HOW TO FORM A TEAM AND COMPETE IN THE Festival

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It's an experience your team will never forget. Teamwork is everything in Dragon Boating

1. Designate a Team Captain
2. Recruit Team Members
3. All captains register their team online. Registration is now open for early registration. Registration goes up January 15, 2025 and closes April  15, 2025.
4. Team captains send an email invitation to team members who go on line and register
5. Team Captains and Team Members set a fund raising goal.
6. Each team is responsible for a team tent and chairs.  Also they can decorate the tent and can have team t-shirts.
7. Team Captains are responsible for signing up for a practice time the Thursday or Friday before the festival
8. The team captain or their substitute should attend any informational meeting

A maximum of 20 paddlers, and a drummer. An experienced steers person will be provided for each team.  Teams entering the Acworth-Cobb Dragon Boat Festival must have a  minimum of 8 female paddlers in the boat. The cancer survivor teams must have a minimum of 14 cancer survivors in the boat.

A team roster is allowed to hold up to 24 paddlers, plus 1 drummer for a total roster allowance of 25 crew members . A professional steers person will be provided for the team on Race Day.  A registered team member must be sixteen (16) years of age or older in the year of the race. There will be a youth division ages 14-17. Also a Senior Division age 65 yrs and older.  No team member under the age of eighteen (18) will be allowed to practice or race with out written consent and a waiver signed by a parent or legal guardian..  All members on the roster will need to submit a signed waiver before getting into a boat.  

The drummer sits at the bow or front of the boat on a wooden seat. He or She will assist in setting the timing for the team by keying off the two paddlers at the front of the boat better known as the stroke.

The steers person stands at the back of the boat and steers the crew with a long oar.  When a decision concerning the safety of the crew is required, it is the steers person makes it. He or she will consult with the drummer and/or team captain, but the steers person has the final word on the water. This is a trained person provided for each team.

1. Community / Corporate Teams       $1200  early bird, $1300 after January 15, 2025
2. Club Teams   $1200 early bird, $1300 after January 15, 2025
3. Senior Teams (65 yrs or older)       $1200 early bird $1300 after January 15, 2025
4. Cancer Survivor Teams  $800 early bird $900, after Jan 15th
5. Youth Teams     (14yrs-17  yrs with parents permission)  $800  early bird,  $900 after January 15, 2025 
6. City or County Teams ( no fee)    these teams will only race once.