TESTIMONIALS
Christian Attong
UWI Cave Hill Barbados, 2020; SSFL St Mary’s College Intercol
Maurice Nunes is the number one trainer in Trinidad. It was because of all those sprints, squats, deadlifts, burpees and hops and so much more that you had us doing got me to fly so high!
Mikhail McComie
University of Missouri, Kansas City, class of 2022 (NCAA D1); Trinidad & Tobago National Football Team, 2020; SSFL, Fatima College Intercol
The Yard has been a place I’ve been since I was youth. This place is my home away from home. Since coming here from around 15 years old, I’ve seen my own progression both physically and mentally as well. Coach Maurice has helped me develop my core strength which often set me apart from my other teammates and opposition. What you get here is incomparable as each athlete’s body type is identified and the workouts are tailored in a way for you to develop your strengths based on that. What we receive here tests your limits and develops that mental toughness needed for success.
Additionally, Maurice’s story is one of my key motivational factors. Seeing him come back from such a paralyzing stroke to lifting the same weight as before, and even more than his athletes, is unbelievable and rare. He has a fantastic story and this shows the drive and determination that the Yard brings. HERE, THE BEST IS TRAINED BY THE BEST.
Tevin Lessey
Corpus Christi FC (USL) Anderson University, (NCAA DII) 2021; SSFL Queens Royal College Intercol
Upon being introduced to The Yard by my “brother” Mikhail Mc Commie, I did not know what I was getting myself into. I was not aware that I was entering a “bootcamp” like training that would transform my perspective on training forever.The Yard introduced me to a different type of training, a type of training that not only pushes your physical limits, but also your mental barriers. What may seem as impossible during the first session may simply be a walk in the park after a couple weeks.
I was able to witness improvements in my speed, overall strength and my mental toughness. Guided by the expertise of Coach Maurice, I was able to achieve a level of fitness that was foreign to me. The Yard Dawgs experience is one that is composed of daily hard work, a family-like atmosphere and at least three inspirational quotes from Maurice himself per day. This is an experience I certainly recommend to anyone.
Joshua Araujo-Wilson
Jacksonville University, 2022 (NCAA D1); SSFL Fatima College Intercol
The Yard. Where to begin? What I thought was going to be a continuation of my weight training at my University turned out to be the most strenuous training I have ever done. Coach Maurice pushes his athletes beyond their limits without risking injuries. Every session builds off one another and tests both your physical and mental capabilities. Coach Mau also takes the time to build a relationship with his athletes, treating them more like his family than his clients. His flexibility when it comes to training hours has allowed me to get in good training sessions whenever I can. One surprising thing about Coach Mau is that he works out with his athletes to show them that he can do it after having a stroke, now there’s no excuse why you can’t. This is a big motivator for me to work even harder.
Jelani Christopher
St. John’s University, BS 2018 and MBA 2020; SSFL St Mary’s College Intercol
First of all, EVERYONE had to train at The Yard at some point. Whether it was before you started university or during the breaks between semesters, you had to experience it. Training at The Yard was always difficult and an excellent challenge for all of us. Coach Maurice always pushed us to do better and to be better. I always knew that I was in for a great workout when I went there. On the surface, the workouts themselves were extremely tough, but rewarding. I was able to see my body improving after each training session, which always encouraged me to return and give 100 % at The Yard.
Beneath the surface however, the environment that Coach Maurice created for us, with his funny stories and always pushing us to work hard, taught us a lot of useful life lessons. He has a great ability to mix fun, laughter and hard work all in one for everybody that is around. This taught me qualities such as perseverance, work ethic and the ability to enjoy working hard at the same time. This has helped me a lot ever since I came to University in the US. I still continue to go to the gym and work hard, while enjoying every minute of it. I learned how to assist others in their workout and push them to do more. Coach Maurice and The Yard taught me comradery and teamwork which are two qualities that are essential in university and life on the whole.
The Yard continues to be a safe haven for many youths and adults who are seeking a non-judgmental place to work hard, improve their fitness and have endless laughter in the process. I am eternally grateful for the positive impact that Coach Maurice and The Yard has had on me.
