Melbourne FC, an Australian rules football club, is holding weekly meditation sessions for its players.
New coach Paul Roos has introduced it to help the players relax more, after its success at his former club the Sydney Swans, according to the Australian Football League.
Josh Mahoney, Melbourne’s football manager, said that there was a specific aim behind the classes.
“We just thought with the ever-increasing and stressful environment, that it was important that our players learn some techniques to relax and escape from football, and meditation is certainly one of these techniques or tools they can use,” he said.
The whole playing squad recently attended a meditation class which taken by Roos’ wife Tami, who gave the players an introduction to the stress management technique. The players responded well to the session, according to those at the club.
Player Christian Salem spoke positively of it, saying: “That was great to do something different and really relax.”
The meditation sessions will be available to all the players throughout the pre-season period, but it is up to them whether they want to continue attending.
