KC Pink Warriors Awaken the Dragon in Kansas City

By Debby Rieck (originally published in the IBDPC Newsletter in December, 2019)

KC Pink Warriors moved like a speed boat from a passionate vision in 2018 to a tangible reality in 2019 through our founder Michelle Steger. Shortly after treatment in 2017, she was introduced to dragon-boating by the Pink Dragon Ladies in Tampa, FL. By July 2018, she was in Italy competing in the IBCPC Participatory Dragon Boat Festival with Warriors On Water from Orlando, FL. Bitten by the dragon, she knew this was something she wanted to continue after moving back to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Encouraged by her sisterhood of paddlers, she pressed forward with the mission of creating the FIRST competitive dragon boat team in Kansas and Missouri.

The very first team practice was held on April 6, 2019, we sat on wooden crates and “paddled” with yardsticks, earning the nickname “curbside paddlers”. Each Saturday morning, we eagerly gathered at the gym learning about the A-frame position, terminology and working in sync. Every workout brought us closer to our goal and each other as we cheered and encouraged one another on.

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In just 6 short months we accomplished amazing things as a brand-new team. After two months of dry-paddling, we competed as a team at the Kansas City International Dragon Boat Festival in June 2019. It was a learning experience to say the least! In mid-July, a small group of paddlers teamed up with Fighting Angels Abreast (Fort Dodge, IA) to compete at the Lake Andrea Dragon Boat Festival (WI). In early August, we earned a silver medal (BCS) at the Badger Lake Dragon Boat Bash (Fort Dodge, IA). We teamed up once again with the Fighting Angels Abreast and took home the GOLD medal (BCS) in the Taiwan-style races at the Dubuque Dragon Boat Festival in September.

Racing aside, we were finally able to ditch the yard sticks in July with the help of Tom & Linda Donner and Barb Michaels from the BLDBA (in Fort Dodge, IA). They graciously loaned us a boat to use indefinitely. “Big Orange” was the perfect practice boat, bravely standing up to any wake thrown its way. We will forever be grateful for our time in the big orange boat! As we sadly said goodbye to “Big Orange”, we rejoiced at the purchase of our very own dragon boat. Thanks to the team’s fundraising efforts and generous donations from friends, family and supportive community members, we were able to purchase a dragon boat quickly. PanAm Dragon Boat will deck her out in our team colors and lights prior to bringing her home to Wyandotte County Park Lake in Kansas City, KS next Spring.

“How to Train Your Dragon Warriors,” that’s the job of our coach, Shelley Shackelford. She has lead us through various workouts, drills, and practices this summer, as we strive for endurance and unity in our stroke. Our first winter as a team will return us to training on dry land as we work on the best way to remain strong and prepared for 2020. What’s next for the KC Pinks? Just watch and see because we’re here to stay. The dragon has awakened in Kansas City!

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Meet the #KCPINKS - Linda

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This week's woman crush is the personification of the word BOSS! I’ll admit, the first thing I thought when I read Linda’s answers to the #wcw questions was, “holy moly this girl is BUSY”...and then I asked for her zodiac sign. 😉 When Linda (the Leo) isn’t setting the stroke for the @kcpinkwarriors she’s busy doing what she does best...helping people! Linda has been a hair stylist for 30 years (umm...hello, just look at her “Beyonce’ with a fan” style locks in this photo!), she has her real estate license AND she owns her own home cleaning business! Linda met her husband when she was cruising the streets at 16, together they have a son, a daughter and one “bonus” child in their fancy new son-in-law. Linda is a lover of working out, Asian art, animals, culture, rubbing the bellies of her many buddhas, nature, dressing her cat as a human and FOOD. Basically, she’ll try anything once, as long as it doesn’t involve running or heights. Linda is 3 years and 2 months out from a diagnosis of Stage 2 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. Read on to see why she loves the #KCPINKS…

🐉How long have you been a member of KC Pinks? Since our first meeting, April 2019

🐉Favorite position? Stroke-either side. Nothing better than the wind in your hair at the front of the boat!

🐉What's the one word that describes dragon boating for you? LEMONADE. Because if this isn't making lemonade out of lemons, I don't know what is!

🐉What keeps you coming back for more? The positive physical benefits-endurance, strength, and flexibility. The meditative aspect of being in a serene setting.The sisterhood, being with people that understand what you have been through and not having to explain. Lastly, but definitely not least, the laughs. We have SO MUCH FUN together!!

Thanks for being here Linda! We ❤️ YOU!

Breast cancer survivors may get their own dragon boat for races

Breast cancer survivors may get their own dragon boat for races

Hide Transcript Show Transcript THIS IS A LOOK AT THE PINK WARRIORS IN ACTION. THE TEAM THAT FORMED A FEW MONTHS AGO IS ALREADY WINNING MEDALS, COMPETING IN FOUR DRAGON BOAT FESTIVALS SO FAR. >> WHEN WE TOOK THE GOLD MEDAL IN DUBUQUE AT THE DRAGONBOAT FESTIVAL FOR THE BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR DIVISION, THAT WAS THE BEST FEELING.

Meet the #KCPINKS - Ellie

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This week’s #wcw is no stranger to being on the water! After growing up canoeing in The Land of 10,000 Lakes, Ellie was bound to be a perfect fit for the KC Pink Warriors. However, we aren’t the only ones who know how special our Ellie is. Within 20 hours of meeting, Ellie’s husband of 26 years asked her to be his bride (I’m guessing he fell in love with those dimples!!!), she said YES, and 9 months later they were married! Ellie followed Jason wherever the Army took him, and they “joke” that he was gone for half their marriage with trainings, schools, deployments and rotations. Together they have visited 49 of the 50 states and we are SO glad they ended up planting roots here! When Ellie isn’t dragon boating, she spends her time volunteering as an advocate for victims of elder abuse and domestic partner abuse. Ellie LOVES the outdoors and gazing at the stars, if you were to visit her home you would find many apothecary jars filled with treasures she and her family have collected over the years. These jars are her most prized mementos.  Ellie is a 10-year survivor of two rare types of thyroid cancer. She has undergone a hellish number of treatments and awful surgeries that left her body ravaged and feeling like it wasn’t her own. There is no “right” cancer to be a part of our team friends, they are all very VERY wrong. The @kcpinkwarriors are open to any woman who has ever heard the phrase, “you have cancer”. Read on to see why Ellie LOVES being a part of the #KCPINKS.

🐉How long have you been a member of the KC Pink Warriors? I have been a member since June, 2019.

🐉Favorite position? I like left side, put me wherever I am needed and I’m a happy paddler!

🐉What’s one word that describes what dragon boating means to you? MOXIE ~ someone with a fighting spirit. I see a tremendous amount of moxie in all of these amazing women.

🐉What keeps you coming back for more? Who knew I like to compete – not me! I love my Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday doses of belly laughs, physical challenges, smiling faces, and endless hugs… I always leave with a full tank. This sport does something wonderful to you ~ I love dragon boating!