For junior Matthew Buckwalter varsity soccer practice took a surprising shift away from regular practice, with the announcement that the team would be learning yoga.
“I thought it was something girls did; not guys,” Buckwalter said.
Among the hesitant was soccer coach John Fazekas.
“I wasn’t sure at first, but Jamie kept saying that it was a great thing and after I saw how they struggled during the first session I really bought into it,” Fazekas said.
Although met with skepticism, yoga practice has been reaping beneficial physical effects.
“My favorite part is being more flexible, I can only do about half the moves though. We do crazy stuff,” Buckwalter said.
Coach Fazekas agrees that improving the boys’ flexibility is a very important part of soccer.
“I think the first thing is flexibility. More than anything it helps prevent injuries,” Fazekas said.
Other teammates shared similar view.
“It gives us new balance,” senior Jamie Ivens said.
Iven’s mom is the instructor of the team’s yoga sessions.
“I think it’s cool having her there and the guys like it too,” Ivens said.
The practice was said to be a lot harder than most of the guys expected and the boys made it clear it was all business.
“We take it pretty seriously, but sometimes it’s funny, ” Buckwalter said.
The players also take on a serious mindset for the emotional advantages too.
“It helps us get in the right state of mind for the game,” Ivens said.
Instructor Mrs. Foxx also strongly focuses on the mental challenges the team faces on upcoming games.
“She encourages the kids and talks to them about how it relates to soccer, it really helps them focus,” Fazekas said.
At the beginning of the practice Mrs. Foxx made it a point to ask the players about current struggles with attitude, motivation, and teamwork.
“Mrs. Foxx says to us a lot ‘Stay on your own mat’ which basically means that we need to take care of ourselves instead of arguing with each other,” said Buckwalter.
Mrs. Foxx’s sermons don’t fall on deaf ears either.
“It’s helped me personally a lot. I don’t yell at people as much; it’s brought us together and we don’t fight as much now,” Buckwalter said.
Yoga has withstood the doubts of the athletes and has improved even more than expected.
“The fact that they spend so much time together in a different atmosphere is good. Being there, working together, has helped us become closer and more united as a team,” Fazekas said.
The players aren’t the only ones taking notice to the soccer team’s betterment. Cheerleading, baseball, and golf are also considering trying yoga tactics along with girl’s soccer who has already tried yoga practice.