Matriarchs of Whitemarsh: Celebrating 20 Years of Leadership and Legacy

Linda Chisholm sits bow in WBC’s Grand Masters 60-69 4+ at the 2024 Head of the Charles. It was the third time this line up took on HOCR, with Michele Morris (2), Susan Berry-Gorelli (3), Titia Scherpbier (stroke), and Joel Tachau (cox). All four of rowers learned to row at Whitemarsh Boat Club in their late 40s/early 50s.

In Fall 2005, the “Mount Moms,” the original mothers taught by their daughters’ coach, Mike McKenna, won their first race ever. Soon after, these Founding Mothers established Whitemarsh Boat Club in Conshohocken, PA.

Top row: Helene O’Neil, Lisa Jasiukiewicz, Linda Hyrcko, Jane Voss Mary Frawley

Bottom row: Linda Young, Weesie Ferron, Marguerite Young

Whitemarsh Boat Club Founding Mother and the club’s first secretary, Jane Voss

Whitemarsh Boat Club Founding Mother and the club’s first treasurer, Linda Chisholm

As part of our semi-regular club spotlight series, we’re heading to Conshohocken, Pennsylvania to get to know Whitemarsh Boat Club. Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2025, we check in with Linda Chisholm and Jane Voss – two of the club’s Founding Mothers – about the early days of getting the club off the ground in 2005, the growth it’s seen in the years since, and what makes this multi-generational club a stand-out.

This episode was made possible in part by Breakwater Realty, RowSource, and our Patrons.

Steady State Podcast is written, produced, hosted, and edited by Rachel Freedman and Tara Morgan. Tara provides additional audio engineering and is our sponsor coordinator. Rachel manages the website, social media, and e-newsletter. Our theme music is by Jonas Hipper.

QUICK LOOK

00:00 - Hosts Tara and Rachel banter about pipe dreams and logistics of starting a club
07:02 - Rowing week on a scale of 1-10: planning for a 10 next week!
08:10 - The Huddle: A quick get to know you with Linda and Jane
11:04 - The Hot Seat Q&A
13:53 - Linda and Jane's rowing origin stories: Rowing moms unite!
18:17 - Why start a club in Conshohocken? Why not join a club on Boathouse Row?
21:54 - Early days of borrowed boats and fund raising
22:28 - About Whitemarsh Boat Club and its place on the Schuylkill River
25:56 - Development of Whitemarsh Boat Club programs
30:47 - Building club culture
36:13 - 20 years of Whitemarsh Boat Club
39:07 - Linda and Jane's advice for starting a club
42:32 - Steady State Network news, notes, and events

Episode Mentions

CLUBS
Capital Rowing Club
Conibear Rowing Club
Fairmount Rowing Association
Pocock Rowing Club
Seize the Oar Foundation
Three Rivers Rowing Association
Vancouver Rowing Club
Vesper Boat Club
WeCanRow Whitemarsh
Whitemarsh Boat Club

COACHES
Mike McKenna
Tom Rooks 🎧

EVENTS 
Coffee Chat
Learn to Row Day

LEGISLATION
Title IX

ORGANIZATIONS
Rowing British Columbia
Rowing Canada

RACES & REGATTAS
Head of the Charles 🎧
Royal Canadian Henley Regatta
San Diego Crew Classic 🎧

ROWERS
Mary Frawley

SCHOLASTIC & YOUTH PROGRAMS
Mount St. Jospeh's Academy

USROWING
Masters Working Group

WBC LEADERSHIP
Carol Kleiner
Marie Leonard