• First message from the Flyers' First Lady
• Important News - Dragon Flyers Safety Policy Refresher
• CDBA Membership Renewals
• 7th World Club Crew Championships - Macau
• The Flyers and Facebook - a natural fit
• If you've got it, flaunt it - the Flyers' Promotional Campaign
• Make sure you look the part
• The newest and littlest Flyer

First message from the Flyers' First Lady

Hi All,

Flyers' First Lady Teresa Morhan, pictured with Flyers' Vice-President Les Williams

My first email as First Lady! (aka President). For those that were not at the Flyers AGM yesterday, Kevin Taylor has passed the baton to me to be President of the Dragon Flyers for the 2010-11 season. I would like to acknowledge Kevin's tremendous efforts over the last few years in making the Flyers what they are today. I would also like to extend my thanks to the outgoing committee for their efforts over the last season - Tarquin Ralph, Hugh Chalmers, Steve Moore, Cat Kerr, Kim Cameron, Marg Chibnall, Lauren Stacey, Owen Stacey and John Crickmore.

I would like to welcome the new committee for the 2010-11 season:

Vice President - Les Williams
Head Coach - Joe Carmona
Secretary - Marg Curran
Treasurer - Stewart Murray
Recruitment Officer - Markus Gorondi
Social Officer - Fiona Braid
Events Officer - Steve Moore
Admin/uniform Officer - Julie Hemmingway
Youth Development Officer - Mostyn Gale
Membership Officer - John Crickmore
Sponsorship Officer - Kevin Taylor

As we all know its a big task to keep a club the size of the flyers ticking over and growing, therefore I am sure they will each be seeking assistance throughout the season to get the job done. If you are keen to help, please get in touch with a committee member and offer your support. Alternatively if the committee contacts you, please lend a hand if you are able.

The first regatta of the season is 25 September so there is lots to do. The coaches will be meeting this week to finalise plans for the coming season and more info will be sent out in the coming weeks. We have two CDBA open days coming up on 4 September and 11 September and the Flyers open day on 18 September.

If you can help with the open days, please contact Markus at info@dragonflyers.net.au. Finally, I thank the club for the chance to lead the Flyers into the next season. I'm always happy to hear new ideas on how we can make the club better and any concerns you have - so please feel free to get in touch at president@dragonflyers.net.au or on 0409 870 361.

Cheers,

Teresa First Lady

Dragon Flyers Safety Policy.

As the new paddling season is upon us, all members old and new should read the Flyers Safety Policy.

The Dragon Flyers remain very concerned with boat safety, particularly given some of the winds we have seen recently. To this end we have:

1. Appointed Kevin as Safety Officer – an experience sailor, Kevin can overrule all of us and declare training or racing unsafe. He will maintain a hazard/risk register.
2. Reaffirmed the duty of the sweeps and coaches to make sure that they are confident in the conditions and not to take risks – this includes staying close to shore, numbering off, encouraging life jackets, avoiding lightening, asking paddlers for any relevant medical information.
3. Recognised that new coaches and sweeps still need to learn the peculiarities of the lake and introduced a system of mentors. (No new coach will be considered good looking until at least 1 year after their anointing.)
4. Reaffirmed that any paddler who feels uncomfortable with the conditions can opt out and not be penalised for it.
5. Restated that, in the end, each paddler is responsible for his or her safety and must act accordingly.
6. We will review cold water safety as winter draws on.

A Safety Guideline has been created, (click here to download a copy) and all members are asked to read this guideline and advise the Safety Officer when they have done so.

CDBA Membership Renewals

With the introduction of the new CDBA Constitution there are some changes in the way membership of the CDBA is run. This season, all members will need to fill out a CDBA Membership Form (click here to download a copy).

Complete and sign the form and get it back to the Flyers Membership Officer John Crickmore. You can scan and email it to membership@dragonflyers.net.au or mail it to 81 Beasley Street, Torrens ACT 2607.

Subscription Invoices will be sent out immediately after the Flyers AGM on 28 Aug.

The Flyers and Facebook - a natural fit

The Flyers have extended their reach into the digitial world, with the Dragon Flyers Group being established in Facebook. To share in the latest goss, photos and achievements check out the Flyers Facebook Group

If you've got it, flaunt it - the Flyers' Promotional Campaign

The recent CDBA and Flyers Open Days were very successful with a large number of new members trying out the sport and seeing what they've been missing out on.

But you can never have too much of a good thing, and the Flyers, to maintain the energy of the Team is always looking out for new members. All members of the Flyers can help out by putting up posters, handing out some of the snazzy business cards

Copies of the two posters for the Dragon Flyers - can be downloaded from our site Poster 1 (on the left) or Poster 2 (right below). Please print it off – in colour if you can – and post it up in as many places as possible Be ambitious: as well as the notice board at work, put it up in shopping centres, sporting clubs, bus stops, etc. Steve Moore (info@dragonflyers.net.au) or John Crickmore (membership@dragonflyers.net.au) will have a limited number at training for people who do not have access to a printer.

The most important thing though, is that when we have new paddlers come along to our training, make sure that we're there to look after them - just remember when you came down for your first paddle.

Make sure you look the part

The time has come to place another order for Flyers racing uniforms. If you need a new Tshirt or singlet for the upcoming racing season please place your order by the end of September, by sending an email to the Uniform Officer

Please send details of your order, i.e. male/female/style/size. Mens sizes are S, M, L etc. Womens sizes are 10, 12, 14 etc. In our previous experience the womens shirts seem to be a small cut so women might want to order a size up.

The uniforms can take up to 6 weeks for delivery. This order needs to be placed urgently to allow us to receive our uniforms for the racing season.

We will also be placing an order for new Dragon Flyers caps and visors. As most of you are probably aware, the current style of caps and visors were designed to match our old navy blue shirts which we now use for training. The new caps and visors will be a new style to complement our updated racing shirts and will be predominantly red.

Many thanks to Liz Draper for putting all the hard work in with the new caps and all the work done by Liz and Melinda with the uniforms last season and coming into this season. Pricing will be confirmed shortly but tops should be approx. $50 each (give or take) for the singlets and shirts.

Once you have placed your order you will need to make payment upfront.

Julie Hemmingway - Flyers Uniform Officer
uniforms@dragonflyers.net.au

The Newest (and littlest) Flyer

Every now and then, good things happen in the world. The latest recruit to the Flyers, Dylan has certainly been through some rough times lately, but has landed back on his feet.

While out on a training session the Flyers came across poor Dylan, floating in the water. How he got there is a bit of a mystery - with some speculating he had been pushed, or maybe had jumped over a failed love affair (very Romeo and Juliet).

But after being rescued and a quick bit of sprucing up (thank goodness his care tag said 'machine washable') Dylan has made it into the Flyers team, complete with his uniform. At the recent regatta Dylan was part of the winning team.

Watch out for more on Dylan's exploits.