About Me...

Michael A. Huffman St. Joseph School Physical Education mhuffman@stjosephrc.org

First and foremost, it is an honor and a joy to inspire a lifelong love of movement for your children as they learn to maintain a strong, healthy Mind and Body.

I grew up a parishioner of St. Thomas of Villanova. I enjoyed the guidance of the Sister Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary while at St. Aloysius Academy from K-8th grade and later matriculated to Archmere Academy in Wilmington, Delaware.

While at Ursinus College I shifted my focus from Pre-Chiropractic Studies to the Exercise and Sport Science department. As an ESS major I focused on PE, Coaching and Athletic Training.My initial draw to Education stemmed from the children around me in my local employment and coaching experiences, but ultimately within my family.

My wonderful niece and nephew truly initiated my love of enabling kids to reach higher goals, developing new skills and embracing the thrill of achievement.

During college I was employed as the PE teacher for St. Eleanor's CARES program. That is when my CYO coaching days began in 1997 as I notched my first undefeated season at the middle school level. In addition to after school and Summer PE positions, I worked at Kinetix Sports Club, managing their rock climbing fitness program for youth and adults for a few years.

I have worked in several recreational and therapeutic programs for the Devereux Foundation. For the final 7 years of my tenure, I locally served their Elementary school as the Behavior Manager. In addition , I served as Site Supervisor for our Crisis Management & Prevention team.

During this time my wife and I moved to Downingtown from Blue Bell and I secured the Downingtown West Girls JV soccer coaching position for 2.5 seasons until my Crisis/Behavior Management duties demanded my full attention. Notably, I notched one of the first Whippets undefeated seasons!

With my family starting to grow, I obtained my Masters of Ed. in Elem. School Counseling and pursued the flexibility of TSS/BSC employment.

In 2016, I found my niche and returned to teaching at St. Joseph Elementary School after 7 years of being a dedicated Full Time Dad of Alexis, Owen and my little gem Grayson.

It has grown more difficult to actively compete in Mountain Bike/Adventure Racing any more these days. When not biking, playing a pickup Soccer game, working on my own trails, maintaining aquariums or chasing the kiddos, I seek comfort in outdoor recreational pursuits such as rock climbing, fishing, trail running, keeping my huskies 'on the run' or scootering or skijoring with them.

In addition, my family has fostered (and placed into 'FurrEver' homes) more than 100 + Siberian Huskies with the Delaware Valley Siberian Husky Rescue Club. Currently, our Izzy, Lucy and Porter live the life that every dog deserves and relish breathing in the Downingtown fresh air.

( If you would like, check out some of our Siberian Huskies pictured at the very bottom of my "Links" page. )

Favorite Author : Dr. John Douillard

Until recently, the effortless "Zone" of peak performance was only within the reach of serious athletes. Now, with Body, Mind, and Sport, anyone can reach the Zone, regardless of fitness level.

Designed to accommodate a variety of individual fitness needs, the Body, Mind, and Sport program is split into two levels. Level 1 is for non-athletes who want to improve overall fitness; Level 2 is for those who want to train for competitive or recreational purposes. Your own unique mind-body type is taken into account to guide you in achieving your personal best without stress or strain. In this revised and updated edition of Body, Mind, and Sport, fitness expert and trainer John Douillard outlines a program in which your individual seasonal constitution-Winter, Spring, or Summer-determines what exercises or sports are best suited to your mind-body type and what foods you should eat for optimum results.

Using the Body, Mind, and Sport approach you can decrease heart and breath rates while improving both fitness and performance. Dozens of world-class athletes, including Martina Navratilova and Billie Jean King, have used John Douillard's expert breathing techniques, dietary recommendations, and seasonally balanced workouts. Now you can, too!

This “must-read” guide to children’s health “combines insights of the great wisdom tradition of Ayurveda with a current understanding of body, mind, and spirit” (Deepak Chopra, M.D.)

According to Ayurveda, an ancient science, health is a state of balance among the body, mind, senses, and soul. This book shows specific ways to promote children's health and well-being using Ayurvedic principles.

In Perfect Health for Kids, John Douillard explains how to identify the signs of imminent illness, how to make the home chemical and allergen free, and how to stock a "Lazy Susan" of useful natural medicines. Appendices provide shopping lists and a directory of national health providers. Perfect Health for Kids is an accessible, illustrated guide that provides highly effective health maintenance for children