Iron - Max

Fifth year X-Men soccer defender and team captain Max Maund has spent 105 game-time hours in a blue and white uniform.

For anyone counting, that's 6300 minutes over 69 Atlantic University Sport (AUS) regular season and playoff games. What makes it unique for the Courtenay, B.C. native is that Max Maund has not missed one minute of one X-Men game in all his five years playing for StFX.

This 'ironman' soccer status is a rare feat in a competitive AUS conference and in a game that requires a high level of endurance and a bit of luck staying healthy.

We caught up with Max and asked him about his ironman accomplishment and to reflect back on his time as an X-Man.

How old were you when you first became involved in soccer?

Ever since I can remember I've been playing, so probably around 5-6 years old was when I started playing.

Why did you choose StFX?

I originally went to the University of Victoria in my first year and I tried out for their team and they cut me. I ended up playing in the Division 1 men's team on Vancouver Island that year on a team from Nanaimo which is about an hour from Victoria. I knew a guy two years older than me who I played soccer with in high school named Dylan Kirk who played for StFX under Lou Bilek. I think he was only here for one year, however, he knew I wanted to play university soccer so around November or December of my first year he gave me some contact information for StFX.

I ended up getting Graham Kennedy's email and sent him a message saying I was interested in coming here, even though I knew almost nothing about the school. Graham was coming on a recruiting trip to Vancouver Island to look at some other players and ended up coming to watch me on his last day of the trip and after that the rest is history really. StFX gave me the chance to play university sport and also to pursue a degree in human kinetics and now nutrition.

What are your thoughts on your 'ironman' status and not missing a minute of playing time over the past five seasons?

Honestly I never really thought about it until the end of this season when I could reflect back on the past five years and I don't think it really has sunk in. Firstly, it takes an incredible amount of luck I think in terms of the situation the team was in when I arrived, suspensions and injuries.

In the past five years I have had two broken ribs and two broken ankles but for some reason, the broken ankles in particular, never happened during the StFX season, they were always during the offseason or early summer pre-season. During my seasons I have also been incredibly lucky in terms of avoiding serious injury and sickness so I was always able to dress and be an option to start every game.

I was also lucky enough to come into a situation where the team didn't have a returning player in the position that I play which gave me a good chance at earning a starting spot right off the bat which generally doesn't happen to first year players, so that motivated me to really work to make sure I was in the line-up on the very first day. After that I contribute most of my time on the playing field to having a coach and teammates that really had the utmost faith in me and my ability to perform consistently on the field. There may have been times when Graham should have taken me off but for some reason he just didn't.

How have your teammates helped shape you into the player you have become?

Growing up and once I got to StFX I have always had teammates that weren't just soccer players. They were always good friends and people I could hang out with off the field, which is more than I could ever have hoped for. This translates into a sense of trust that you have with each other on the field making performing at your best significantly easier because you really care about the guys next to you.

How have your coaches helped shape you?

I have been fortunate enough to have probably the most influential and supportive coaches throughout my career. Graham has basically been a second dad to me; he has not just been a coach on the field. I can go to Graham with anything whether it's regarding soccer, school or just life in general and he will always find time help me and share his opinion on things that I have questions about. Developing this relationship with Graham off the field definitely strengthened my relationship on the field.

Who was your hero/idol growing up?

I would definitely have to say my dad. He was always the soccer player in the family, coached me for years and always has advice in terms of things that happen on the field and how to handle some situations off the field.

Name your top three highlights as an X-Men soccer athlete.

1.  My second year in the regular season we played against Saint Mary's. We were ranked fifth in the country and had won all six games to start the season. Saint Mary's were ranked third. We were losing 1-0 at half then we went ahead 2-1 with 20 minutes left and they tied it. Then with 10 minutes left we took a free kick and Mike Marousek headed in the winner - definitely my most memorable moment here.

2. The final game of the 2010 regular season where we managed to not lose a single game.

3. The last game of the 2012 season where we beat Acadia 3-2 and I got to play my last game with my three best friends from StFX:  Andrew MacDonald, Josh MacIntyre and Ryan Casey.

What have the past five years at StFX meant to you? (both on and off the field)

These past five years at StFX has made me realize how much there is to life far beyond just playing sports. Sports will always be a massive part of my life and I plan to have a career in something sport-related, but StFX has shown me that it's not just about scoring more goals then the other team or getting more points or making the most saves. It is about the people you meet along the way and the experiences that you have and can share. These people that you meet and experiences that you have had through sport and school will help guide me and support me now that my StFX sports career is over.

Tell the fans something they may not know about you.

I am a type 1 diabetic who would live on the beach all year round if I could.

What is next on the agenda for Max Maund?

Currently I am applying for internships at a couple different places to become a strength and conditioning coach so hopefully that works out.