GIGS
OM RUN
A yoga instructor introduces a new practice to the N.C. State baseball team by KATHERINE POOLE
“W
ould you be intimidated by teaching yoga to 35 collegeaged guys?” That’s one of the first questions Scott Ensell, Assistant Athletic Trainer for the N.C. State baseball team, asked Justin Anne Patterson. “No,” she replied. “I got this.” Patterson has been leading yoga sessions with the baseball team since last October, when Ensell got the go-ahead from the coaching staff to incorporate the practice into the team’s condition-
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photography by SMITH HARDY
ing program. As a trainer, Ensell’s main focus is injury prevention, stretching and breathing techniques, so yoga is a natural fit. And, as it turns out, so is Patterson. “We love Justin Anne. She really relates to the guys. She gets their sense of humor and fits into the group,” says Ensell. Patterson meets with players for 45 minutes to an hour at the Wolfpack’s Close-King Indoor Practice Facility, where workouts happen right on the field, no mats required. “AstroTurf is perfect for yoga!” says Patterson. “It was made for people to fall down on.”
During the pre-season, Patterson focused on stretching and stability. She also targeted key areas for baseball players like upper body strength, single leg balancing and torso rotation. And for fun, she taught them inversions and arm balances. She laughs as she recalls watching all those large, powerful bodies attempting headstands. Now that the season is underway, she's transitioned more into restorative yoga, “the stretchy, feel-good stuff.” Ensell says he’s pleased with the results. Players report feeling more flexible and less sore after intense training prac-
