Dragon Boat Race Celebrates 10 Years

10th Annual YMCA Dragon Boat Team Challenge 2008
“Presented by Hewitt”

THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- The South Montgomery County YMCA is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the YMCA Dragon Boat Team Challenge. As part of the 10 year celebration, the YMCA is inviting all alumni teams, dating back to 1999, to join in on the fun again. Open registration for all alumni teams is now thru June 30th. The 2008 YMCA Dragon Boat Team Challenge, “Presented by Hewitt” is scheduled for September 26th – 28th at Northshore Park in The Woodlands. More than 90 teams are expected to participate.

Are you looking for a FUN, Easy and Unique Team Building Event for your business or organization? The YMCA has just the event for you, The YMCA Dragon Boat Team Challenge. The YMCA makes it so EASY to participate. The Y organizes and facilitates all team activities, provides all the equipment, rules and instructions as well as a team tent, water & ice and event t-shirt. The Y also provides professional staff, volunteers and safety/security agencies to create a positive, safe and fun environment. All you have to do is send in the team registration form, recruit your team, show up and have FUN!

As this event continues to grow in popularity, brackets sell out quickly. Space is limited so register early to reserve your teams. At press time, the Saturday morning bracket was sold out. Openings are still available for Friday morning, 8:00am – Noon, Friday afternoon, 2:00 – 6:00 p.m. and Sunday afternoon, 2:00 – 6:00 p.m. Sunday morning, 8:00 a.m. – Noon, is reserved for high school youth teams.

This unique team building event is designed to build community spirit among corporations, civic groups and community organizations. The activities are designed to bring individuals together to achieve a single goal – to have fun! They achieve this by becoming a team and working together as a synchronized unit. It’s much more than “beating the other team.” It is the camaraderie, visiting and playing with old friends, meeting new friends, hard work and feeling good about it. At the YMCA, everybody plays and everybody wins.

Who can enter? Teams from corporations, service organizations, civic and community groups, churches, schools, neighborhoods are invited to participate. A team is composed of a minimum of 20 members but no more than 30. Each team roster must have a minimum of 5 females and participants must be at least 18 years of age. High School teams, 9th – 12th grade, are eligible to participate in the Sunday morning bracket: 8:00 a.m. – noon.

The Dragon Boat Races are the main event. Dragon boats are forty foot long, extremely, colorful dragon headed canoes and weigh over 1,800 pounds. In addition to the dragon boat races, each team will have the opportunity to participate in five other fun team-building activities. These activities will vary and will include problem-solving, non-athletic as well as physically challenging. There will be Something for Everyone regardless of their fitness level or athletic abilities! By popular demand, the returning events include the popular YMCA giant inflatables: Human Foosball and Bounce Volleyball and Dodgeball along with a few surprises for the 2008 event.

The team entry fee is $550 and $495 for Non-Profit groups and organizations. Get ready to row . . . row . . . row . . . your Dragon Boat! To register stop by the YMCA located at 6145 Shadowbend Place in The Woodlands. Limited space available - so register early. For more information please call Roxanne Davis at 281-681-6723 or visit the Dragon Boat Web site at the link below.