Linda Louise Rowell, Massachusetts – 2024

For 48 years, Linda Rowell has given back to girls and women through sports. Along with her bachelor’s degree in health, physical education and recreation and a minor in biology from the University of Rhode Island in 1976, she received the URI Academic Excellence Award for the highest ranking graduate in women’s physical education. Her masters and post-graduate advanced degrees were from Fitchburg State
College in 2005.

Linda was a member and official of the Boston Field Hockey Umpires’ Association for over 35 years. She served on their executive board as a secretary and also served as a field hockey umpires coordinator for the Cape Ann/North Shore area for over 6 years. While teaching at Rockport High School, Linda coached volleyball, basketball, softball and junior varsity field hockey; she was also the intramural basketball coach for five years.

It is noteworthy that she created an extracurricular program for the Rockport Public Schools that included many hours of volunteering her time. She was the director and coach for the Rockport Public Schools extracurricular sports/exercise program for 17 years, (volunteered for 10); director and coach for the Rockport Recreation youth basketball program for 18 years (volunteered for 15); and also coached a recreational softball program for 7 years.

As a highly certified aerobics instructor she taught aerobics at the Cape Ann YMCA and also volunteered as a Girl Scout Leader (Troop #184) for 11 years.

She served as co-chair of the Rockport recreation committee for 9 years as well as co-chair of the Rockport community playground committee for 4 years; in addition she served as a member of the Rockport Education Foundation and the Rockport Council of Aging for a total of 32 years.

The town of Rockport was most fortunate to have employed such a community conscious member who was so willing to volunteer her time, energy and expertise in so many different areas.