Fun Sporty Dad on the Beach: Mike Duquette
Surfing, running, tennis, biking– our Fun Sporty Dad on the Beach Mike Duquette has no shortage of ways to keep busy! Read on to learn all about this teacher, tennis coach and active father of three.
Meet Mike
Virginia Beach native Mike Duquette has been enjoying an active lifestyle since his childhood days as a nationally-ranked junior tennis player. His tennis career continued as part of the UVA tennis team, and for the last decade, he’s coached both highly-ranked girls’ and boys’ tennis teams at Norfolk Academy, where he also teaches Middle School algebra.
But Mike’s real passions extend far beyond tennis. He’s a dedicated family man who is as committed to making sure his three boys have just as many memorable adventures as his parents provided for him and his two older brothers during their Virginia Beach childhood. He loves surfing, all parts of family beach adventures, the pool and Salmon Sundays at his parents’ house, and riding his single-speed bike down the boardwalk.
Fun Sporty Style
Which three words best describe your style? Strategic, Beach casual, Ginger appropriate
What are your favorite places to shop? J-Crew Factory, Amazon, any surf shop or online outdoor gear shop (like Backcountry, Patagonia, and Sierra Trading Post)
Who’s your favorite style icon? Honestly, my 2 older brothers are where I get almost all my style
What’s your best style advice? Be appropriate for the occasion. Wear flip flops if at all possible. Use layers to add variety and warmth in winter. Don’t be afraid to wear colors and patterns. Discover the SSBD (short-sleeve button-down)!
What fashion/style did you love at the time, but now cringe when you see old photos? My shaved head through high school. It was easy to maintain but now I am proud to show off the red hair!
What’s your dad superpower? Making a game out of any situation to keep the kids occupied and engaged
Facial hair or clean-shaven? Seasonal! Mix it up over the year by going with a beard, mustache, Fu-Manchu. Key is to have fun with it and realize you can always shave it off or let it grow back out.
Fun Sporty Family
What’s your favorite way to spend time with your family? Full day at the beach. Don’t forget the beach toys (shovels, umbrella, chairs, surfboards, bodyboards, beach games, etc…)
What’s been your best family vacation? Vermont. The mountains are a great change from the ocean
What’s your favorite family activity? Probably the most enjoyable time is when I run pushing my 3-year old, while my 6 and 7-year-olds ride their bikes.
Best parenting advice: Be prepared with snacks and water.
Parenting true confession: Reading to my kids at bedtime when they were younger, I would sometimes skip words, paragraphs, or even pages of books because I was tired. I thought I was tricky but little did I know my kids would catch me almost every time!
What’s your go-to family dinner? Turkey meatloaf with mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables
What’s your favorite family restaurant? Usually any Mexican. Moe’s for a quick bite. Pelons for a special occasion.
Fun Sporty Life
What’s your favorite show to binge-watch? I don’t binge-watch shows, I binge-listen to podcasts. Radiolab or Freakonomics are my go to’s!
If you could pick anyone to star as you in a movie based on your life, who would it be? Matthew McConaughey. It seems like everything he does is cool, even if its a Buick commercial
What’s your favorite sport and why? Tennis. It has been such a big part of my life, playing in college and now coaching. The exercise is unmatched and I could probably hit back and forth with my children for endless hours.
What’s your favorite band/Music Genre? Folk, Rock. It has progressed from Blink 182 in junior high to the White Stripes in college to My Morning Jacket and Vampire Weekend. I currently am enjoying some chillwave and IDM like Tycho and Poolside.
If you could hang out with anyone from history, living or deceased, who would it be? Roger Federer. He is the man!
What’s at the top of your travel bucket list? Fiji. Surf and sun!
What’s your favorite way to unwind at the end of a long day? Chilling on the couch with my kids watching PTI (Pardon the Interruption) and the day’s sports news.
Your Fun Sporty Style
Fellow gingers worldwide owe Mike a debt of gratitude for doing the unthinkable: making us look cool at the beach.
But he doesn’t just have great beach style. He embraces fun and functional style everywhere from the classroom to tennis courts to the grocery store with his kids. We also love how well his style meshes with that of his equally cool and stylish wife and kids, who are always up for incredible family adventures.
And for more great dad style, be sure to check out FamilyApp’s Dad on the Street Channel!
