Unleash the Dragons
Amid a historic polar vortex affecting the southern states, which brought unusually cold, windy, and rainy weather to Florida, 500 cancer survivors, including 19 members of Dallas United Crew PINK, gathered at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota for the inaugural Unleash the Dragons event. This leadership camp, paddler clinic, and festival brought together dragon boat athletes representing 99 teams from across the United States and eleven other countries. The participants, diverse in personality, shared two common experiences: they all faced a cancer diagnosis, and they all understand the empowering impact of overcoming that diagnosis through the ancient Chinese sport of dragon boating.
Dragon boating has existed for over 2,000 years but is surprisingly one of the fastest-growing sports that many people have not heard of. A traditional dragon boat is a 40-foot canoe that accommodates twenty paddlers sitting side-by-side, working together to propel the boat forward. They are led by a drummer perched on the bow, who provides a rhythmic beat to keep the athletes in sync. Additionally, a steersperson stands at the stern, guiding the boat using an oar as a rudder.
A dragon boat team consists of 22 individuals who must work together as a cohesive unit. This harmony is achieved through trust, grit, determination, and strength—qualities that cancer survivors know all too well. In 1996, Dr. Don McKenzie, a Canadian sports medicine physiologist, discovered that the repetitive motion involved in dragon boating was particularly beneficial for breast cancer patients. He challenged the prevailing medical thinking of the time, which advised survivors to avoid upper body activities. Dr. McKenzie’s commitment to proving his theory led to the creation of an international organization with 360 breast cancer survivor teams. He is truly considered the “father” of our sport.
Dr. McKenzie served as the keynote speaker at the leadership conference that kicked off the weekend's festivities. He provided a detailed history of the sport’s growth along with current research demonstrating the extraordinary benefits of exercise in combating cancer and reducing the risk of recurrence. It was a great honor for all attendees to meet the man behind the sport we all cherish.
The second day of the event focused on leadership training, covering a range of topics including team management, rules and regulations, strength training, and festival planning. On the third day, a paddler’s clinic took place, offering instruction from nationally ranked coaches and race officials.
A unique feature of this festival was the formation of composite teams. Paddlers were assigned to random teams before the event, and it was up to the appointed captains and coaches to create a team name, theme, and race strategy. The themes were showcased during the Opening Ceremonies and Team Parade, where attendees dressed to represent their team names. The members of Dallas United PINK were dispersed among teams FIRE, Dragons R US, Global Paddlers United, Party Gras Paddlers, Fearless Friends, and Tenacious Titans!
The highlight of any festival is undoubtedly the competitive racing. The twenty-four composite teams of Unleash the Dragons participated in 200-meter relays, 200-meter knockout races, as well as 500-meter and 1000-meter races. Each course required different strategies, conditioning, and stamina. While the race officials' clocks distinctly determined the winners from the losers, anyone who has paddled knows – on the water, we are all winners! If you are a breast cancer survivor, Dallas United PINK invites you to join us and unleash the dragon within! We will kick-off our 2025 season Saturday, March 1st with an informational meeting beginning at 10:00am at the CC Young Auditorium 4847 W. Lawther, Dallas, TX.
Pictured below: FIRE, Tenacious Titans, Global Paddlers United, Fearless Friends, Party Gras Paddlers, Dragons R US, Dr. McKenzie with several members of DUC Pink.
