Southern Storm Paddle Club
Southern Storm and the Legacy of Qu Yuan
With the status of modern day dragon boat racing as a high-intensity, competitive sport, you could be forgiven for not being fully aware of the cultural traditions and folklore that surround its history. For the Southern Storm Paddle Club, one such legend of Qu Yuan is deeply significant in the way it reflects our core values.
The story goes that this beloved poet and minister of Chu drowned himself in the nearby Milou River having become aware of the impending destruction of his state by the invading Qin army. Qu Yuan was so admired by the common people of Chu, that they rushed out into the river in their fishing boats in a desperate attempt to save him; they splashed the water with their paddles and beat drums violently to deter evil spirits and fish from eating his body. The actions of these everyday people who charged out to Yuan’s aid resonate strongly with the values we uphold at Southern Storm. It preaches community, fraternity, devotion, teamwork and perseverance. And so, to understand why these principles are so significant for us as a team, it is important to also consider our own origin story.
Artwork: SM Yang/Epoch Times
The Southern Storm Paddle Club was founded in April 2012 by a group of enthusiastic paddlers looking to grow the sport through attracting new people to dragon boating. All the founding members had competed at the highest level in dragon boating as well as other paddle sports and wanted to share their passion for dragon boating to the wider community. With a focus on fun, fitness and friendship Southern Storm was launched in May 2012 with the aim of creating a club that would provide an environment for people to enjoy dragon boating at a recreational or competitive level in a spirit of enthusiasm, support and involvement.
“Then give me green-horned serpents for my steed, or dragons white to ride…
By southern savages misunderstood, at dawn I ford the stream.”Qu Yuan – Crossing the River
Club coach and founding member, Alex came to the sport of dragon boating from a background in kayaking and canoeing. In 1987, he was approached by a group of fellow canoeists and kayakers who were competing at an international level and encouraged him to try dragon boating. Alex and his friends, formed a corporate based club which raced successfully for several years, eventually moving across to join another already established and growing Melbourne team. Alex encouraged more of his colleagues and friends to join the team and their shared drive and passion working together made them all excellent paddlers. Over the years, members of this small group of friends gradually moved on but, some time later, motivated by their shared love for the sport, regrouped and formed the Southern Storm that we know today.
“Dragon boating is a good analogy for life” Alex points out, “keep turning up and you can achieve anything. You need everyone on board. You don’t need super athletes; you just need everyone to do the same thing. Just raise the bar and keep challenging yourself!”
Phil was introduced to the club by a university colleague, but owing to his study-load at the time, he had trouble finding time for the commitment that comes with joining a competitive team. Eventually his academic pursuits in management found him needing first-hand experience in team coordination. Phil took the opportunity to join Southern Storm in October 2015. What began as a means to progress his studies, quickly evolved into a passion. His studies Dragon boating has offered a great alternative for Phil, who due to an injury he had had since primary school, needs to avoid contact sports. Phil loves the philosophy behind the club and dragon boating; it is character building, and an exercise in resilience training.
“Dragon boating teaches us to never give up. You push yourself further than you normally would and break the barriers of mental limitations. Without trying you wouldn’t know what you are capable of achieving.”
“With lavished innate qualities inbued, by art and skill my talents I renewed;
had I not loved my prime and spurned the vile, why should I not have changed my former style?”
Qu Yuan – Li Sao
Another recent member, Sophie takes a different approach to the sport; in fact she prefers to not even consider it ‘a sport’. In early 2016, having recently arrived in Australia, she came to Southern Storm seeking a sense of community, and a regular activity which, while gaining an opportunity to form friendships, would push her to become a better person. Her first experiences on the water were very challenging, but the experience was rewarding. Sophie finds strength in the combined efforts of the crew around her– “I would give 100%, not only for myself, but for the 21 others on board”. Almost a year down the track, and Sophie feels that dragon boating has helped her find a sense of balance; she has stepped outside of her comfort zone and learned to adapt to the boat, to the water, to the paddle and to her team mates. She recognises that there will always be ‘days with’ and ‘days without’. Whether we might be feeling low on energy, when the starter calls “Go!” it’s time to bring our A-game and, as our coaches are always telling us, “keep our eyes in boat”.
Lesley joined the SSPC because she was interested in water sports but lacked the self-confidence to do it alone. She felt so much warmth and camaraderie that she made a choice to sign up immediately. “At first” she explains, “it was more for recreational purposes. I have never done any vigorous sporting activity and was very unfit at the time.” Having asthma from a young age, Lesley grew up with the mindset that intense physical activities were not an option for her. Her involvement with SSPC taught her that whatever your circumstance, you can always push yourself to perform better. Along with dragon boat training, Lesley now practices yoga, metafit, and kettlebell training. This year marks her 4th season as a dragon boat competitor and she has been selected to represent Victoria in the National Dragon Boat Championship, an honour that she is proud to have received.
Motivated by Coach George, and wanting to contribute more to the club, Tim called on his teammates to do off-water training on Wednesday mornings. He encouraged newer members to join in. The sessions were open to members of any fitness level and ability. The initiative helped build confidence, it motivated people to take ownership of their health and fitness, and opened eyes to possibilities. Originally the Wednesday land training was intended to improve individual performance and contribution to the team in the state and national competitions for that 2016 season. However, members of the group noticed benefits beyond just getting fitter and stronger and enhancing their training in the boat. Connected through their passion for dragon boating, these friends remain dedicated and continued the land training through the off season, getting up and meeting in Docklands before dawn, working hard together with the sun rising slowly overhead, they greet passersby and residents in the area, inviting them to join in.
For some, to achieve graceful movement, perfecting the paddling technique is like finding finesse in poetry. For some, it’s about pushing limits and working hard with their teammates – much like going to battle with your comrades. And for some, the feel and sound of being in a boat as 20 paddles spear into the water as one is the magic that brings them back time after time. Whatever the motivations, we are all in this same boat on a journey of discovery and growth.
“The old man smiled and paddled away, singing:
When the river water’s clear, I can wash my tassels here. ”Qu Yuan – The Fisherman
What we can take away from the stories of our team mates and the forming of our young club only a handful of years ago is strikingly similar to the story of Yuan and the people of Chu. We have found that people from all walks of life can bring to the table a variety of skills and qualities and achieve some amazing results as a single, unified team with a shared vision.
It’s difficult to imagine the people in the story being all that successful in their attempts to deter the fish with the splashing of their paddles. But then, that’s not the first thing that should come to most people’s mind when they hear the story. It’s about the crew’s single-minded ambition to achieve their outcome, regardless of how challenging. In this same way, we Stormies will splash our paddles, and beat our drums, and with a singular purpose, we’ll motivate each other to paddle longer and harder with our eyes and ears, at all times, in the boat.
Author: Julian Kruup
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