Newspaper Page Text
2B I DAWSON COUNTY NEWS I dawsonnews.com
Wednesday, July 25,2018
Dragon Boat championship selections underway
David Barnes The Times
Team USA hopefuls paddle during practice in Gainesville, Saturday, July 21,
2018, on Lake Lanier.Team USA will be selecting athletes to compete in the ICF
Dragon Boat World Championships, which will be held at the lake in
September.
By Kaylee Martin
Regional Staff
Over the weekend, 125
paddlers from across the
US made a big splash at
Lake Lanier Olympic Park
with the hopes of landing
a spot competing in the
International Canoe
Federation Dragon Boat
World Championships.
From Sept 12-16, teams
from 16 countries will race
for a spot on the podium in
junior, senior and master
divisions. Boats have
either 10 or 20 seats, with
paddlers sitting in twos
side-by-side and use a sin-
gle-bladed paddle. Each
boat also has a drummer
and a steerer, with every
body in the boat paddling
to the rhythm of the drum.
With previous champi
onships being held in
Russia, Poland, Italy and
Hungary, this year marks
the first time the event will
be held anywhere in the
Americas.
Jim O’Dell, coach with
the United States National
Dragon Boat Team,
Dragon Boat USA, has
been hard at work training
and watching the athletes
to prepare for the final
team selection.
“Other regions across
the US are currently going
through the same selection
process that we’re doing
now. About 110 paddlers
total will make the final
team,” he said. “We cur
rently have paddlers here
from everywhere, the far
thest away being from
Seattle, Washington.”
O’Dell explained that
athletes will be selected
based on their perfor
mance.
“This is honestly one of
the best groups of paddlers
I’ve seen in the past
decade, so I have no doubt
that there will be some
medals won when the time
comes. We video all of our
practices and have coaches
riding in separate boats on
both sides of the dragon
boats so that they can see
every detail,” said O’Dell.
“Right now we’re assess
ing the turns during the
2,000-meter race. Trying
to turn feels like turning in
semi-cured cement, but
those turns are so impor
tant.”
He described the feeling
of being out on the boats
as very exhilarating,
depending on the condi
tion of the water.
“It’s also pretty edgy
any day because these are
some high-caliber athletes.
Sometimes the athletes get
a little carried away and
paddle too fast, and one of
the coaches will have to
slow them down,” he said.
“Ten-seaters are definitely
more unstable compared
to the 20-seater because
they’re lighter. One even
flipped over yesterday
when a motorized boat
went by racing across the
water.”
The team ran into some
issues with unloading the
dragon boats when they
arrived on Friday after
noon, but overcame them
quickly.
“That night, all of us left
our dinners on the tables
to rush over and help.
Seeing a dragon boat bal
ancing on two tongs on a
forklift is so scary — all
you see are dollar signs.
My fingernails are com
pletely gone after that,” he
said laughing.
“Thankfully, our team
manager took control,
developed a plan, and we
got them unloaded. We
still have three more con
tainers coming.”
O’Dell expressed his
deepest gratitude to the
city of Gainesville and
Lake Lanier Olympic Park
for all they have done for
the team.
“They have absolutely
opened their arms to us
and are so accommodat
ing. Lanier Canoe &
Kayak Club has even pro
vided lunch to us every
day,” he said.
But he isn’t the only one
excited.
Anne Blanchard, origi
nally from Connecticut,
has been competing with
the Lanier Canoe & Kayak
Club in Gainesville for a
number of years and is try
ing out for the master divi
sion.
“This is such a huge
deal because it’s the first
time the championships
have ever been held in the
Americas. It’s such a good
feeling knowing that
you’re going to be com
peting in something like
this on your own turf, and
everyone is super proud,”
she said. “It’s also super
cool that an Olympic facil
ity is still being used for its
original purpose. There’s
so much history here.”
Drew Deppe from
Gainesville is trying out
for the junior division.
“Team USA is going to
have a lot of competition
because Europe has some
of the top athletes in the
world,” he said. “The
movements are so unnatu
ral and it’s probably the
most fun you’ll ever have
while getting hurt, but
there’s nothing that could
even compare to the feel
ing you get when you’re in
that boat.”
FROM 1B
Barnes
Bob Christian Dawson County News
Logan Barnes, far left, practices with his team during a 7-on-7 game July 17 against White
County.
fumbles with one recovery and
an interception. Averaging over
10 tackles a game and demon
strating an ability to close on the
ball carrier all contributed to
Wofford’s interest in the junior
safety.
Although his focus and intensi
ty are on preparing for his final
season with Dawson County,
Barnes said he is excited for the
challenges of the next level.
Barnes said “the speed of the
game” is what he expects to be
most challenging about moving
to Division 1 football.
“It is definitely faster at the
next level,” he said.
Barnes’ speed is playing a part
in his move to Wofford as they
will be transferring him from the
safety position to outside line
backer, where he is expected to
be a powerful presence against
opposing running backs.
Knowing that his future in
football is secured has allowed
Barnes to look forward to the
upcoming season and the oppor
tunity to build upon the team’s
runner-up finish in 2017.
