Joan Packard Birkland was an American athlete and women's sports advocate.
18 Facts About Joan Birkland
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Joan Birkland was inducted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame in 1977, the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame in 1981, and the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame in 1996.
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Joan Birkland gained her early athletic practice playing baseball, football, basketball and tennis with other children in nearby City Park, but due to the absence of organized sports for high school girls, she did not compete formally until university.
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Joan Birkland graduated from East High School in 1946 and went on to Colorado University, where she met her husband, Ormand Birkland.
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Joan Birkland began competing in tennis championships at the city and state level in the 1960s.
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Joan Birkland won the Denver amateur singles title in 1960,1961, and 1965, and the Colorado state tennis title in 1960,1962, and 1966.
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Joan Birkland won a total of six singles and 15 doubles titles in Colorado and Intermountain tennis tournaments.
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Joan Birkland participated in the skiing and bowling teams at the Denver Country Club.
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The challenge was open to any other member, but Joan Birkland always won the match.
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Joan Birkland finished first in the club's golf tournaments for 30 consecutive years.
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Joan Birkland was a golf instructor in the amputee program at Children's Hospital, a basketball teacher for children with asthma, and a bowling instructor for children with cerebral palsy.
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Joan Birkland served two terms as chairman of the USGA Women's Committee, which oversees seven annual women's USGA tournaments.
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Joan Birkland was president of the Denver Tennis Club from 1991 to 1992.
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Joan Birkland has served on many sports boards of directors, including Pioneer Sportswomen at the University of Denver, Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Denver, Hospice of Metro Denver, Institute of Health Education, Colorado Xplosion women's basketball team, and Girls in Golf.
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Joan Birkland served on the board of directors of the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame and Colorado Sports Hall of Fame.
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In 1962, after winning both the state tennis and state golf championships in the same summer, Joan Birkland received the Robert Russell award as Colorado amateur athlete of the year.
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Joan Birkland was inducted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame in 1977, the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame in 1981, and the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame in 1996.
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Joan Birkland is considered one of the greatest all-around athletes in Colorado's history because of her awards in basketball, tennis, and golf.