Team Blue is a group of disabled veterans and civilians that banded together to form an Arizona Dragon Boat Association Dragon Boat team in October 2017. As an adaptive team, they are equipped to support a wide range of disabilities – i.e. PTSD, TBI, MS, amputation, hearing/vision impairment, etc. They have evolved into a dedicated and competitive crew with one race festival already under their belts. Dragon boat paddling is beneficial as a core and endurance exercise, and it is a sport that is accessible for people from all abilities and walks of life. More than that, it is a place for unity and kinship in the spirit of competition. Once a week these athletes meet at Tempe Town Lake as a paddling family to train as hard as any other team on the water. They have grown to know and love the sport as well as each other’s personal celebrations and pain. They aim to expand to other festivals in the region and to grow their roster, sometimes requiring two boats during practice to accommodate all their paddlers. They are on the hunt for additional medals in their future, and will be actively recruiting more paddlers for future races/festivals!
