Dragon Boat & Sport Performance Coaching, Salmon Arm, BC (2026)

05/28/2026

Thank you to Shuswap Paddling Club for hosting this 2 and 5 day camp. Together we were able to get 27 paddlers on the water from across Alberta and BC!

05/28/2026

The 5 day camp is a wrap! I cannot believe this was the first camp and or first 5 day camp for most participants! I deeply respect and admire the guts it takes to put yourself out there and learn something new. Paddles Up!

05/26/2026

Day 4 of camp. Tired minds. Tired bodies. Confusion, awkwardness and frustration sets in as we learn outside our comfort zone. But the love of paddling pushes us forward.

05/25/2026

Fabulous camp hosted by Shuswap Paddling Club. We brought together paddlers across Canadian provinces through the love of sport.

Shuswap Paddling Club

03/25/2026

Thank you to for hosting this camp. Looking forward to seeing you all on the water!

07/03/2025

ᴀʟɪɢɴɪɴɢ ᴘᴀᴅᴅʟᴇʀꜱ, ᴄᴏᴀᴄʜᴇꜱ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴄʟᴜʙ ᴠɪꜱɪᴏɴ

Many paddling clubs share a common denominator: they recognize that success on and off the water hinges on being in sync, not just on the boat, but with the needs and goals of all participants. Yet, too often, there's a disconnect between what paddlers want, what coaches expect, and what the club envisions. Left unaddressed, these misalignments can quietly cause tension in morale, impede performance, and affect the long-term sustainability of the club.

The Paddlers' Perspective: Passion and Personal Goals
Paddlers come to the club with diverse motivations. Some want to compete at a high level. Others seek fitness, social connection, or simply the joy of being on the water. These motivations are all important and are integral parts of setting up the programs and water season. However, when paddlers feel that their personal goals aren't understood or cannot be achieved, they disengage. That disengagement might manifest as skipped practices, tension on the boat, or worse, a quiet departure at the end of the season.

The Coaches' Perspective: Performance and Commitment
Coaches focus on setting performance targets, fostering team cohesion, and developing the skills of their paddlers. They invest hours in planning sessions, analyzing techniques, and managing team dynamics. From their viewpoint, commitment, discipline, and progress are non-negotiables. However, when paddlers don't show up consistently or seem unfocused, it can feel like their efforts are lost, causing coaches to feel disappointed in their ability to execute the long, hard work put into a season plan.

The Club's Vision: Growth, Legacy, and Culture
Every club has a mission, whether it's written down or just lived out in the day-to-day workings of the club. They may have a "loose" vision that emphasizes competitive excellence, community outreach, youth development, or inclusivity. However, when paddlers and coaches don't align with a club's vision, it creates confusion and incohesive agendas and, in turn, unachieved goals. A club aiming for national podiums may struggle to integrate casual paddlers. A community-focused club may clash with coaches who push high-performance training.

Where the Disconnect Happens
Misalignment often starts with assumptions:
• Paddlers assume coaches should tailor the program to them
• Coaches assume paddlers will adapt to the training plan
• The club assumes everyone buys into the vision because they signed up

The result? Frustration, confusion, and a loss of momentum.

Creating Alignment: Building and Communicating the Structure
To bridge the gap, clubs must foster intentional communication. Here's how:
1. Clarify the Vision
Make the club's goals explicit. Whether you're aiming to win medals or build a welcoming paddling community, say it often and clearly. Paddlers and coaches can't align with what they don't know.

2. Listen to Your Paddlers
Survey them. Talk to them. Discover what they expect from their time on the boat. Not everyone will enjoy the same thing, but patterns will emerge, and those patterns can guide program development.

3. Support the Coaches
Equip coaches with the tools, training and understanding to manage all levels of paddler goals. Coaching isn't just about being on the water doing drills; it's also about developing specific skills within each team that align with the goals and aspirations of each group.

4. Facilitate Clear Direction
Not every paddler needs to fit into the same mould. Offer different levels of paddling, from competitive, developmental or recreational, so that paddlers can find their team without feeling they missed their boat!

