The Dragonboat Racing Association of Colorado (DRACO) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose primary goal is to promote the sport and culture of dragon boat racing in Colorado. We provide an inclusionary, family-friendly training environment, and everyone is encouraged to participate, regardless of age, ability, financial resources, political/religious affiliation, sexual orientation, etc. Our programs also provide a positive recreational outlet for at-risk youth, and encourage the development of confidence, discipline and self-esteem. We never want anyone to be excluded based solely on finances, so we often provide “informal” scholarships to those in need, defraying costs associated with participating using our own funds. In addition, we frequently organize activities that involve our members in events that support a variety of other local charitable organizations.
History
Until 2007, dragon boating in Colorado as a one-weekend-per-year activity. Dragon boats were hauled in from Iowa on trailers for an annual festival; each team was allowed 45 minutes to practice in a dragon boat the day before the event, and then raced the following day (after which the boats were hauled back from whence they came).
That all changed when, w/ assistance from the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival (CDBF), a small, avid group of local dragon boat enthusiasts (including two of our coaches, Michael J. Boyd and Tom Ging) formed a racing association to facilitate dragon boating on a year-around basis. This organization is now known as the Dragonboat Racing Association of Colorado, or DRACO (latin for “Dragon”). To help facilitate our objectives, CDBF acquired two dragon boats in the spring of 2007. Michael Boyd made a solo trip to Arizona to haul the boats to their new Colorado home.
Some paddlers join us in order to train and race in the local Colorado Dragon Boat Festival. However, another major goal of our organization has been to provide opportunities for our members to travel to compete in other venues. In that light, October of 2009 marked a major milestone for our organization. A core group of DRACO members (along with a few additional paddlers from out of state) formed a team to compete in the inaugural Rose Regatta in Henderson/Las Vegas. This was the first time a Colorado dragon boat team had ever ventured out of state to race! Our Phantoms crew now races in at least three or four festivals each year, and is hoping that more may be possible in the future.
Present Day
At present, DRACO conducts its dragon boat training sessions at two venues. During the summer season (roughly May through October), “on-the-water” outdoor practices are held on Sloan’s Lake in Denver. Off season / early season indoor sessions are held in the swimming pool at the Wheat Ridge Recreation Center, using a pool paddling simulator designed and constructed by Coach Michael Boyd. DRACO has the benefit of several coaches who have taken Dragon Boat Canada Level I certification training. Coach Boyd traveled to Pickering, Ontario to complete the advanced DBC Level II (Competitive Team) certification, and also had the honor of being the first Colorado paddler to ever try out for and be selected to compete on a Team USA crew in the IDBF Dragon Boat World Championships. (He has now been selected twice, and was most recently part of the Team USA Senior C Open crew that won four gold medals in the 2019 World Championships in Thailand.)
DRACO provides expert coaching coupled with paddling opportunities for all ages and ability levels. Please let us know if you are interested in paddling with DRACO, or if you would be interested in providing charitable support to our organization.
For additional information concerning DRACO, please Contact Us!
