Katie Peck

“As a transracial adoptee, my parents sought out ways to connect me to my Chinese heritage. While I didn’t love my parents' choice, Saturday Chinese school, I loved mine: dragon boat. At first, I paddled on a team of other Chinese adoptees and their parents called the Panda Paddlers. Eventually, I joined the Philadelphia Dragon Boat Association in 2009 on the Yutes (youth) team.

My favorite memory was at my first IDBF Worlds in 2009 in Prague, on the Junior B (U16) Mixed team. Our last race day was the 500m, and the division trophy and a gold medal were up for grabs. We’d just lost a Junior A 500m race and as we left the dock, we heard, ‘Who has a gold medal? I do, I do!’ We turned and saw Canadian team girls taunting us. Seething, we went to our tent. Coach Pete McNamara told us to use their taunting to motivate us, as winning that 500m might win us the Junior B trophy. Using our anger, we exploded with a longer than usual start. We took a 4-seat lead on Canada. At the last 200m, we saw them making a move. Coach Pete signaled for a Power 20. Canada extended their power call, just as we hoped. As our fake power 20 call ended, our drummer called the real 20. Canada, exhausted, fell behind. We surged forward to the finish line, two seats and 0.346 seconds ahead. We won gold! Though I left with my first Worlds gold and the Junior B trophy, I had something more important: memories with friends and a passion for paddling. 

Since Prague, I’ve been to 4 other Worlds on U18, U24, and Premier. I have friends from all over the US, several who have been my closest friends through high school, college, and ‘adulting.’ I encourage all young paddlers, no matter their experience or skill level, to try out for Team USA one day. The Junior programs are transformative. They will leave you with lifelong memories, friendships, homes to crash in across the country, and a great college application topic! You might even turn into a beastly, lifelong paddler. If you have any questions, especially if you are unsure about Team USA, please ask me.”

[Katie Peck (New York, NY, USA), paddler on Philadelphia Dragon Boat Association, USA national team (U16/U18/U24/Premier)]

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