Ballina Dragons welcome world-class coach Pat Bradley
International coach shares his expertise with local paddlers and receives signed Mayo jersey as a mark of appreciation
Ballina Dragons enjoyed a special weekend of coaching with internationally renowned dragon boat coach Pat Bradley, who brought a wealth of experience and expertise to the Mayo club.
Bradley is one of North America’s leading dragon boat coaches, having worked with Team Canada, Team USA Senior C and club crews. Throughout his career, he has helped athletes achieve more than 60 international gold medals.
Among his most notable achievements was coaching Team USA Senior C at the 2019 IDBF World Dragon Boat Championships in Thailand, where the team captured an impressive 11 of the 12 gold medals available.
During his visit to Ballina, club members benefited from his knowledge of paddling technique, stroke mechanics and race strategy, gaining valuable insights to bring into their future training and competition.
Bradley is also a Senior Instructor with the United States Dragon Boat Federation, where he delivers Level I and II coaching certification courses. He additionally serves as Head Coach at Pan Am Dragon Boat training camps, including the well-known Tampa Spring Training Camp.
As a gesture of thanks for sharing his time and expertise, Ballina Dragons presented Bradley with a signed Mayo GAA jersey, a fitting reminder of his visit to the county.
The weekend provided a valuable opportunity for club members to learn from a coach with extensive international experience, while further strengthening Ballina Dragons’ commitment to developing its paddlers and improving performance on the water.
Ballina Dragons expressed its appreciation to Bradley for his generosity, encouragement and the knowledge he shared with the club throughout the visit.
