One Boat, One Beat!

The Heartbeat of Our Crew: Unity and Passion

Our passion for the water and Dragon Boating fuels everything that we do. It’s what has helped us build a strong, supportive community that sticks together through whatever life throws at us.

Dragon boating is so much more than a sport though. It’s a bridge that connects cultures across continents and generations. It brings together people from all walks of life, united by a shared love of the water and the thrill of racing. Our crew comes from different parts of the world, different backgrounds, and beliefs, but we’re all driven by that same excitement. This sport challenges us to be better, to push harder, and to always bring our best. And most importantly, we never leave anyone behind - except for the competition.

‘Once you have a big goal, the preparation has to be bigger!’

Our Club Mascot

Meet our club mascot, a fierce embodiment of our collective spirit! With a sassy attitude and an unwavering determination, she represents the power of hard work and the importance of teamwork. She inspires us to embrace personal growth and to break free from self-imposed limitations, symbolizing adaptability and emotional maturity as she navigates life's challenges. With grit and grace, she tackles obstacles head-on, reminding us to live fully in the moment. She is not just our mascot - she is YOU, a true reflection of resilience and strength within our community.

Watch this space for information of what we have collectively decided to name her.

The Metamorphosis of our Brand

  • Our First Logo

    Our original logo was designed in 2011 by Joanne Smith-Scozzafava. This logo was embroidered onto the sleeve of our shirts.

  • Current Logo

    Our current logo was designed in 2013 by Angus Brimacombe of Thirteen Advertising + Design Inc. It was adopted as the official logo on May 16, 2013, along with our signature, blue racing kit.

  • Horizontal Logo

    The Horizontal version of our official logo. Sometimes a certain space calls for this orientation.

Race kit designed by friend and teammate, Zelda Middleton.

Joining the Oakville Dragonflies is about more than putting a paddle in the water. Yes, you’ll learn how to paddle, but you’ll also become part of a tight-knit group of women who genuinely enjoy being on the water and being around each other.

We have three crews, each with a different level of experience, training and commitment. That means there’s no expectation that you need to arrive knowing what you’re doing or ready to train like an Olympic athlete! Whether you’re completely new to Dragon Boat or you’ve been paddling for years, we’ll help you find the right fit.

Your first few practices will be about getting comfortable in the boat and learning the basics. You’ll be shown how to hold and use your paddle, how the stroke works and, most importantly, how to paddle as part of a crew. It takes a little time to get the hang of it, but you’ll be surprised how quickly it starts to feel natural.

Training takes place at the Burloak Canoe Club in downtown Oakville, where we’re lucky enough to have 16 Mile Creek and Lake Ontario right on our doorstep. When conditions are right, we head out onto the lake. When the wind decides otherwise, we stay on the creek. Either way, there’s something pretty special about finishing a training session with the sun going down over the water.

As you progress, you’ll have the opportunity to take part in Dragon Boat festivals throughout the season. Festivals are where all that practice starts to come together. There’s the excitement of racing, of course, but there’s also the team tents, the nerves, the cheering, the food, the laughs and the inevitable post-race analysis of what went right, and also what went wrong. And while we take our paddling seriously, we don’t take ourselves too seriously.

You can expect encouragement, hard work, plenty of laughter and teammates who will push you when you need pushing and cheer you on when you need cheering. You’ll make friends, learn something new, get fitter and probably discover muscles you didn’t know you had.

Most importantly, you’ll never be expected to do it alone. Dragon Boat is a team sport in every sense of the word. We show up for each other, we learn together and we celebrate each other’s successes.

You might join because you’re looking for a new challenge, a way to get active, or simply something different to do.

You might stay because you found your people.

One Boat. One Beat.

What you can expect when you join us.