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High school athletes at Morse mix in yoga

Between practice double sessions, athletes from Bath are taking a timeout to focus on themselves. Yoga has become a part of their routines, all because of an English teacher on a mission to help athletes reach their potential.

BATH (NEWS CENTER Maine) -- No whistles, no drills, just a familiar and calming voice.

When Morse English teacher Johnna Stanton isn't shaping young minds in the classroom, she's shaping bodies on the yoga mat, guiding Morse athletes through a session designed specifically for them.

"I definitely think yoga helps athletes stay safe," says Stanton. "We're working on their pliability. When I cue, I talk about what it's doing to their bodies."

From football players, to cross county runners, to every fall sport in between, boys and girls from Bath gravitate toward what yoga has to offer them.

"When you start really strenuous work outs in the summer after a full summer of not really doing that much exercise, it's good to stretch it out," says junior soccer player Gavin Hanna.

Ms. Stanton often leads classes on the fields the teams practice on, but Ebb and Flow Yoga lets her use a room for free when its too hot or rainy outside. It's a place free from distractions where kids who are used to thinking of the team first can take a moment to focus on themselves.

"I love that it's an hour that's just sort of for you," says senior soccer player Mae Winglass. "A lot of times, you are here with your friends and your teammates, so it's personal, but it's also a group activity where you are bonding."

The students who are coming together for a yoga work out say it makes them better all around athletes. Its also a good way to stay grounded.

"Most of the day we're all moving and running around all the time, so it's nice to just be there and lay," says senior football player Thomas Trundy.

"These are busy kids, they're our most booked kids and they don't just lay down and relax," says Stanton. "If I can provide that, then I think that's probably a real service to them."

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