A special Friday edition of NUNDAY with Sister Janice Iverson, OSB.
The Fitness Coordinator for the Police Department in Watertown, South Dakota, inspires the staff she works with every day. Sister Janice Iverson, O.S.B., volunteers her time to work with the Department staff and coordinate their fitness programs. Sister Janice rides her bike into town, five days a week. As Healthcare Coordinator for the Mother of God Monastery, she walks the talk. In a recent video for Keloland Television with Angela Kennecke called the "Biking Nun", Sister Janice says, “I try to burn a thousand calories per day. That’s at least five times a week. Sunday I’ll just go out and ride my bike 20 miles.”
Her background includes two Masters degrees, one in Exercise Science & Cardiac Rehab/Therapeutic Preventive, and the other in Exercise and Human Movement. She has taught and has an extensive background in sports and coaching basketball. Sister Janice was the youngest of 10, had many older brothers and developed a love of sports early. “My brother taught me all the finer points. We’d play games in the neighborhood, and he’d always chose me second because he didn’t want to be accused of choosing his sister who was better than the other boys,”
Each day, 71-year old Sister Janice works with individual staff members to coordinate fitness programs they can stay with and make a part of their regular day. Sister Janice does not define what most of the folks think of as nuns. Sister Janice knows that “people are a little taken aback” by her athletic prowess, she says. Sister Janice enjoys what she does, and when asked about retiring said, “Nuns don’t really retire, but does anybody doing good ever retire?”
You totally rock Sister Janice!
For more info on Sister Janice
- see Sister Janice's bio
- also check out “Sister Janice Iverson: None like this nun” by John Kubal for Brookings Register (July 21, 2011)
For more about Sister Janice’s community
- visit the Benedictine Sisters of the Mother of God Monastery in Watertown, South Dakota
To see all the NUNDAY stories of Catholic sisters and nuns we’ve posted, visit NUNDAY at aNunsLife.org.
Archived Comments
- October 19, 2012 at 12:40 pm
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What a great role model! Obviously she really practices what she preaches to the police department staff. I definitely want to be like Sister Janice when I’m 71.
- October 19, 2012 at 6:32 pm
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I am so impressed with this Sister! Would like to work with someone like her!
