Philadelphia Flying Phoenix

We are so proud of Betty Solley. Betty was inducted to the Eastern Regional Dragon Boat Association (ERDBA) Hall of Fame, presented by Ellen Law, President of ERDBA.

Here are excerpts from Betty’s induction ceremony:

Athletic achievement:
Betty has been a driving force in the dragon boat community for over two decades, combining athletic excellence, coaching brilliance, and visionary leadership. Her contributions extend across every pillar of the Hall of Fame’s mission—athletic achievement, athlete development, governance, community outreach, and sustained lifetime impact.

Coaching and Athlete Development:
Betty began her dragon boating journey as a paddler, quickly distinguishing herself through her relentless work ethic, technical skill, and ability to lead from within the boat. She competed at a consistently high level, representing Philadelphia Flying Phoenix with distinction in ERDBA races, as well as other regional, national, and international competitions. Her commitment to excellence inspired teammates and set the standard for discipline and resilience across the club.

Betty’s most enduring contributions come through her work as a coach and mentor. She has dedicated countless hours to developing athletes at all levels, with her greatest coaching impact on Philadelphia Flying Phoenix and Against the Wind. Through her guidance, both teams grew in competitiveness, skill, and spirit, earning a reputation for unity and excellence.

Betty also served as coach of the Fairmount Park Commodores, where she elevated the team’s performance each season and mentored countless new paddlers with her trademark patience and dedication. Earlier in her career, Betty also coached Belle Bateau for several years, once again blending technical rigor with her unique ability to inspire loyalty and teamwork.

Leadership & Governance:
As President of Philadelphia Flying Phoenix, Betty provided steady leadership that strengthened the club’s structure, expanded membership, and ensured lasting success.

She guided the club through growth and change while maintaining its competitive edge and welcoming culture. Beyond her club, Betty took on national and international leadership as Membership Director of the International Breast Cancer Paddler’s Commission (IBCPC) and as a key BCS leader within the United States Dragon Boat Federation (USDBF). Her leadership was instrumental in building communication, collaboration, and visibility for breast cancer paddling programs:

• Established the first U.S. BCS Leadership Committee within USDBF and IBCPC, giving BCS teams a strong, unified voice.

• Enhanced communication among U.S. BCS teams by creating dedicated regional WhatsApp groups (including one for ERDBA), ensuring paddlers and leaders could connect, share resources, and support one another.

• Encouraged inclusion of BCS divisions at races and festivals by creating direct channels for organizers and teams to coordinate.

• Created a BCS web page on the USDBF website to raise awareness, highlight teams, and promote events.

• Expanded international connections by launching a WhatsApp group for global communication around the IBCPC Participatory Dragon Boat Festival, held every four years. These initiatives transformed communication, outreach, and organizational visibility for breast cancer survivor paddling. During Betty’s tenure, IBCPC membership grew dramatically—from 190 BCS teams in 19 countries in 2018 to more than 400 teams across 41 countries today. This expansion reflects Betty’s vision, diligence, and ability to connect paddlers worldwide.
  

Contribution to Growth of the Sport:
Few individuals have done as much as Betty to bring dragon boating to new communities:

• Healthy Dragons: Betty orchestrated and coached this inner-city youth program, securing permits, organizing logistics, and leading countless on-water sessions. She introduced hundreds of children to the river. As a former physical education teacher, she naturally connected with young athletes, inspiring many to embrace fitness, teamwork, and the outdoors.

• School & youth programs: She led Main Line School Night outings on the river and also guided Haverford School middle school boys through team building dragon boat sessions, teaching resilience, cooperation, and respect.

• Ride the Dragon: Betty organized and coached these community-invitation training events, transforming groups of novices into synchronized paddlers by the end of each session. Each of these initiatives reflects Betty’s conviction that dragon boating should be both competitive and inclusive, a sport for all ages and backgrounds.
  

Lifetime Impact:
The breadth of Betty’s service illustrates a lifetime of sustained dedication. She has paddled, coached, organized, and led with unmatched passion and energy. Her work with PFP and ATW strengthened those teams immeasurably, while her coaching of the Commodores, Belle Bateau, and numerous community programs expanded dragon boating’s reach across the region.

Her global leadership at IBCPC demonstrated that her influence extended far beyond Philadelphia. She helped shape the international breast cancer paddling movement and, in doing so, created opportunities for thousands of survivors to heal, compete, and find community on the water.

Equally important, Betty has served as a mentor to other leaders in the dragon boat world. Colleagues continue to describe her as a trusted advisor, someone who generously shares her wisdom, insights, and experience. As one mentee put it: “I have the privilege of carrying the torch she lit and am grateful that she is still willing to be there for me with her knowledge and support.”

From all of us at Philadelphia Flying Phoenix, we are so grateful for all of the ways Betty Solley has touched our lives as people and paddlers through her leadership, coaching, wisdom, and care.

Congratulations Betty on this incredible honour and recognition!