Pottstown Athletic Club provides low-cost introductory indoor paddling course
The Pottstown Athletic Club is offering people throughout the region the opportunity to learn a team paddling activity from a world champion.
The Dragon Boating 101 2020 Course began this month and is available to anyone with an interest to learn more about the sport. The course is free for Pottstown Athletic Club members and $5 for nonmembers.
Below are the answers to several questions about dragon boating and the course to help people decide if they want to give paddling a try.
What is dragon boating?
Dragon Boating is a competitive team paddling sport that originated in China. Teams paddle as a group in races of varying distances inside a boat resembling a dragon.
There are several regional dragon boat teams who participate in local races including the Pottstown Dragon Warriors. The Pottstown team was started in 2013 and has continued to introduce people to the sport. The team is currently mixed with women and men, some of which who qualified for Team USA and competed in this year’s World Championships.
The Pottstown Athletic Club has three dragon boats but currently has one team. Previously there was an all-women team and a youth team. The fitness facility has the capacity to have several different types of dragon boat teams in addition to its current competitive team. The club is also interested in having a community team focused more on the social and health benefits rather than racing competitively.
How do people learn dragon boat paddling during the winter?
The Pottstown Athletic Club is a full training center. Several renovations have been made to make it a regional destination for dragon boat training during the cold months when on-water practices aren’t possible.
The fitness facility has a floor with a line of indoor paddling machines called ergometers. The machines have been tailored to stimulate the motion of dragon boat paddling and even include software that allows users to track their progress. The athletic club also features an indoor pool that stimulates paddling in a dragon boat on the water. People using the pool sit on benches in a single file then place their paddle in shallow water.
“We’re the only team in the country that has the ability to do what we do in the wintertime,” said Rob Matthews, owner of the Pottstown Athletic Club.
Do I have to be athletic to paddle in a dragon boat?
Pottstown Dragon Warriors member Lisa Varley is one of the coordinators for the paddling 101 course. She said the community has shown a lot of interest in the sport, so the team wanted to offer a “starting place” for beginners.
“A lot of people are curious and at the same time they’re scared,” Varley said.
She said people may be under the impression they must be very strong or athletic to begin dragon boating but said this is a misconception. The Pottstown Athletic Club welcomes all ages and abilities to learn dragon boat paddling.
“We are open for anyone to try,” Varley said.
Who is teaching the dragon boating 101 course?
Rose Walters is the instructor for the course. Walters competed in the 14th World Dragon Boat Racing Championship help this past August in Thailand as a member of Team USA. She won three gold medals, three silver medals and two bronze medals during the competition.
Although Walters is a veteran member of the Pottstown Dragon Warriors, she had never engaged in any team water sports or kayaking before joining the team.
Varley said participants of the course will first learn how to correctly hold a paddle and followthrough with the motion.
“Most people’s instinct is to row, and we paddle so it’s different,” she said.
Is the course only open to Pottstown residents?
The dragon boat lessons are open to anyone in the region with an interest in learning the paddling sport. Matthews said the club facilities are a great opportunity for team building. He encourages groups in the area such as school districts and corporate organizations to take the course.
The Dragon Boating 101 2020 Course will take place at the Pottstown Athletic Club, located at 263 King St. in Pottstown.
The fitness lesson will be open to the community from 6 to 7 p.m. on Jan. 27, Feb. 10, Feb. 27, March 9 and March 23. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/ PottstownAthleticClubCrossFit/ or call 484-302-9950.