As we welcome the start of a new season, I often hear the question, “What does the board actually do?” This is something many members are curious about, and I’m pleased to share this update to help answer some of those questions and shed light on the board’s role behind the scenes.

 

Our board works hard to ensure strong governance, accountability, and clear communication with our club community, all while upholding our shared values of inclusion, collaboration, and integrity. In this newsletter, you’ll find a detailed look at what we’ve accomplished over the past six months and the steps we’re taking to support our members and grow our sport for the future.

 

Acknowledgements and Appreciation
First and foremost, I’d like to extend my sincere thanks to our dedicated board members, who have worked tirelessly over the past few months to ensure DBV’s operations run smoothly and member services remain uninterrupted. Your resilience and commitment have been critical, particularly during what has been a challenging transition period.

It was disappointing for all of us when our former Operations Manager proved to be an unsuitable fit. While this created unavoidable disruptions, I am proud of how the board came together to maintain momentum and continue delivering on our strategic goals.

 

Achievements Over the Last Six Months
Despite the hurdles, we’ve made substantial progress on a number of key initiatives. Here's a snapshot of what we’ve collectively achieved:

• Strategic Plan Renewed (2025–2028):
  We undertook a thorough review and refresh of DBV’s strategic objectives, laying a clear, ambitious, and actionable roadmap to guide our activities over the next three years.

• State Teams 2026 Campaign Launched:
  Preparation has already commenced with the appointment of a Head Coach and a Campaign Manager, ensuring our athletes and support teams are well-positioned for success. Details about divisional coaches, team managers and EOI's for paddlers will all be shared soon.

• Website Maintenance: Work continues on our website to ensure it offers a much more user-friendly experience for our members, with streamlined navigation and quick access to all essential information and resources.

• Footscray Metro Hub Established:
  As part of a long-held strategic vision, we’re thrilled to have launched our second metro hub in Footscray, expanding access and engagement in a key growth area. With new people experiencing the sport every weekend, the newly formed Footscray Dragon Boat Club is already surpassing the goals DBV set for it and it's exciting to see their enthusisam for the sport.

• Corporate Games Partnership Secured:
  We've successfully negotiated a three-year agreement with the Corporate Games, supporting the presence and expansion of dragon boating within this prominent sporting event. Our long term goal is to get participation of corporate teams in dragon boating in line with other states like Queensland.

• Operations Manager Appointed:
  Following a comprehensive recruitment and selection process, we’ve welcomed a new Operations Manager whose expertise and mindset align with DBV’s goals and future direction. Paul Orgad comes to us with extensive skills and knowledge of sports and events management and is fitting in seamlessly as part of the team.

• Participation in High-Visibility Public Events:
  DBV has been proud to feature at major cultural and community events, including the Firelight Festival. Moomba, and the Lunar New Year Cultural Festival are on the list in the future — driving public engagement and raising the profile of dragon boating within Victoria.

• Regatta Season Planning Underway:
  A full upcoming regatta season has been planned, with groundwork already commenced across several events to ensure seamless execution and member involvement.

• Future Participation & Growth Opportunities:
  We're currently exploring new and exciting opportunities to grow the sport and broaden participation — more details will be shared in due course but we can reveal that DBV will be supporting groups such as Invictus and a school program in conjunction with DBACT and AusDBF.

 

Looking Ahead
I’m extremely proud of what we’ve accomplished together under challenging circumstances. The past six months have shown what we’re capable of when we stay focused and work collaboratively.

As we move into this new season, and new financial year, I’m confident that we are in a strong position to expand member engagement, grow our sport, and deliver on the aspirations we’ve outlined in our strategic plan.

To every board member, volunteer, partner and supporter — thank you. Your dedication, time, and encouragement are the driving force behind everything we do at DBV.

Let’s continue to build on this great foundation and make dragon boating in Victoria stronger, more inclusive, and more vibrant than ever before.

 

Warm regards,
Heather Watts
President, Dragon Boat Victoria