South Philly dragon boat team fundraising to send youth to Germany as part of Team USA
4 South Philly youth dragon boaters fundraising to represent Team USA in Germany
Four young athletes are on the road to Germany after making Team USA in Dragon Boat Racing, but they need the public's help to go.
PHILADELPHIA - From humble beginnings at Edgewater Lake in FDR Park to the chance to compete in Germany as part of Team USA.
Four teens made it through tryouts in California to advance to a nine-day competition in Germany this summer.
What they're saying:
17-year-old Joy Chen is wearing the hat of the team captain Monday evening, and she is also one of four youth who made Team USA after tryouts in California.
They will now move on to compete in dragon boat racing this summer in Germany.
17-year-old Say Htoo is also going.
"It felt like a butterfly in my stomach, a drop of nervousness and then I realized I actually made it," he said. He has never travelled out of the country before so that is exciting but he also loves what he is learning being part of the dragon boat team.
"Meeting new people. It gives me more confidence in being social," said Htoo.
Shwe Tun loves teamwork.
"You’re in a team with 25 people, it’s really amazing and I never got the change to be part of a team like school sports," she said.
Maritza Texis admits they did not believe they would make Team USA because of the advantage she feels the other teams have over their east coast crew.
"Alot of people trying out actually go out every weekend or twice a week and they just had a lot more resources. So we were put kind of in this barrier between where they had more experience than we do," said Tun.
They may very well be the underdogs. Adam Forbes, who is the executive director of Discovery Pathways, says the youth dragon boat racing team is new as of last year.
But they are passionate.
"The dragon boat you have to all paddle in sync, you have to paddle together so as someone who has done a lot of sports this is especially it really takes teamwork. So when things go wrong you really notice it but when it goes well you feel the power of all having to come together for that," said Forbes.
Their next chance to come together for a win will be July for nine days in Germany with youth from all over the country.
"We’re trying to have them represent South Philly around the world," said Forbes.
What you can do:
The group is fundraising to send the youth to Germany.
Forbes says they are from low-income families in South Philly and cannot afford it on their own.
The Source: The information in this story is from Discovery Pathways, dragon boat team members.