Joanne Iverson – CRCA Hall of Fame Class of 2007
Ms. Iverson has been actively involved in the sport of Rowing since 1959. At various times she filled the offices of Captain and President while at the Philadelphia Girls Rowing Club. She co-founded the National Women’s’ Rowing Association in 1963 and the first National Women’s Rowing Championships and was instrumental in organizing the first National Championship event for collegiate crews.
In 1967 she started a club, Devon Sculls, for high school girls in the Upper Merion School District.
From 1968 until 1975 she coached the women’s crew at the University of Pennsylvania’s College Boat Club, winning various National Championships, most notably the NWRA Nationals at Seattle in 1972 – College BC won the Four/with, Pair/without and Eight as a combination boat with PGRC. Ms. Iverson was subsequently the first Coach of Women’s rowing at the University of Pennsylvania when they received Varsity Status in 1974.
In 1973 she was appointed to the United States Olympic Committee for Women’s Rowing. In the same year, she served as Manager of the first U.S. Women’s squad to compete at the European Championships in Moscow, USSR. Four College Boat Club women were on that team.
In 1976 she was appointed to President Ford’s Commission on Olympic Sports on which she served with Rafer Johnson. She served as Manager of the Women’s Olympic Rowing Team in 1976 in Montreal, Canada.
At present, Ms. Iverson is on the Board of Directors of the Vesper Boat Club in Philadelphia where she rows regularly and provides private coaching to Junior and Masters Competitors.