Anything Is Possible
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
Through the Eyes of Coach Wei and Benny: The NorthStar WaveRiders Story
On August 15, 2026, the fourth Annual Hope Floats Dragon Boat Festival was held at the Welland International Flatwater Centre in Ontario.
It was a memorable day for the NorthStar WaveRiders, who finished third in the Adult Mixed Division and
won gold in the Para Division.
The medals carried special meaning. But for Head Coach Peng Wei and Benny, what mattered even more was everything behind them—the children showing up for training, making progress, and demonstrating courage and perseverance on race day.
Coach Wei: “For these kids, anything is possible.”
Coach Peng Wei brings more than 20 years of dragon boat experience and eight years of coaching experience. He currently coaches at one of Canada’s leading dragon boat clubs and has helped develop multiple national team athletes.
For the past two years, he has brought that professional experience to the children and youth of NorthStar.
Coach Wei believes dragon boating is particularly well suited for children and youth with special needs. There is no physical contact, the barriers to participation are relatively low, and at the same time, the sport places great emphasis on rhythm, focus, teamwork and coordination.
Dragon boating is never about one person.
For a boat to move forward, everyone must follow the same beat, work together and paddle toward the same goal.
Through each training session, Coach Wei hopes to teach the children more than paddling technique. He wants them to build confidence, responsibility and a strong sense of teamwork through sport.
His own family shares that commitment. His son, Harvey Wei, has represented Team Canada at the World Dragon Boat Championships in Germany and achieved outstanding results. His daughter, Elizabeth, also actively participates in NorthStar training and activities. Together, the family supports this unique and inspiring team.
After two years of coaching the NorthStar WaveRiders, Coach Wei has become even more convinced of one thing:
“For these kids, anything is possible!”
Benny: “Paddling stroke by stroke all the way to the finish line is already an incredible achievement.”
After the race, Benny’s greatest appreciation was for the children—and for everyone who has supported them along the way.
He shared:
“For our kids, being able to get into a dragon boat, follow the drumbeat, work together with their teammates, and keep paddling stroke by stroke all the way to the finish line is already an incredible achievement.”
That is what makes this gold medal so meaningful.
It represents much more than a race result. It reflects every training session, every step forward, and the determination the children brought to the water on race day.
Benny also expressed his heartfelt appreciation to Coach Wei for his patient guidance, to team captain Felix for his wholehearted support, to every volunteer for their time and dedication, and to all the parents for their continued trust and support of both the children and the NorthStar WaveRiders.
This achievement does not belong to any one person. It belongs to the entire NorthStar family.
The results are certainly worth celebrating. But even more valuable are the confidence, courage, friendship and team spirit the children have gained along the way.
That is what NorthStar hopes to give every child:
Opportunities. Support. A chance to step onto the racecourse, challenge themselves and experience the joy of sport.
And, most importantly, a chance for all of us to see that— they, too, can create something extraordinary of their own.
A gold medal celebrates how far they have come, but it also marks a new beginning.
As Coach Wei says: “For these kids, anything is possible!”
And this time, through their own perseverance, the children showed us once again just how much is possible.
Go NorthStar WaveRiders!