5. Keep Checking In
Alignment isn't a one-time fix. Revisit the vision, adapt the programs, and communicate.

Final Thoughts
A successful paddling club isn't just about winning medals; its success lies in building the longevity and development of the paddlers it serves. When paddlers feel seen, coaches feel supported, and the club vision serves as a shared compass, culture thrives.

Learn more about what we will be covering this fall on this LIVE training: https://cherylroose.com/dragon-boat-coaching-course-build-healthy-team-cultures

Looking for Host Clubs Across Canada!
I’m currently seeking clubs across Canada interested in hosting this course in person!

If your club has a suitable clubhouse or facility and is willing to open the course to members from other clubs, let’s connect! Hosting comes with great incentives and is a fantastic opportunity to bring valuable training to your local community.
📧[email protected]

06/24/2025

In the nonprofit and club world, boards play a pivotal role in guiding strategy, ensuring sustainability, and shaping the future of their organizations. Yet many boards find themselves stuck—committed volunteers with good intentions but little forward momentum. Why? Often, it's not a lack of passion or effort. It's the mismatch between intent and behavior, as well as a series of internal contradictions, usually on boards, that quietly undermine progress.

1. They Want Help—But Only on Their Terms

Boards often recognize they need support. They may bring in consultants, form committees, or ask for outside advice. But the real problem arises when they only accept the help that aligns with their preexisting regulations and "ways of doing things." Anything that challenges their current thinking is often dismissed or met with resistance.

This kind of selective engagement limits the value of outside input. Practical support may require boards to reconsider their old assumptions and confront reality. Without that openness, "help" becomes little more than reinforcement of the status quo. And when new members come on, they quickly burn out trying to make a change when met with consistent resistance.

2. They Want Change—But Refuse to Change Their Practices

Boards discuss new plans, the desire to progress, and attracting new members—but real change requires more than wishful thinking. It requires behavioral shifts and new practices: how meetings are conducted, how decisions are made, and how leadership is exercised, both in terms of approach and with whom.

You can't expect new results from old habits. Boards must evolve their practices if they want transformation in their organizations.

3. They Want Growth—But Cling to the Status Quo

Growth sounds appealing, but it requires courage—the willingness to let go of familiar yet ineffective practices. Boards that insist on doing "what we've always done" risk becoming stagnant, even as they outwardly pursue progress.

Tradition has its place, but when it becomes a block to creating effective change, traditions need to be re-evaluated. Often, small shifts can initiate positive change when new thought leaders can integrate change within existing traditions.

4. Well-Meaning Volunteers—But Mismatched Roles

Most club boards comprise well-meaning adults who share a passion for their work and their sport. These are people who care deeply and want to give back. And in many cases, boards are struggling to find help—so they welcome anyone willing to lend a hand.

However, when roles are given to individuals to cover gaps rather than based on skill or a good fit, problems can and do arise. Passion doesn't always equal proficiency. Misalignment between role requirements and volunteer capabilities can lead to frustration, inefficiency, and, eventually, burnout.

5. Leaders Who Manage—But Don't Lead

Another challenge is the difference between management and leadership. Managers are essential—they organize, coordinate, and execute. But boards also need visionaries: leaders who see the big picture, understand long-term goals, and chart a strategic path forward.

When individuals are focused solely on day-to-day logistics rather than leadership, the organization can drift—they can be busy but directionless.

6. Doing Without Planning

Organizations that are constantly in "doing mode" can lose sight of the bigger picture. It's easy to get caught up in event planning, fundraising, or membership drives—but if these activities aren't strategically aligned, they can scatter an organization's energy rather than focus it.

Every initiative should support the organization's vision and mission. Without thoughtful planning, clubs risk becoming reactive rather than proactive—led by the calendar instead of their mission.

7. Lack of Funding Limits Access to Real Help

One of the most persistent and under-discussed challenges is the issue of funding. Clubs and organizations often operate with minimal financial resources, which directly impacts their ability to get help where it's most needed. Volunteers do what they can, but some roles—such as strategic and financial planning, marketing, or program development—require professional skill sets.

Without reliable revenue streams or practical fundraising efforts, organizations can't afford to hire professionals who can elevate their operations to the next level. Investing in fundraising strategies or sustainable income sources isn't just about growing—it's about enabling the kind of support structures that create growth and long-term sustainability over time.

