Joan Birkland

Joan Packard Birkland
Athlete, Women’s Sports Advocate
1928 - 2019
INDUCTED 1996

A quarter-century before Title IX mandated equity for women in sports, Joan Packard was both May Queen and a sports fanatic in high school.

Her first love was competitive tennis, but golf came next. Joan’s trophy cases are overflowing—she won 21 major Colorado and Intermountain tennis titles, and seven state titles in golf. As Executive Director of Sportswomen of Colorado, Inc., Joan has long presided over the nation’s first community-based organization to solely honor female athletes. Her lifelong pursuit of excellence and equity has opened new horizons for all women in sports.

“It gives me a good feeling to know that many fine female athletes have followed me.” — Joan Birkland