In what turned out to be a tough season for the Toronto Argonauts, the only glimpse of positivity and hope can be found with a look into the future. Realistically, things can only get better for the Argos who missed this season’s playoffs, mainly due to a lack of offensive drive and veteran leadership; both characteristics which can be found in their late season acquisition Maurice Mann. Mann, whom was acquired from the Hamilton Tiger-Cats midway through October, is a five-year CFL veteran and a former Cincinnati Bengals draft pick.
No stranger to adversity and hard work, Maurice Mann surrounds himself with the game of football at all times, on and off the field. When he’s not partaking in practice or team exercises, the newly acquired Argos wide receiver spends his time running Performance 5 Elite; a full curriculum training program that teaches young athletes the importance of proper training, preparation, social skills and the proper education in maintaining a lengthy career as a professional athlete, while covering the importance of the path you take to get there.
For Maurice Mann, his path in professional football is different from many stories that we hear about on a regular basis, but it is one that is not uncommon. Mann played for and practiced with six different NFL teams after being drafted by the Bengals in 2004, before making his way to the CFL in 2007.
“I didn’t think of anything else besides playing football for a living since I was a kid. I had made it to that elite level, but you know all that matters growing up being from a small area was to just to make it,” explained Mann.
“It wasn’t about maintaining a career, it was more about living in the moment and enjoying where I was. If I had took a couple different steps throughout my journey, I would have prepared myself better for the opportunity and that’s kind of what happened,” he added.
Performance 5 Elite helps prepare young athletes at an elite level, while demonstrating the essentials necessary in being a true successful professional, on and off the field.
“Through all the various places I was, training was always important to me. I started to put together workouts that resembled the team’s workout I was with at the time. I put that together as an off-season workout, and later met someone who’s a behind-the-books type of guy and we put together a curriculum of things we thought would be beneficial for athletes to know, from combine notes to what drills to prep for, there’s prepping for everything,” said Mann
Stressing the importance of early childhood athleticism, Maurice Mann says he enjoys working with children of all ages and offers different age groups different encouragement.
“The most influential in terms of motor skills and figuring out the type of athlete I want to work with on the field is the younger age of athletes, usually 10-13,” Mann explained. “But as far as the education process of being a professional, I think the high school and college kids are the best to work with. “
For many young aspiring athletes, the mentality and focus remain solely within the game they aspire to play. The reality of the business aspect in today’s sports world is a confusing and daunting aspect that some athletes are not ready to handle after being drafted or even during their journey to success. Proper preparation to keep yourself in the best possible position for your career is an aspect that isn’t stressed on most young athletes.
“The motivation for improvement is very important for me, I always want you to feel like you need to challenge yourself to improve in whatever your weakest at and the things that you’re strong at because that’s a big part of understanding who you are as a person and as an athlete. Just understanding what you need to improve can help you become well-rounded in a lot of other things.”
For Maurice Mann, the journey in which he took to play the game he loved for a living is one worth sharing. A commitment to the development of the next generation of superstars mentally, physically and economically is an important factor for the future of professional sports.
For more information on Performance 5 Elite, visit www.P5elite.com
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