heads and tails, a drum, and their old 4' dragon boat model. At a snowy school assembly in November 2005 where I announced the team, I had a full roster of parents and kids sign up. That team is still going strong after 8 years, with a few original members still on the team.

Last year, the Kraken Krew team (named by a student contest) practiced once a week in May/June and competed at the 128th annual DDRA Canada Day Regatta on Toronto's Centre Island. They won "B" Division gold, beating out other all-adult teams. Our goal was to have good technique and timing, but have fun and patience on the water. That paid off with a boat length win!  In previous years, this team has placed as high as 3rd in the "A" Division.

Last year's team co-captains were Susie Pelenyi (an original team member) and my daughter Sarah (who paddled for the first time). My wife Yoka also paddled for the first time on this team. In all, I have had 9 different family members paddle on this team.  :)

The 2012 Kraken Krew team - "B" Division gold medalists

This coming season is now shaping up quickly, and we are in the process of booking our practice time slots with Balmy Beach (BBCC).

If anyone else is looking to create their own parents and kids teams, feel free to contact me regarding my experience and advice of making the program work. My e-mail address is Tim@RustyDragons.ca. I am looking to expand to run more similar teams in the future.