With nearly 20 years of coaching experience, mainly at the minor professional level, Troy Mann has become accustomed to change.
At 54, the well-versed bench boss has helmed five different clubs in three leagues throughout his career. Amid these moves, he learned how to thrive and consistently achieve positive results as a head coach.
His most recent stop is Kingston, where Mann has made an apparently seamless transition to the Ontario Hockey League. Working with junior-aged players has proven a natural fit. He has always placed great emphasis on the instructional aspect of the game.
Mann admits that he feels comfortable with the Frontenacs.
"There are certainly different obstacles at every level," he said. "But I can't say it's been too challenging."
At the same time, Mann notes that he has had to adjust to working with younger charges. In this regard, he has received substantial support from his wife, who works as an educator. As a family they've always put a premium on academic achievements and community outreach.
"You'd be amazed at how many conversations I've had with Lori. I've always talked about coaching with her because she has that teaching background. Even more so now because she has dealt with teenagers and younger kids, whereas I've always had older players," Mann said. "Right now, with an age bracket that she is more accustomed to, there has been quite a bit of banter. What are her thoughts on situations? It's been very beneficial."
As mentioned previously, his teams are consistently competitive. Since his arrival in Kingston, the organization is on course to make the playoffs, a possibility that might have seemed distant after a slow start early in the season.
The Frontenacs are currently 28-27-2 with 58 points through 57 games, good for a .509 winning percentage. Recently, the organization has observed increased productivity from their top performers and considerable contributions from unheralded scorers.
"There has been some inconsistency in our game, and that is something we're working on," Mann said. "When we play to our structure and within our identity, we compete with a lot of the better teams. It's just trying to build that consistency with the group down the stretch here."
"We have a solid team, and can we possibly pull off an upset in the first round. I think it's doable, right? You want to believe that, but you also have to understand it does go in cycles, and next year should be the year where we hopefully make a challenge."
Mann has proven to be both the player development specialist and competitive influence that Kingston needs. Currently, his plan is working, with enthusiastic endorsement from his players. If the Frontenacs find success in the postseason, this latest chapter could be one of his best.
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