While some team sports can rely on one or two people to provide most of the production (see Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder or Jake Locker of University of Washington Huskies) dragon boat racing is one of true teamwork. It consists of roughly 22 individuals working together, moving in unison, to propel a wooden boat weighing nearly one ton through the water. This requires perfect timing from all team members to get the most power from each stroke and any person who is off timing will negatively impact the speed of the boat. It is the purest idea of a team, working together as one.

This Saturday we watched as 30 teams from all over the country and Canada contested to be the best team of the day. Ultimately it was Wasabi S.O.A.R. that won the Seattle Dragon Boat Festival, but all participants did an amazing job playing the role of engine for a large and heavy vehicle. And like all engines, they needed fuel, which we very happily provided.