MELBOURNE, Fla. – While bodybuilding is now a passion for Florida Tech Assistant Athletic Trainer Nigel Maven, his foray into the sport happened by coincidence.

"One day in undergrad (at Colorado State-Pueblo) I was just cutting grass on a huge John Deere and I got a phone call," he said. "That phone call was a sponsor company saying that they had heard my name through a friend at the gym and they wanted to sponsor me to try my first show. Before that, all I knew was it was like guys in speedos and things like that."

Maven couldn't have known then what that phone call would lead him to, but he is grateful that he took the chance. Years later, Maven is an accomplished bodybuilder, having won the Men's Physique Division at the Bodybe1 Classic in Dothan, Alabama this past July, which qualified him for the Mr. USA National Championship. 

The years since have broken many other preconceived notions about bodybuilding that not only Nigel had but many of the scholar-athletes he treats. 

"When athletes see photos or videos of me bodybuilding it takes out that stigma that like all bodybuilders are just like muscle heads," says Maven. "So, when people see what I'm doing, physical therapy rehab, and then they get to see I'm also bodybuilding. So, I think when they get to see I do both, it brings in more credibility not only to the sport, but I think a little more respect, like 'Okay, this guy's not all muscles".

Maven does have sponsorships for his shows but there's so much more that goes into making that a consistent part of bodybuilding beyond lifting and flexing.

"I have coaches and I have sponsors, I have a team of my own just like teams here," he says. "They have team meetings and film; we make a game plan for the whole year. We'll pick out the couple shows you want to do and then obviously as I get into the grit and the grind of competing, that's when social media comes in, where I get to show them 'Okay, now he's in cut mode'. So, you get to see what am I doing every day to look like that."

When it comes to social media, how you reach an audience, how they connect with you and whether people like your workout routine is just as important as where you place in any given competition. Maven can attest to that with an Instagram account (@_mbfitness) of over 12,500 followers that details everything from competitions and workouts to his diets, as well as his game days at Florida Tech. 

"There's a big mixture, you not only have to compete but obviously if you're competing and winning and looking well, that's good for their brand," says Maven.

"There's plenty of guys that look good but if he has no one to display what they're trying to sell, whether that's a shirt or protein, they probably won't pick him. So, I think it's a wholesale, they want you to win on stage, obviously, but they're going to see where your engagement is so they can see how the interaction and sales are going to come in through you."

In addition to everything that's needed in the weight room to be able to get on stage, the diet and lifestyle that go along with it are equally as important. Maven's diet, when in competition season, is no different and it's one you might see for a typical Olympian.

"In the offseason, obviously, it's a lot of higher carb, more calorie intake," he said. "So, we're sitting at around 3500 to 4500 calories a day, and I'm eating about eight meals a day. Every two hours, I start eating right at six, eat at eight, eat at 10, eat at 12 and we repeat that cycle throughout the day and it's the same foods. It's just a lot more of it. So, I'm going through eating six to eight bowls of rice in the offseason, and then in season I'll be happy to get a bowl and a half a day. 

"So, I'm putting my body through extreme weight gain where I'm gaining 30 to 40 pounds over here by stuffing my face, and then we switch it over and we pull those calories out and the body has no choice but to kind of lose that weight. When I'm in season, I'm still eating frequently. I eat about six times a day. It's just the portions are very small for even a guy my size."

Maven believes his bodybuilding combined with his line of work can help to educate many about what it takes to be competitive beyond what you may not see on social media or in magazines.

"A lot of people are scared that it's all heavy weights," says Maven. "So, when they see that I work with the kids or do some athletic training movements, they realize 'okay, this guy can probably get me right without making me squat 1000 pounds."

The activity, structure and discipline that the sport requires can provide benefits beyond the aesthetics that most people initially get into bodybuilding for, and Maven believes in educating scholar-athletes on how it can help them after their playing days are over.

"Some people I've worked with are just interested in lowering their cholesterol or blood pressure," he said. "So, it's not always about the grit and the grind of being a big bodybuilder, it's more the dedication that it takes to be there."

If you see Maven at the Clemente Center or on the sidelines at a Panther sporting event, his appearance may not jump out at you the way a Brandon Curry or Akim Williams would and that's by design. 

"I actually pride myself in covering up well," Maven stated. "So, when I'm at work, a lot of people can't tell, and then they see me on stage, they're like 'no way! that's you?'. When it's time for me to fix your ACL, I wear big shirts because I'm focused on your knee. It's not gym time, so I try to separate in plenty of ways."

Don't let the competitions, social media following, and pictures fool you, however. Maven's top priority remains, and has always been, the scholar-athletes of Florida Tech. 

"The biggest thing that I like to let the staff know is that athletic training always comes first," he says. "I didn't go to school that long to just lift weights, so I've tried to make it to where my season is usually at the end of the school year because I work with more than one team. What I try to do is once they get ready to go home for summer break, that's where I really hit the grind. And I'll probably compete three or four weeks straight. That way when the athletic year comes back and they all flood in, I'm here for them."

The grind never stops and while the school year can be demanding for all athletic trainers, Nigel's dedication clearly shows he lives by the mantra that you don't have to get ready if you stay ready.

"There's definitely tough days," Maven says. "Volleyball starts at 5 p.m., that means my cardio has to start at 4 p.m. Then sometimes the lacrosse ends later in the evening, which means my lift has to be at night. So, it's more of a dedication and just finding time to get it done right whether it's an hour or two, wherever it falls in. 

"That means I work on your knee and then I take an hour break and go upstairs in Clemente, or if my sponsors have me driving to Miami, to train at night, it's got to get done. It's tough but the discipline kicks in."

Arriving in Melbourne in the fall of 2020 after having previously worked at LIU-Brooklyn amongst other institutions and companies, Nigel has felt fully embraced by the Panther community and is determined to reciprocate that with everyone he works with. 

"It's just very welcoming here. I know a lot of people don't know but the sports medicine program we have now, all four of our staff are new and that was something I was looking forward to. I was coming in with four new individuals to create a new culture. Every athlete is welcoming, all the coaches are welcoming and we're really meshing as a team. Can't say that about all schools. I feel like every athlete has opened and embraced me very well here at Florida Tech."

The responsibilities of taking care of scholar-athletes, keeping them in game shape and getting them back in action can be a lot of weight for any athletic trainer to bare. However, Florida Tech is lucky to have someone who can carry that weight and then some.