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Funeral service set for Todd Mann, former WHS activities director
Posted: Monday, December 7, 2009 4:53 pm
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Funeral service set for Todd Mann, former WHS activities director

Todd Mann
By ZACH HACKER
Sports Editor

WASECA — The passing of one of the leaders of Waseca’s athletics community Sunday has left many in Waseca in mourning.

Todd Mann was Community Education Recreation Director in Waseca for 10 years before taking over as activities director at Waseca High School in the Fall of 2000. He held that position until the Spring of 2005. He was also the varsity baseball coach for the Bluejays from 2001-2004. In 2005, he started the Waseca High School Athletics Hall of Fame and was enshrined as a member in 2008. The Waseca native was a seven-time letter winner with the Bluejays when he graduated in 1983.

Mann, 45, died Sunday night after a battle with cancer.

A visitation will be held from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at McRaith Funeral Home in Waseca. A service is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Friday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Waseca.

Former Waseca activities director and head baseball coach Tink Larson knew Mann since he was five-years-old. Mann was friends with Larson’s son, Mike, as they came up through elementary together. Larson coached Mann on the baseball diamond when he reached high school and later coached with him. Mann was an assistant coach for the Bluejays baseball team while Larson was head coach and when Larson retired in 2000, Mann took over head coaching duties with Larson staying on as his assistant.

“He was a good man,” Larson said. “He had the perfect job when he was the AD because he loved sports and he loved being around the kids. He meant a lot to this community. He lived here his whole life and coached at all levels. He touched a lot of people through sports. A lot of people will remember all of the things he’s done. This is just a tremendous loss for the community.”

For the last year and a half, Mann has been an assistant baseball coach at Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato. As of about 2 p.m. Tuesday, 597 people had joined a Facebook group started by Ryan Lussky, one of his players at BLC, titled “RIP Coach Mann — 22.”

Vikings’ head coach Ryan Kragh said his impact on the community at BLC was also great, as he served as a role model to his team both by being a great coach and a great father to his nine-year-old son, Ty.

“Our guys loved him,” Kragh said. “He was the perfect role model for them and you’re not going find a better dad. The kids see him running around the field with Ty every day and that sets such a great example for them.”

Kragh said the team has not met as a group yet, but plans to memorialize Mann this season.

“We are going to retire his jersey number,” he said. “I know there are some players that have written poems and done drawings for him. This has been really tough on the team. I’m just giving them a little time to reflect and then we’ll all meet and figure out what we want to do to honor him. There wasn’t a single kid on the team that didn’t love him.”

Larson said Mann will be remembered in Waseca for the man he was, and the impact he made on the community as a whole.

“He meant a lot because he gave a lot,” he said. “Not only to the students and the athletes, but he gave a lot to the programs and the school and the coaches. He enjoyed working with them and they enjoyed working with him, too.”



Zach Hacker is at 507-837-5447 or zhacker@wasecacountynews.com
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Member Opinions:
By: straightshooter on 12/7/09
I'm currently working out of town and was shocked just now to read this. I grew up with Todd and I always counted him as a good friend. Most people remember him for his baseball talents, but some of my best memories of him were on the ice playing hockey together as kids.

By: DanACunningham on 12/7/09
This is sad news. I used to attend the Braves games back in the day when Todd was catching for the team. Although I was only an unknown spectator in the bleachers, whenever he would see me at Wal-Mart or Hy-Vee he always recognized me and went out of his way to say hello. It's said that you can tell the character of a person by how he treats someone who can do nothing for him.

By: CathyHoy on 12/7/09
The community has lost a true Blue Jay today. Todds commitment to kids, being a great Dad, coach, mentor, AD will always live on in this community.

By: The_Franchise on 12/7/09
"Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game." TM22

Narv, you will be missed.


 
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