Wesley Chen
“I started dragon boat my junior year of high school, hoping it would get me out of tutoring. Unfortunately, it didn’t, but I decided to continue paddling and that eventually led to coaching. Most would consider me successful after accomplishing so much with Lincoln. Every now and then, I get the question: how do you make your paddlers fast? I don’t have an answer to that, and honestly, I feel like I’ve lost more than I’ve won.
Even as a paddler in high school, my highest achievement was a bronze medal from the San Francisco International Festival. During my first two years of coaching, no matter which crew I was assigned to, we were always less than a second away from the podium. Then in 2016, I stepped onto the top open’s crew and after a lot of hard work, we won first. It doesn’t sound like a big deal, but it was the first time our boys had won in four years. It not only meant a lot to the team, but it was also unforgettable and emotional for me. We didn’t know at the time, but it was the beginning of a prominent culture shift within our team. After reaching my goal for open’s, the desire to reach the same success with a mixed crew intensified. In my last year with Lincoln, I am very happy to achieve that and more. I left with not only consecutive wins, both mixed and open, and four Junior A titles from CCWC 2018, but also a legacy that will influence hopefully the next generation of paddlers.
And even after that, I’m not sure how to answer that question. How do you make your paddlers fast? Perhaps the answer isn’t about how to create an exceptional athlete, but rather how to overcome difficulties and failures to foster something greater than fast paddlers. The most memorable moments came from the process behind each accomplishment. And the most important thing out of this entire experience is my paddlers, who made every season special. That’s where I find my success from.
So, how do you make a paddler fast? Maybe you’re asking the wrong question.”
[Wesley Chen (San Francisco, USA), coach on Lincoln High School, ex-paddler on Lincoln High School, Suen Feng Loong, Ripple Effect.]
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