Michelle Simons

This is an article that was featured in the Lee Taft Speed Insider of the Month newsletter.

Is there life without sports? Not according to Michelle Simons.

Growing up on a farm in the Coal Region of Pennsylvania, Michelle learned to love sports at an early age. She participated in track and field, and softball at North Schuylkill High School, but basketball was her game. With titles like Player of the Year, All-State Honors and member of the 1000 Points Club (with 1,724 points), her strong dedication and finely-tuned skills were evident.

Living in a family of farmers and coal miners, Michelle was familiar with hard work and devotion. “I have a strong foundation of work ethic,” Michelle said. ”I believe I gained strength by working on the farm, shoveling coal and being an adventurous kid.” Once the work was done, she would practice the fundamentals of basketball on her own. ”I didn’t have much formal instruction, but I moved and had basic movement patterns that easily transitioned over to all my sports.”

It wasn’t long until the hard work paid off, and Michelle received basketball scholarship to Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania where she earned a degree in Health, Fitness & Exercise Science. During her time as a Husky, she add more achievements and titles to her long list including Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball 1989 Rookie of the Year; 1st All-Conference Team in 1990 and 1991; and PSAC & ECAC 1992 Player of the Year. In addition, she earned Kodak Women’s All-American honors in 1992 and was elected to Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities & Colleges in recognition of outstanding merit & accomplishments. Michelle was also inducted into the Bloomsburg Sports Hall of Fame in 2005, and was inducted to the PA Northern Anthracite Sports Hall of Fame in 1998.

As Michelle transitioned from college life to adulthood, her passion for basketball and fitness remained. She was an Assistant Basketball Coach at East Stroudsburg University and then at Bucknell University collectively for 10 years. During her time at ESU, she furthered her studies in Exercise Science and Sports Management. She also became a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) member and a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). But none of that was enough; she constantly wanted to learn more. “To gain more experience I would participate in as many exercise science research projects as I could,” Michelle reported. “In the summers, I would help direct recreation camps, all-sports and basketball camps and clinics.”

And now, Michelle still continues to have a passion for fitness. Most recently, she started an independent consulting and in-home personal training and small group fitness business called Simons Says Fitness located in Lewisburg, Penn. In addition, she joined the Victory Sports Performance Team as a Performance Coach providing athletic development and speed camps to athletes in the State College and Lewisburg area. She is a certified Spinning/Indoor Cycling Instructor and has been asked to provide TV segments for the local station, CCN. Michelle has also been working on a fitness product and offering fitness consultation to one of the largest manufactures of recreation equipment in the nation.

“Basic and natural movement skills are something that is lacking with most of our youth and adults today,” Michelle pointed out. ”This is where I need to spread the word in health, fitness and sports performance.  I believe in a ”FUN”DAMENTAL and “Full of Life” approach.