[3] Guetschow attended Hopkins High School in Minnesota, where she earned an All-American Honorable Mention for swimming.
[4] In triathlon she participated 1986 in Finland Championships Games and became second, right after Marjo Matikainen, Olympic gold medalist in cross-country skiing.
She also served as an athlete representative on the Board of Trustees Executive Committee for the 2002 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Salt Lake City, Utah.
[8] She has a twin brother, Dave Guetschow, who played professional soccer for the Portland Firebirds and was the goalkeeper for the United States national bandy team.
[9] Dave and Joan are dual U.S.-Canadian citizens since their mother, Janet Wallis Guetschow, was born and grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.