We’re happy to share that Philadelphia Giant Joel Bevenour is Gentle Giant’s Athlete of the Month for December!
Joel is in his senior year on the Men’s Rowing team at La Salle University, where he has served as team captain since his sophomore year. During his time at La Salle, Joel and his teammates have made huge strides in both their speed and competitive standing, helping build the program into what it is today.
Before Joel arrived, La Salle had gone through several coaching changes and struggled to find consistent competitive success. During his freshman year, the team welcomed a new coach, Ivo Krakic, who saw potential in the group after working with them as a volunteer and ultimately left his career as an engineer to lead the program.
Ivo brought a caring approach to leadership, regularly checking in with his athletes and supporting them in their lives outside the boathouse. He quickly earned the team’s trust and respect. That year, La Salle’s freshman boats performed well at several major races, giving the team confidence that they could accomplish much more together.
Over the following years, they steadily climbed the national ranks. La Salle finished 18th at the IRA National Championships in 2023 and 17th in 2024. Most recently, the team won the Collegiate 8+ at the Head of the Charles Regatta by an impressive margin.
More than any individual result, what stands out when talking to Joel is his gratitude for his teammates, coaches, the sport itself, and the experiences it has given him.
Rowing was Joel’s first serious team sport, and he credits it with changing his perspective on teamwork and the importance of building meaningful connections with the people around him. As he continues to pursue his lifelong interest in computer science and prepares for a career in the field, those are lessons he knows he’ll carry with him.
Joel sees a similar value in his experience at Gentle Giant. He joined the company in the summer of 2022 after Ivo recommended that he apply. Since then, he has found GG to be another place where challenging work, a strong team, and good leadership have given him opportunities to learn and grow. He especially credits his manager and assistant manager for being skilled listeners and teachers.
We’re incredibly impressed by what Joel and his teammates have accomplished at La Salle over the past few years and by the team-first attitude he has brought to his role as captain and to Gentle Giant.