Moving Forward

Boards don't struggle because they lack passion. They struggle when their roles, structures, practices, and leadership styles don't align with their goals, vision and mission. Recognizing the contradictions—and the cost of avoiding change—is the first step to moving forward.

To build a stronger organization, boards must:

* Be open to help that challenges their assumptions.
* Align their actions with their aspirations.
* Match roles to skills—not just availability.
* Encourage authentic leadership that sees beyond today.
* Balance doing with strategic planning.
* Invest in sustainable funding to build capacity.

Well-meaning people make a difference. But well-aligned, well-funded, and well-led boards transform organizations. The path to that transformation starts with honest reflection—and the courage to lead differently.

Join me this fall when we work to build healthy club cultures: https://cherylroose.com/dragon-boat-coaching-course-build-healthy-team-cultures

06/10/2025

REDEFINING COMPETITIVE
I recently returned from a series of clinics in beautiful British Columbia, where I encountered stunning scenery and some of the most welcoming paddlers I’ve ever met. I had planned a 2-day camp focused on progressive training—something I’m deeply passionate about. Unfortunately, the camp was canceled due to low attendance.

To be honest, it was disheartening. Building Building progressive sessions with paddlers is one of the reasons I love to coach. So, I gently asked around to understand what might have caused the hesitation.

The answer surprised me:

“Your credentials scared some people off. They didn’t see themselves as competitive paddlers.”

That really made me pause.

WHAT COMPETITIVE REALLY MEANS
For many, the word competitive sounds intimidating. It conjures up images of intense athletes, grueling practices, and a focus on winning at all costs. But that’s a narrow—and often misleading—view.
Here’s what competitive means to me:

•A desire to improve
•A love of learning and growth
•Stretching your comfort zone
•Discovering what you’re truly capable of
•Being part of a team, in pursuit of something greater

I paddled recreationally for 13 years before I ever thought about moving to a higher level of racing. What transformed me wasn’t a medal—it was the feeling of gliding across the water, the challenge of refining my stroke, and the vitality that comes from personal growth.

That’s where “competitive” begins: not in the results, but in the mindset.

MY ROLE AS A LEVEL 2 COMPETITIVE COACH
As a Level 2 Certified Coach with Dragon Boat Canada, my job is to support paddlers and teams in reaching their goals—whatever those goals may be.
This certification allows me to:

•Design both on- and off-water training progressions
•Understand and apply energy systems in training for various race distances
•Analyze stroke mechanics and teach effective technique
•Create practices that support individual and team development
•Strategically load boats for better glide and performance

But more than anything, my role is about meeting paddlers where they are.

Whether you paddle for fitness, friendship, self-discovery, or festival races—it all counts. And it all deserves support.

YES- YOU BELONG HERE
Dragon boating is unique in that it blends teamwork, fun, and athleticism in a way that truly can serve every paddler. You don’t have to be aiming for a world championship to benefit from structure, progression, and coaching.

With some planning and collaboration, we can build programs that serve multiple pathways—competitive, recreational, and everything in between. When teams and clubs communicate clearly and co-create their goals, everyone can thrive.

METAPHYSICS, MINDSET AND MOVEMENT
One unique tool I bring to coaching is my background in Metaphysics. This helps me work with teams on mindset—turning challenges into opportunities, shifting limiting beliefs, and aligning intentions with actions. It’s not just about paddling harder. It’s about moving smarter, thinking clearer, and supporting one another in the process.

IN THE END...
The paddlers I connected with in BC left with:

•Renewed confidence
•Better body awareness
•A deeper understanding of how to paddle with strength and intention
More importantly, they realized they did belong. Because being “competitive” isn’t about the scoreboard—it’s about the desire to grow.

LET'S BUILD SOMETHING TOGETHER
If you’re a paddler, coach or club/team leader wondering how to bring more structure, positive vibe or progression into your programs—let’s talk. I specialize in:

•Club and team development
•Training program creation
•Coach mentorship
•Aligning recreational and competitive pathways
•High level energy training

Reach out. Let’s redefine what it means to be competitive—together.

Dragon Boat & Sport Performance Coaching

05/28/2026

05/28/2026

05/26/2026

05/25/2026

03/25/2026

07/03/2025

06/24/2025

06/10/2025

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