I still remember when I started to get nervous a few days before we departed to Canberra, and I couldn't even sleep the night before the first race. 2019 AusChamps was my first national race, and to top that off, the first day was State vs State. It was also my first time in the VIC State Team. I'm freaking out as I am going to paddle with the top VIC State Paddlers, and my biggest worry was to screw up and let the team down after all the training we did together. Luckily, it turned out alright. We won a silver medal on the State vs State race that I participated - Premier Open 20s 500m!

Day two and three were races with the clubs. The same feeling came to me again, nervous, scared and worried. I tried to calm myself down and kept telling myself, "Since I'm already here, let's make the best out of it! There is nothing new. We have been training so hard for this. I'm not going to wait for another year for this!" With the encouragement from the coaches, captain and my fellow team members, I was able to pull through the full two days. I made sure to have no regrets on each race, made every stroke a powerful stroke, and gave my 200% on every race.  

One thing that opened my eyes after the AusChamps race was that strength is important in the Dragon Boat. However, what separates the winner and others is experience, the mileage you spend on the water, and the number of hours you put into training with your team. I found that the latter is most crucial. The more often you train with your team, the more in sync you will be, and the better you will gel with your team. Remember, Dragon Boat is a Team Sport!

For the upcoming season, I am committed to continuously challenging myself to become a better paddler, and help the team dominate next season's regattas and at 2020 AusChamps! Let’s Get It Done!

My suggestion to all of you is to not be afraid to try new things! There is always a start for everything!
--
Kevin Kesuma