The Gap in Every Athlete’s Support System
Every athlete has a team. Strength coaches push them to lift heavier. Sport coaches demand more practice. Athletic trainers focus on getting them back in the game. Physical therapists work toward returning them to full intensity.
But here’s what’s missing: three crucial things that none of these professionals provide—and that’s exactly why specialized yoga teachers are in such demand, commanding premium rates and real respect.
I’ve spent over twenty years helping athletes perform at every level, from weekend warriors to Olympians. And I’ve seen what happens when these three missing pieces finally get filled.
Thing #1: Permission to Rest
Think about every message athletes receive: Push harder. Train longer. Compete stronger. Their entire support system is designed around optimization and performance.
What’s missing? Someone who says, “You don’t have to achieve anything right now. You can just be here and rest.”
Athletes are programmed to constantly perform. They feel guilty when they rest. They think recovery is weakness. They need someone to give them explicit permission to NOT push for once—and to teach them that rest is actually part of training, not time away from it.
When I teach athletes, the most powerful thing I offer isn’t a complex sequence or advanced technique. It’s permission. And you should see their shoulders drop when they finally hear those words.
Thing #2: Tools for Mental Training
Athletes spend countless hours training their bodies. They have sophisticated programs for strength, conditioning, skill development, and tactical preparation.
But what about their minds?
Most athletes have zero formal mental training. They don’t know how to manage competition anxiety. They don’t have techniques for focus under pressure. They don’t understand how to recover mentally from setbacks.
Strength coaches don’t teach breathing techniques for stress management. Sport coaches aren’t trained in mindfulness practices. Athletic trainers focus on physical recovery, not mental restoration.
This is huge—because mental skills often determine the difference between good athletes and great athletes. The physical differences at elite levels are minimal. What separates winners is often the ability to stay focused, manage pressure, and recover from mistakes.
When you can offer athletes legitimate mental training tools, you become invaluable.
Thing #3: Connection to Their Humanity
Elite athletes are treated like machines. They’re constantly measured, analyzed, and optimized. Their value is determined by performance metrics. They’re praised when they produce and questioned when they don’t.
Over time, this creates a fundamental disconnection. Athletes start seeing themselves as performance machines rather than human beings. This contributes to overtraining, burnout, and mental health challenges.
What athletes need is someone who helps them remember they’re human. Someone who creates space for them to feel their bodies without judgment. Someone who values them for their presence, not their production.
This is what yoga uniquely provides. In a yoga session, athletes aren’t being measured or evaluated. They’re simply being present with their bodies and breath. They’re reconnecting with their humanity.
Why This Creates Opportunity for You
You’re not competing with other coaches. You’re providing something completely different—something essential that’s been missing from every athlete’s support system.
And here’s the beautiful part: age is a major advantage here. Athletes need a mother figure, a grandmother figure—someone who sees them as whole people, not just performers.
Ready to learn exactly how to position yourself as the missing link for athletes?
👉 Watch the full video on my YouTube channel for the complete breakdown, including real stories from teaching Division One football players.
And if you’re serious about working with athletes, grab my free workshop: How to Double Your Income Teaching Yoga to Athletes. It walks you through exactly how to communicate your unique value to athletes and coaches.
🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for weekly insights on building a confident, sustainable yoga teaching career!
Which of these three gaps are you most excited to fill for athletes in your community? I’d love to hear from you: @sagerountree on all the socials!