When asked to reflect on his
high school career as it stands so
far, and what he will take with
him from his time at Dawson
County, he was quick to reply.
“Knowing my coaches have
prepared me and my teammates
for everything... Just life in gen
eral,” he said. “And that they are
all father figures that I will
always be able to reach out to if I
am in need.”
FROM 1B
Seven
game progressed it
became very apparent
that the players missed
their pads. The intensity
and passion of football
was on full display.
At the end of the day,
the two teams did not
keep score, and any
grudges were left on the
field.
The two teams will
not face off during the
regular season but
based on the late sum
mer morning match-up,
it wouldn’t be surpris
ing if these two teams
wind up facing off
come winter.
“Buy Direct from
the Manufacturer”
FROM 1B
Pressley
University of Georgia
when she began to suffer
with pain and numbness in
her left arm and shoulder.
“It was so bad that I
couldn’t sleep at night,”
she said.
The issue persisted
throughout her sophomore
year, which is the year that
collegiate teams are
selecting their future
members and offering
scholarships. It is the most
important year of a young
gymnast’s career and
Pressley’s condition was
interfering with her ability
to compete.
“At one point I was try
ing to tumble using only
one arm,” she said. “It was
weird.”
By the end of that sea
son Pressley knew that her
dream of collegiate gym
nastics was over, but she
still didn’t have a diagno
sis confirming what was
wrong with her arm and
shoulder.
Determined not to be
held back, Pressley tried
out (and made the cut) for
both the competitive cheer
squad at DCHS and the
track team, where she
qualified for regionals in
her first season as a run
ner.
In December of 2017,
Pressley was finally diag
nosed with Thoracic
Compare
Our CD
Rates
Bank-issued,
FDIC-insured
6-month ^,05%^ Minimum deposit $1000
1-year 2.30% APY ‘ Minimum deposit $1000
3-year 3.00 % APY ' Minimum deposit $1000
* Annual Percentage Yield (APY) effective 07/20/18, CDs offered by Edward Jones are bank-issued
and FDIC-insured up to $250,000 (principal and interest accrued but not yet paid) per depositor,
per insured depository institution, for each account ownership category. Please visit www.fdic.gov
or contact your financial advisor for additional information. Subject to availability and price change,
CD values are subject to interest rate risk such that when interest rates rise, the prices of CDs can
decrease. If CDs are sold prior to maturity, the investor can lose principal value. FDIC insurance
does not cover losses in market value. Early withdrawal may not be permitted. Yields quoted are
net of all commissions. CDs require the distribution of interest and do not allow interest to
compound. CDs offered through Edward Jones are issued by banks and thrifts nationwide. Ali CDs
sold by Edward Jones are registered with the Depository Trust Corp. (DTC).
<
i
N
<0
CO
Matt McGrath
Financial Advisor
131 Prominence Ct, Suite 120
Dawsonville, GA 30534
706-265-2358
www.edwardjones.com
Member SIPC
Edwardjones
MAKING SENSE OF INVESTING
Q
LL
Outlet Syndrome, which
compresses the nerves in
her lower neck and armpit.
This past May she under
went surgery to correct the
condition.
Throughout the entire
ordeal Pressley never lost
sight of her academics,
maintaining a 4.0 GPA
while taking a mix of stan
dard and AP classes.
She has remained
involved with the gymnas
tics community, and when
she is not studying, prac
ticing or competing, she
volunteers her time at her
mother’s gymnasium pass
ing her love of the sport to
the next generation of
girls.
A
METAI
ROOFING
SALES, INC.
•16 Colors in Stock
•Delivery Available
(706) 265-3099
www.metalroolingsalesinc.com
82 Etowah River Rd.
Dawsonville, GA
WANTED
FUREVER homes for inseparable pairs
Douglas and Sassafras
Douglas and Sassafras are a pair of 7 year old Pit Mix
siblings that are looking for their Furever Home together.
I Douglas weighs in at 55 lbs. and Sassafras weighs in at
49.7 lbs. Both Douglas and Sassafras do well with other
dogs, but a meet and greet is always recommended.
They are patient with children and would make a great
addition to a family home. Come to the shelter to meet
this awesome pair today!
Deimos and Phobos
Deimos and Phobos are two sweet Springer Spaniel sisters
looking for a new owner that wants double the dog love in
their lives! These girls were born on 5-22-2013 and Deimos
weighs in at 55.4 lbs while Phobos is 52.4 lbs. Both girls are
affectionate and love to take leisurely walks to the park
together. They especially enjoy listening to the bagpipes that
are often being played at the park, and they like to sing
along. Come meet this special pair today so they can find
their Furever Home!
contact the Dawson County Humane Society
706-265-9160 | 633 Martin Road, Dawsonville
adjacent to the Rock Creek Sports Complex
Visit our RESALE SHOP & BOUTIQUE benefits the
Wed. - Sat. 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. | 54 S. Lumpkin Campground Rd. Humane Society
ANH Collision
Specialists
706-216-0992
103 Industrial Park Road,
Dawsonville
Bradley M. Maple
CPA, PC
706-216-2362
2390 Thompson Road
Suite 100 Dawsonville
Dawsonville
Veterinary
Hospital
706-265-8381
