YUP

Water Dragons are a myth. Come on, man!

No one cares about the fading University division anymore

Fading University Division!? I am a veteran of this sport and you couldn't be further from the truth. Universitiy crews are the future of this sport. New College, Waterloo, Ryerson, McMaster, Western, U of T etc... are growing this sport exponentially and it's great to see!

Sorry

I like how New College & UofT were written as separate entities.

lol "veteran". Cracks me up every time.

a) they're a 2:10+ (almost 2:15+, like they have been in the past) team so...nobody cares
b) the university division, this season anyways, is: New College, Waterloo, and the rest, it's not exponential growth, ONE team stepped up to the plate this year to contend with New College

Agreed. Waterloo definitely stepped it up and has built a strong program for future University kids.

2011 University Results:

1) New College 2:01.30
2) Ryerson 2:06.23
3) Waterloo 2:09.26

2012 University Results

1) New College 2:00.82
2) Waterloo 2:03.62
3) Ryerson 2:07.96
5) Waterloo 2:10.25

The university programs come and go. First it was Piranhas (sort of), then UC, then New.. and then? really, who cares?

NAmes get old. You need new names.

IronDragon was formed.

Iron Dragons is the engineering team, Water Dragons was UC, also does Trinity still have a team?

No probably not.

Source: Last page of the TIDBRF race booklet:http://www.thetcba.com/dbr/2012/Racebook2012_v0618.pdf

University programs have the problem of sustainability with kids graduating and moving on with life. But DBC has said that the university and u23 are acting as development programs to create good paddlers for the premiere division. DBC has zero funds to make a dev. Athlete program so they just let the UNi teams do whatever. Case in point training and coaching isn't policied and you get teams just doing the same thin and sucking the big one. And then teams who keep improving like new college and Waterloo because of good coaching g and training goals. Until Dbc starts helping out the youngsters get used to seeing one or two teams dominating university div and the rest burning out or never progressing. Side point anyone know what new college and Waterloo do that's different from say rye or western? (sorry for the typos, writing on my iPhone)

Time on the water (and in the weight-room during the off-season) is probably the biggest thing that Waterloo had going for them this year

New college has been an A/B division team for 6 or 7 years... So turnover isn't the problem. It's has more to do with that age demographic (under 22 yearolds) being able to foster a competitive athletic attitude provide good coaching and good team organization... Most university teams are social clubs that dragon boat occasionally

U23 programs all over the world are suffering. Look at CCWC. Only 5 or 6 teams in the whole u23 division. Plus same teams on the podium for basically every race distance.

I think another factor that might contribute is that a lot of U23s are in flat-water. There are only a few good DB programs for people in that age category. E.g New College, PDBC (although they scrapped their U23 program this year), PRCC, and Mowat (high school in Scarborough, most of their kids also do flat-water)

"There are only a few good DB programs for people in that age category."

My dragon boat team has people whose ages can vary from early 20's to early 60's. Age is not important, good training and coaching is.

^ Motivation/Money and Time, espeicially for U23

"I think another factor that might contribute is that a lot of U23s are in flat-water"

This is true but a lot of flatwater guys are starting to come over to dragonboat more seriously as it's extremely hard to keep up at competitive levels (flatwater guys paddle 2-3 times per day in the summer plus dry land) too much to maintain if you've got a job or school and arent on the National team. I think I overheard waterloo's coach was flatwater and another coach (outer harbour women's? Chris? Correct me if I'm wrong) was a flatwater champ. A bunch of veteren Rideau and Mississauga canoe club guys paddle too. I think there's a lot of crossover from high school war canoe programs as well.

You think this is new? flatwater paddlers have been coaching dragon boat teams for years. The attitude varies: just in it for a paycheque vs. actually caring about the team.

It's also difficult to keep a solid u23/University team. massive turnover every year from graduating etc.