In honor of Women’s History Month, Karen Gerard, a trailblazing athlete and co-captain of Iowa State’s inaugural women’s basketball team is today’s Feature Friday interview.
Her story reflects the determination of women athletes who fought for opportunities to compete and paved the way for future generations at Iowa State and beyond.
“I live in Pittsburgh now so I do not get back to Ames and Iowa State much but have great memories of my time there,” Gerard said. “I read all the previews about the game.
I follow on my iPad.”
Gerard is a 1970 graduate of Sigourney High School, located in Keokuk County.
“I loved growing up there, I go back a couple times a year to visit family and friends,” Gerard said.
In addition to basketball, Karen was an outstanding cross country runner and track star.
“Sigourney started track my sophomore year and then cross country and basketball my junior year,” Gerard said. “I still own the school record at Sigourney in the 800. We did not have a track so sometimes I ran a workout at the Pekin track. I still have the Conference 800 record too. We had a lot very good athletes at Sigourney.”
Joe Morgan coached Gerard in a pair of sports at Sigourney.
“I enjoyed Coach Morgan as a coach,” Gerard said. “He coached both cross country and basketball. Jerry Lorimor coached track. We had many talented runners and basketball players.”
During Gerard’s junior season of 1968-1969, she averaged 30.1 points per game. Against Blakesburg her senior year, in the first round of sectionals, Gerard tallied 46 points in a 90-61 victory over the Wildcats.
“We had many talented runners and basketball players,” Gerard said. “We went 0-11 our first year and won our first game of the next season 99-11. Guess we improved. Six-on-six was all we knew but we played full court with the boys all the time.”
A short, approximately 40, minute drive from Sigourney by way of IA-149 S, IA-78 E and IA-1 S brought Gerard to her first college, Parsons in Fairfield.
“I worked at Bob Spencer’s basketball camp in Wahoo, Nebraska for two summers,” Gerard said. “I went to Parsons College as they added women’s sports. Bob Spencer was the coach. Parsons College closed and I went to Iowa State.”
Parsons College E-News Spring 2014" data-portal-copyright="" />
Prior to Iowa State’s first women’s basketball season, Gerard was part of another sport, handball.
“While at Iowa State I tried out for and made the team handball Olympic training team,” Gerard said. “In 1976, they had the first women’s team handball tournament in the Olympics. We trained for two years and I made 13 international trips and we spent over a month training in Europe prior to the World Championships in Russia. Sadly, they only allowed six teams in the first time at the Olympics. We beat Tunisia but lost to Japan. Team handball is very popular in Europe. It is like soccer but you throw the ball in the goal. Six-on-six and a goalie at each end.”
Gloria Crosby coached Gerard’s first season and Lynn Wheeler coached her second season.
“At Iowa State basketball was just getting going,” Gerard said. “I started and played the off guard or forward spot. I averaged about 10 points a game. We had a lot of good players. I loved Iowa State, I never wanted to graduate. We played in what was called the women’s PE complex and had about 20-50 fans max. Many of the players on the team played another sport. Softball, volleyball, track or cross country. Much talent just getting unleashed.”
Gerard, a multi-sport athlete at Sigourney, was also a multi-sport athlete at Iowa State.
“I saw a notice about cross country and went out,” Gerard said. “I was usually the number four or five runner. In track I got third in the 800 when we won the Big Eight title. Chris Murray coached ISU track and cross country. Another great coach.”
Gerard, on looking back at her athletic anecdotes, made the most of every opportunity given to her as well as her fellow Sigourney, Parsons College and Iowa State University teammates.
“The big thing to remember is that there was a lot of talent just getting going,” Gerard said. “We made the most of our chance as young women in athletics. The key to remember is I was surrounded by many talented athletes both in high school and at ISU. I was no superstar, just someone wanting a chance to do all I could.”
“Fifty years ago women just wanted a chance to compete and made the most of it,” Gerard added.
