AZDBA Teams
Gila Dragons
Established: 2002
Team Members: 50 active / 127 total
Type: Competitive
Gender: Mixed
Competes As: Mixed, Masters, Grand Masters
Practice Days: Schedule
Coach: Ben Choi
Hometown: Honolulu, Hawaii
- 2025 USDBF Team USA (SC)
- 5 medals in IDBF 17th World Championships (Brandenberg, Germany)
- 2023 USDBF Team USA (SB)
- 3 medals in IDBF 16th World Championships (Pattaya Thailand)
- 2016-2025: 8yrs Corporate (Team Intel Blue, 6-time AZDBA Corp Div A Champions)
- 2024: Arizona Sunsoon (Created from the teams- Gilas/SunGi/ASU)
- 2024-Present: Arizona Gila Dragons
- 2026-2027: Team USA asst coach for Pat Bradley (4-cycle USDBF Team USA SC Head Coach) for the 2027 Hong-Kong cycle
In 2001, two years after the formation of Tempe Town Lake, a small group of Arizonans had an interest in water sports but no experience to guide them. Acting on what many thought was a crazy idea, practice began on milk crates on the side of a swimming pool, then Tempe Town Lake.
In the Fall of 2002, the AZ Gila Dragons was officially formed as Arizona’s first dragon boating club. Love of the sport, the competition, and social connections have formed the heartbeat of the club.
After Ben took over the Gilas in 2023, he took the team in a more competitive and performance based direction. The Gilas saw their most successful year in competition in 2025, as they took Gold in most of the festivals they entered in, and they saw 9 of their members make the USDBF US National Team to compete in Germany 2025.
That same year, out of the Gilas was born the Arizona Sunsoon Premiere Select Team, a collaboration between the Gilas, SunGi women’s team, and the ASU college team, to compete in the 2025 Club Crew National Championships. The Sunsoon Women went on to take 1st in the Premiere Women’s (10) Division, earning an outright berth to CCWC in Taiwan in 2026 as the National Champions representing the USA.
From those humble beginnings, the Gilas have competed in Hong Kong, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Vancouver, Boston, Houston, Denver, Portland, San Francisco, Long Beach, and many other festival locations.
New paddlers are always welcome and the Gilas have a Meetup page that has all the information needed for new paddlers wishing to join them.
Learn more about the Gilas on their website: giladragons.org