SRA Stories: Laurel Case

Laurel Case, 2 seat at the Tail of the Lake Regatta

Until the 1980’s, there was little opportunity for adult women to row. In the Northwest, the few adult women who did row were likely graduates of the University of Washington Women’s Crew or Eastern College programs. There was very little local competition and no small rowing centers besides Lake Washington Rowing Club. The tide began to turn when Dick Erickson, the University of Washington’s Head Men’s Coach and Rowing Director, returned from the Henley Royal Regatta and was challenged by two women at the Seattle Yacht Club to teach them to row. 

In late March of 1982, a small group of determined women from Seattle, Meydenbauer Bay and Rainier Yacht Club showed up at the University of Washington for six weeks of training. These women acquired the name “Dick’s Chicks”, a name this group of women were given by the parking attendant at the UW. Shortly after the creation of Dick’s Chicks, they became the Conibear Rowing Club.

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Among the members of Dick’s Chicks was Laurel Case, who was asked by a group of women at the Meydenbauer Bay Yacht Club in 1985 if she wanted to learn to row. Case had recently left her job in public accounting  and joined the yacht club with her husband and 9-month-old daughter. She gladly accepted the invite and was coached by Dick Erickson where he prepared her and her teammates for the Opening Day Regatta.

If you think being coached by rowing icon Dick Erickson is impressive, Case has also had the honor of being coached by a long list of icons throughout her rowing career including Stan Pocock, Charlie MacIntyre, Frank Cunningham, and SRA’s own Tom Woodman! She fondly remembers rowing for an hour in a coxed pair with Stan Pocock as the coxswain. In her 40 years of rowing, she has also had the privilege of rowing with many local clubs including Meydenbauer Bay Yacht Club, Conibear Rowing Club, Seattle Yacht Club, Lake Washington Rowing Club, Charley McIntyre Rowing Club, the Pocock Rowing Center, and Sammamish Rowing Association where she has rowed for the past 16 years. She joined SRA in 2009 and has loved rowing on the combined men’s and women’s team under Tom Woodman’s leadership.

Laurel Case, top left, with 5am teammates.

One of her favorite rowing memories came from her 5am teammates who honored her by naming a new single the “Laurel”. “I think some of them thought this would entice me to at least try rowing a single… hasn’t happened!” Case joked. 


In her 40 years engaged in this sport, Laurel has an impressive rowing resume. Thinking back, she said her biggest accomplishments had to be winning a gold medal at the Head of the Charles Regatta in 1991 in the Women’s Master 4+. The Head of the Charles is a globally recognized regatta that dates back to 1965. Hundreds of thousands of athletes have dreamed of racing down the Charles River in Boston, Massachusetts to victory, but only a small percentage of those athletes have been able to secure a gold medal.


In 1993, Case worked with Stan Pocock to open the Pocock Rowing Center, another one of her favorite memories. This center was completed in 1994 by the founders of the George Pocock Rowing Foundation to honor the legacy of George Pocock by ensuring access to the incredible sport of rowing. 

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Laurel Case, far right, at HOCR.

Having benefitting from decades of coaching by local legends, Case has some simple yet impactful advice for novice rowers. “Sit up, breathe, keep your head in the boat, relax and enjoy,” she said.


“I love being on the water early in the morning,” Case mentioned when thinking about how rowing has enhanced her life. “The wildlife, sunrises, plus the great full body workout and wonderful teammates and friends are all the ways my life is better because of rowing.” Sammamish Rowing Association sits at the north end of Lake Sammamish in a protected wetlands area. Rowers are treated to a beautiful natural environment with flourishing biodiversity. From wildlife to native plants, there’s always something for the eye to enjoy during practice.


For the past 8 years, Case has been a snowbird and has spent 6 months of the year in Palm Desert and the other 6 months here in Washington state. She always looks forward to her 6 months of rowing with SRA. No matter where she is, Case loves being outdoors and exercising. You can often find her hiking or on daily walks with her two chocolate labradors, at Pure Barre classes, tearing it up on the pickleball court, or riding her bike in Palm Desert. When she isn’t outside or on the move, Case loves to treat her friends and family to her cooking or baked goods.

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It is not often you meet rowers who have decades of experience in the sport and have experienced as many local milestones as Laurel Case has. From being coached by legends to being involved in the formation of different clubs or rowing centers, Case has a rowing background that is rich and our local rowing scene is better with her having been a part of it. We feel fortunate and grateful to have her as part of the SRA family for 16 years and counting!