Tyler Kendall
Editor-in-Chief
On Sunday evenings in the NCHS wrestling room, the 10-0 varsity football team can be found doing yoga; the latest addition to their training sessions. “I thought it was ridiculous,” senior Beau Santero said. “But once our first yoga session happened we realized how beneficial it would be.”
The once a week yoga sessions are a new component for this season’s training. “Well I think as a coach you’re always trying to look for something to get an edge and make your players better,” head coach Lou Marinelli said. “For years we’ve always looked at something other than football training to make our guys better.”
These sessions have been smoothly implemented into the teams’ training despite some hesitations at first. “When we first started doing it, people kind of laughed, like ‘why are we doing yoga?’,” senior captain Michael Root said. “But then we we’re told the college teams do it and it’s good for you.”
The influence of yoga’s popularity in college training has been one reason for the addition. “In our research in the off season, I talked to a lot of college coaches, and they seemed to all be going toward yoga,” Mr. Marinelli said. “So then I also talked to Sue Root, who does yoga herself, and she knew a yoga place and that she could get someone to come in.”
Knowing that yoga is being used in college sports has had a positive effect on some players’ attitudes toward the sessions.“We kind of thought [Marinelli] was joking, but then we realized it’s actually a big deal,” Beau said. “I think it’s been helpful at the end of the day.”
Mr. Marinelli agreed. “I think the feedback has been good,” he said. “You know, it’s one of those things where it’s extra. If guys are going to make fun of it, I’ll throw them out, just say ‘go home, you don’t have to be here.’ But I haven’t had to get rid of anyone yet.”
The yoga sessions have been implemented once a week and are typically the last component of the teams’ weekend practice. “The sessions are either on Saturday or Sunday, for about 45 minutes to an hour,” Mr. Marinelli said. “It’s usually two days after a game. So if we play Friday night, then on Sunday afternoons we’ll do yoga.”
The timing of the yoga classes is related to the game schedule. “We do yoga a couple of days after games just to get out the soreness, stretch out, and help prevent injuries,” senior Mike Donnelly said. “It’s a great way to recover from a big game.”
Beau agreed. “Football games are really physical, so there’s wear and tear,” he said. “With yoga we get to recover after 48 minutes of pretty serious physical play.”
Since starting yoga, the football team has experienced less injuries. “We’ve definitely have had a lot less injuries than normal,” senior Ryan Mckenna said. “Last year we had a good amount, and since we started yoga this year we’ve cut that down.”
The reduction of injuries was one of the original reasons for the implementation of the sessions. “Ultimately we’re going to hope it’s going to help prevent injuries,” Mr. Marinelli said. “Now I don’t know if it’s whether because of yoga or it’s just a good year, but so far we’ve been really good with injuries.”
Yoga has provided additional benefits other than just helping to prevent injury. “Yoga increases flexibility, and it also just calms their minds from the stress that they’re under from being these athletes,” yoga instructor Julie Pryor from Pryority Fitness in New Canaan said. Ms. Pryor is one of the yoga instructors who works with the team. “Yoga just helps in all aspects of their physical fitness.”
Ryan agreed. “I think yoga has been good because it makes us more flexible, that way we can move faster and easier,” he said.
A recurring favorite of the team included relaxing poses at the end of the sessions, called the shavasana. “Corpse pose is a favorite,” Ryan said. “It’s when you lie on your back and it’s really relaxing. Everyone loves it.”
Ms. Pryor also noticed the popularity of the more relaxing poses. “They all seem to like the shavasana, which is also called corpse pose,” she said. “It’s at the end and it’s an opportunity to just let go and have a chance to just be quiet.”
Other players favor poses that specifically target commonly sore areas. “The poses where you stretch out your back and your legs are really helpful because that’s where you are usually the most sore after a game,” Mike said.
The yoga sessions are something that will continue into the future. “Certainly, with the success we’ve had, not that I’m superstitious with the success we’ve had, but I might continue yoga all through the year,” Mr. Marinelli said. “It’s great not having to just watch a video, but have a person come and make instructions. They really know what they’re talking about and I think it’s really helped.”
