The biggest turning point in Mo Mamba’s life has to be the decision to leave all he had known in the world of basketball, and pursue a shot in the dark by moving over 1000kms away to a brand new city. This opportunity was football, and as one of the members of the reigning champion Colorado Yeti, you can see how it’s worked out for him.
It all started out with a letter – an odd one at that. While the Magic family sorted through piles of offers from high schools across the country trying to persuade him to play basketball for them, Mo sat on the one letter that didn’t. Instead, it was an offer to play a sport that he had never even considered – football. It was an absolute unknown for him. Something completely new, and clear of any painful memories. A fresh start.
It made absolutely no sense at the time to go the direction he did, but his gut told him differently. That, and it made it the most sense for his family as a whole. While other schools were willing to provide him with room and board, only Hugh Boyd Secondary was willing to provide Mo’s entire family with the opportunity to change their lives. The optics made much more sense, yet the risk was much higher.
Mo’s first couple months in Canada’s rainy city were not easy. His new workout regime saw him redistribute and add a lot of weight on. Having to manage a completely new body at the age of 16 was not something that was uncommon, but for Mo it took on a more literal meaning. As his body continued to change to fit that of a more stereotypical footballer, Mo had to relearn how his body moved, and his physical limits. Evidently all the hard work has paid off, as Mo is now a part of the NSFL, making a living playing the sport that changed his life 5 years ago.
It all started out with a letter – an odd one at that. While the Magic family sorted through piles of offers from high schools across the country trying to persuade him to play basketball for them, Mo sat on the one letter that didn’t. Instead, it was an offer to play a sport that he had never even considered – football. It was an absolute unknown for him. Something completely new, and clear of any painful memories. A fresh start.
It made absolutely no sense at the time to go the direction he did, but his gut told him differently. That, and it made it the most sense for his family as a whole. While other schools were willing to provide him with room and board, only Hugh Boyd Secondary was willing to provide Mo’s entire family with the opportunity to change their lives. The optics made much more sense, yet the risk was much higher.
Mo’s first couple months in Canada’s rainy city were not easy. His new workout regime saw him redistribute and add a lot of weight on. Having to manage a completely new body at the age of 16 was not something that was uncommon, but for Mo it took on a more literal meaning. As his body continued to change to fit that of a more stereotypical footballer, Mo had to relearn how his body moved, and his physical limits. Evidently all the hard work has paid off, as Mo is now a part of the NSFL, making a living playing the sport that changed his life 5 years ago.