MAHPERD "Voices From The field"
In this podcast, you will hear from educators and professionals in the field sharing their insights and experiences in the HPE (Health Physical Education) and allied fields. I hope you find this podcast informative, and inspiring. Learn about best practices and tools that you can implement in your teaching practice. We want to know not only what you do, but also the action steps you took to get you where you are. The Status Quo is not in our vocabulary folks, my guests are leaders in the field who are taking action to make an impact in their respective fields. If you have any questions or would like to be a guest on the show email mahperdpodcast@gmail.com
"If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got" Henry Ford
Episodes
29 episodes
"Moved To Move"
What if PE class felt like a place where every student belongs—and every choice builds confidence? We sit down with veteran elementary PE teacher Will Westphal to unpack a practical, research-driven approach that turns movement into meaning. Wi...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 27
•
49:18
From PE Teacher To School Health Leader: How Brave and Healthy Spaces Help Kids Learn, Grow, and Thrive.
What if schools stopped rewarding quiet compliance and started designing for how kids actually learn? We sat down with Shannon Milliken—founder of Play Education and former P.E teacher turned systems leader—to unpack how movement, health, and b...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 24
•
40:42
We’re Not Just Pressing Play On A Yoga Video
Tired of PD that doesn’t fit your teaching space? We sit back down with educator Kristen Santos to unpack a practical, standards-aligned approach to yoga in PE that strengthens bodies, focuses minds, and gives teachers a clear roadm...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 26
•
24:59
What Would Students Miss If Your PE Program Vanished Tomorrow?
Feeling stretched thin or stuck on autopilot? We take a deep breath, slow the pace, and work through five reflective questions that help teachers, coaches, and PE leaders move from scattered to intentional. We start by unpacking a ...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 25
•
8:37
Equipment That Works, Support That Lasts GOPHER SPORT 100% Satisfaction Guarantee
We sit down with Gopher Sport’s assistant marketing manager, Michael Ewen, to dive into the systems that help teachers deliver better lessons with less stress: a true satisfaction guarantee, teacher-designed equipment, and a ton of free profess...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 23
•
34:48
National P.E TOY: Will Potter on Inclusive, Joyful Movement and Community Advocacy
A surprise job interview at a Blockbuster counter set Will Potter on a path to becoming a national voice for quality elementary PE—and the spark behind a family‑powered movement that now advocates for programs across the country. We sit down wi...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 22
•
39:00
Teaching in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
When Dr. Neutzling managed physical education classes with 52 students in a Florida gymnasium, she never imagined that experience would lay the foundation for her pioneering work with artificial intelligence in education. Now serving as Associa...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 21
•
30:46
A conversation with Brad Hunter: National APE Teacher Of The Year!
As the 2025 Shape America National Adapted PE Teacher of the Year, Brad brings a refreshing perspective to adaptive physical education. Rather than focusing on what students can't do, he zeroes in on what standards are truly asking students to ...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 20
•
48:06
Movement as Medicine: Dance PL3Y
Melanie Levenberg's journey from P.E. teacher to global movement educator is inspiring. She reimagined her relationship with movement, eventually creating Dance PL3Y—a program that has transformed physical education for over 4.1 million childre...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 19
•
26:23
Teaching For Health, Movement, and Connection
What happens when a physical education teacher prioritizes relationships over rules and student choice over standardized instruction? Nick Morse, a health and physical education teacher at Hartnett Middle School, reveals how his innovativ...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 18
•
46:37
Purposeful PE: Insights on a quality program
When you think of physical education, do you picture students mindlessly kicking balls around a gymnasium while a teacher blows a whistle? Dave Carney is on a mission to transform that outdated perception. With 14 years + of PE teaching experie...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 17
•
33:10
From Dance Studio to Third Grade: A Teacher's Journey
When passion meets purpose, learning transforms. Tiana's story begins at sixteen, teaching ballet, tap, and jazz to preschoolers and special education dance classes—experiences that kindled her love for teaching long before formal education tra...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 16
•
17:29
The Human Element: Building Trust Through Project Adventure
Meet Adam Joyce, a passionate Project Adventure teacher who's transforming physical education at Watertown High School. Coming from a family of educators , Adam discovered his calling after initially pursuing history education. Today, he's dedi...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 15
•
21:55
The Power of Connection: Meet Maria Melchionda, MAHPERDS Executive Director
In this illuminating conversation with Maria Melchionda, a 40-year veteran educator and executive director of MAHPERD, we explore the difference between qualified instruction and common misconceptions in the field.Maria shares her...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 14
•
32:32
Access for all through Innovative P.E.
What happens when genuine passion for movement meets resourcefulness and creativity? Bradley Land, a K-8 physical education teacher from Phoenix, Arizona, demonstrates how innovative thinking and creativity can transform physical education with...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 13
•
32:25
Trailer...
Welcome to , Voices from the FieldJoin me as I sit down with educators, thought leaders, and professionals in Health and Physical Education (HPE) and related fields who are making a real impact. Through candid c...
•
Season 1
•
1:27
Breathing Life into PE Class : A Teacher's Journey
How can physical education teachers incorporate yoga in ways that benefit all students? Award-winning P.E. teacher Kristen Santos takes us on her unexpected journey from cancer diagnosis to becoming a leading advocate for yoga in physical educa...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 12
•
35:19
Digital Resources, Leadership, and Advocacy in PE:
The power of quality physical education reaches far beyond the gymnasium walls. When students experience meaningful, well-designed PE programs, they become lifelong advocates for the profession as future parents, school board members, and commu...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 11
•
54:17
From Billboard to Breakthrough: An Educator's Journey
Meet Ginger Aaron-Brush, a veteran physical educator whose 25-year teaching career has shaped how we think about quality physical education. From an unexpected career path—sparked by a random college bulletin board flyer—to becoming Alabama's E...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 10
•
26:42
Dr. Glencross's Journey
A passionate educator's journey from PE-avoider to professor reveals powerful lessons about inclusive physical education. Dr. Hillary Glencross candidly shares how she once did everything possible to escape "gym" class – obtaining doctor's note...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 9
•
31:16
From Rugby Coach to Professor: One Educator's Route to Success
What makes an extraordinary physical educator? For Dr. Jenny Linker, it begins with relationship-building—a foundational skill that precedes all technical knowledge. In this compelling conversation, she reveals how her unconventional journey fr...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 8
•
37:44
Health Education Leadership: From The Classroom to Director's Chair
From the basketball court to the classroom to district leadership, Jill Foley's journey embodies the vibrant, multifaceted world of health education. As MAHPERD'S president and Director of Comprehensive Health and Wellness for Revere Public Sch...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 7
•
46:22
Outdoor Education: Transforming Lives Through Adventure
What if the key to transformative education isn't found in textbooks or standardized curriculum, but in the quality of relationships between teachers and students? Springfield College professors Angela Veach and Ted France challenge conventiona...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 6
•
44:42