South Philly youth dragon boat team to compete in world championships in Taiwan

PHILADELPHIA - Twelve teenagers from South Philadelphia are preparing to represent the United States at the World Dragon Boat Championships in Asia this summer, according to the Discovery Pathways team and their coach.

South Philly teens prepare for world competition

What we know:

The Discovery Pathways youth dragon boat team earned a spot in the World Championships after participating in high-profile races and winning medals, according to Adam Forbes, executive director and coach. 

The entire team will compete in the event, which will feature teams from Germany, California and Asia.

The team has been practicing at FDR Park, and for many of the teenagers, this will be their first time traveling outside the country or flying on a plane. 

"12 South Philly youth are taking a trip they never dreamed of ... representing the USA in a World dragon boat competition," said Shawnette Wilson.

Last year, only four students from the program made Team USA and competed internationally, according to Forbes. This year, the entire team will travel to Taiwan for the competition.

The program is free for students and is funded by donations. Forbes said about 90 percent of the participants are immigrants or refugees from low-income families.

Team members share their excitement

What they're saying:

"Taiwan is like like a big big dream for us," said 17-year-old London Williamson, who has been with the team for about three years. "We just started off doing races here at the lake, races down on the river at the Schukyll, yeah never thought I'd be doing something like this," said Williamson.

Williamson is also looking forward to exploring Taiwanese culture, trying new foods and bonding with teammates. 

"To just go like see the Taiwanese culture, try different foods, and just have a good team bonding experience as well," said Williamson.

Abdul Mohamad, another team member, said, "Pretty stoked. Pretty hyped." 

He credited the team's success to "Consisitent effort, grit and also just like to train effortlessly every single day." Mohamad added, "I just started trusting my coach, my teammates and the boat."

Coach Forbes said, "They've been training all winter with this hope of worlds at the end of a long road." He added, "They've excelled, they've found ways to really gel in the teamwork and the timing because that's what really matters in dragon boats."

Why you should care:

The Discovery Pathways program offers opportunities for youth from low-income and immigrant backgrounds to excel in a unique sport and gain international experience. 

Forbes said, "So many of our youth overcome constant challenges at home and at school so to see themselves excel at this weird sport is something that really fills them with joy and power."