Joan Vallieres has dedicated nearly 20 years of her life to Concord Crew. Her role as a coach was never about finding the most powerful rowing techniques or setting the team’s tempo, but more about building strong and kind character in each child who showed up at the boathouse.

An occupational therapist by trade, Vallieres got involved with Concord Crew when her daughter Justine started rowing in 2006. Back then, there was no boathouse in Concord so the Crew rowed out of the Amoskeag Rowing Club.

Her primary role was helping rowers with the psychological aspects of the sport. Rowing requires intense focus in perfect harmony with the others in the boat. Even though she did not grow up rowing, Vallieres had experience working with children and teenagers in the Manchester School District and helped many rowers.

“What I was doing was helping kids that come in, especially the novices, acclimate to the program and understand what was going on with the program,” Vallieres explained.

“When you are in a boat you help each other out, and just some character coaching kind of things. So, adding that we help each other out, we are a team and yes, if you don’t make it in the first boat that doesn’t mean that you won’t eventually. You just have to work hard to get there.”

She’s done a little bit of everything, too. When she was on the Concord Crew board she helped plan the boathouse project, recruited and spread the word about the Crew throughout her network and at local schools, and has helped with most Crew fundraisers over the years. She also has had a hand in numerous projects that have helped steer the Crew in the right direction.

Steve Garside, the Concord Crew’s head coach since 2018 and a Monitor Hometown Hero, said that her impact as a character coach has been immeasurable. Her unique skill set was an irreplaceable asset in Garside’s eyes. “She’s always there to help them. She was always there to lend a hand and support them, and even the coaches, she’s there constantly helping us,” he said.

“She’s the first person there every day, opening the boathouse up, making sure the kids are all set, things are going the right way, and in her spare time swinging by the place, checking in on it.”

Vallieres was even there when current president Chris Graham’s daughter rowed for the Crew. Graham said that her impact on all rowers, including her own daughter, transcended the sport. Although they will fill Vallieres’ position, her care and personality is so unique that it won’t be quite the same.

“She was just a connector and just very comfortable presence that just lightened the mood,” Graham said. “She lightened the mood. The coaches can be sometimes hard on the kids to get the best out of them or push them, and Joanie was the comfort.”

This past Saturday, Vallieres was celebrated for her work with Concord Crew with a cookout and a row at the boathouse surrounded by coaches, friends and people she mentored.

She said she might still pop by from time to time because of how close she is to the rowing program. But even when she’s not there, her name and inspiration will live on in Concord Crew red on the side of one of their boats.

Alexander Rapp can be reached at arapp@cmonitor.com.