Jean-Marc Nunes
University of South Florida, 2022; SSFL, St. Mary’s College Intercol; St. Mary’s College Track & Field
What’s known as The Yard to everyone, is just home for me. The consistency, dedication and discipline required for fitness of any sort was ingrained in me from the earliest of years. I was athletically gifted as a child and coupled with such an environment almost guaranteed success in most of the sports I tried. In the early years everything came easy. I had quickly accumulated over 200 medals and 10+ trophies across three sports; football, track and field and Karate, even achieving the level of black belt. However, as I was approaching my teenage years there was a major problem, I was an extremely late bloomer. Though it may sound minor to some, for a child with olympic dreams it was devastating. During this time I became physically inferior to both my peers and competition and it’s when The Yard or more so it’s principles really changed my life.
There was a drastic drop in my athletic success. I went from being the first pick in everything to the sidelines and in some cases, not even on the team. It was a tough pill to swallow and I reached the point of quitting everything many times but my dad, Coach Maurice Nunes, and crew at The Yard would never allow that. Dad has this crazy ‘winners never quit’ mentality that rubs off on anyone who’s around him and it’s what has allowed him to push past many limits over the years. He encouraged me to double down on academics and I was constantly reminded that the years of consistency, dedication and discipline would pay off soon. He was right. At the age of 18, I was awarded an academic scholarship to the University of South Florida using the same dedication and discipline I grew up watching. I can’t say that I’ve been the most successful athlete or a genius of any sort. However I am very proud of my achievements thus far and I look forward to any new challenges.
The support and lessons from The Yard didn’t just help me achieve a temporary fitness goal. The support and lessons equipped me with the confidence to achieve ANY goal which I set my mind to and for that I’m eternally grateful.
Kyle Alvarez
St. John’s University, Queens, NY, BS 2018 and MBA 2020; SSLF, St Mary’s College Intercol
Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work”. (Kevin Durant) I recall first hearing this quote just over ten years ago. As a youth, I’ve always been interested in presentations that provide the motivation to work hard in one’s quest to achieve the ultimate reward of success. It was therefore a natural fit for me when I was introduced to my physical fitness trainer, Coach Maurice Nunes, who ensured that the Kevin Durant quote mentioned above become even more familiar to me. Mr. Nunes operates a private gym at his home known as THE YARD, as it is affectionately called. It consisted of just about five members when I was first introduced to the family back in 2013. That number has grown tremendously over the years as from time to time I would learn of members who had trained at The Yard before me and would be introduced to new members, almost all who started based on a referral from a friend who had seen great results since training with Maurice.
I learnt very early in my membership that Maurice was a no-nonsense instructor. He always reminded us that he was committing his time and energy and he expected each individual to do their best and this could have been achieved through hard work.
Prior to my introduction to The Yard, I struggled tremendously with maintaining my physical fitness and wellbeing. The primary hurdles for me during this period was finding motivation to maintain a consistent workout regime and understanding exactly what I needed to do to achieve the goals I had envisioned for myself. My introduction to The Yard came by way of my friend and schoolmate, Christian Attong, who was then the St. Mary’s College Intercol Goalkeeper. It was refreshing to begin with one of my peers who was at the top of game in terms of his physical fitness and know that this training was responsible for his performances. I knew that he too was exercising a level of discipline and determination to achieve his goal.
Aspects of this discipline and determination have now become a routine part of my life. This has impacted my approach to life which I now embrace from a strategic perspective. Despite my memories of sore muscles, aches and pains, I am extremely proud of myself. My physical fitness and wellbeing have been transformed. I am of the opinion that as a result of my current lifestyle, my academic development has been positively impacted.
Arising out of my experiences, and the lifestyle I have adopted, I allude my successes thus far to the engagement of hard work that The Yard has contributed to. Through this, I pride myself in the attainment of a scholarship to attend St. John’s University in Queens, New York to pursue my Bachelor of Science Degree. I am also extremely elated to have attained a further scholarship at this university where attained a Master of Business Administration.
Nathan Harte
Grace College (NAIA) and University of North Florida (NCAA D1), 2021; SSFL St Mary’s College Intercol
Training in The Yard has improved my physical capabilities tremendously! It was instrumental in me making the jump from Secondary school football to becoming a Division 1 athlete. After training in The Yard for about 3 years, I must credit Maurice Nunes for transforming all facets of my athleticism from fitness to speed, endurance, and strength. Training with Maurice and having him incorporate different elements into my training definitely placed me a cut above my competition.
