Here’s the setting: The cavernous Virtue Field House at Middlebury College, 10 a.m. on a quiet Sunday morning early in the fall, the football season. Some 40 to 50 young men, all dressed similarly, shorts and t-shirts with “Middlebury Football” lettering, are arranged in front of a solitary figure who is leading these men, 300-pound linemen as well as 180-pound backs and receivers, through a series of yoga poses and mind-body exercises.

The leader of this session is Prem Prakash a slight, compact man in sweatpants and a “Panthers Football” t-shirt. His gray hair cascades to his shoulders and his long salt and pepper beard (more salt than pepper!) comes to his chest. The atmosphere is focused but not somber. The purpose of this day’s session is recovery. These players competed in the previous day’s football game and they are stiff and sore and bruised.

Prem Prakash (one name in two parts) describes this post-game routine, “They’re ‘banged up’ and feel better after this workout. We focus on flexibility, spinal alignment, structural stability, and trauma recovery — and conclude with a guided recovery meditation as they lie on their backs with their eyes closed.”

Middlebury football coach Doug Mandigo could not endorse Prem Prakash more heartily. “He loves football, he loves our guys; he’s tremendous, so enthusiastic, positive. He brings good energy to our players — and to me!”

Prem Prakash is the founder and co-director with his wife, Lesley Ambika Gibbs, of the Green Mountain School of Yoga in Middlebury. He has been associated with Middlebury College athletics for over 30 years. Last week over lunch at Rosie’s, he shared with me the origin story of his relationship with the college.

It all started with Missy Foote, Middlebury’s Hall of Fame lacrosse and field hockey coach, who was the director of physical education back then. Middlebury had a physical education graduation requirement at that time (and still does).

“Missy asked me to teach a PE class,” he said. “I told her ‘No.’ I didn’t want to dumb down yoga, as it’s so precious to me, so some knucklehead frat boy could get his PE credit! She was in a jam, so I said I would do it for one semester. But I found the kids passionate and inquisitive. I have enjoyed being there since day one.”

Today, Sarah Raunecker heads the PE Program. “Prem is one of our longest standing PE instructors and he teaches all five sessions (each session is five weeks long) and students LOVE his classes,” she said. “He even had packed classes over Zoom during the pandemic.”

Sarah, also the coach of the volleyball team, added, “He’s become an integral part of our team’s recovery routine as we consistently do yoga with him on Sunday mornings. (He is) our wellness guru!”

Prem Prakash estimates he has been connected to the ski team for about 25 years, and the football team for 15 years. “Forest Carey hired me first,” he explained. Carey was an All-American skier at Middlebury as a student, coached the Middlebury ski team from 2003-07, and served for 14 years as the national ski team’s coach.

Prem Prakash continues to work with the Panther skiers. Stever Bartlett, the ski team coach since 2007, wrote that “Prem is a super-fan who pumps our success and finds positivity in our failures.”

Stever quoted one of his skiers, junior Sabastian Segre, who said, “Prem’s teaching and yoga sessions are a beautiful mix of recovery, strength, mobility, spirituality, and guided meditation — different from the intensity of our training on the snow, but welcome in the difficulty and the challenge.”

Prem Prakash’s longstanding football connection came through good scouting. Joe Early, a football assistant coach at Middlebury for 14 years, asked Prem Prakash if he could sit in on his sessions with skiers. He brought back a good report to coach Bob Ritter and a productive long-term relationship with the football team was established.

LOCAL YOGA TEACHER Prem Prakash has been associated with Middlebury athletics for over 30 years. He adapts his practice to the needs and routines of the teams and players he works with.
Photo credit/Will Costello

What Prem Prakash does varies from team to team.

“Over the years I have developed routines for athletes that suit them in their sports. There is a mind-body connection to what I do. We tend to the body before it gets injured and have practically eliminated hamstring problems from football, for example. Pre-hab is easier than rehab.”

Prem Prakash is originally from Philadelphia and lived there through his high school years (he is an avid Philadelphia Eagles fan, so is a happy man this week). “I loved sports, but I never excelled. In high school, not a big kid, I focused on wrestling.

“I didn’t know the word ‘epiphany,’ but I experienced something. I knew that life was more profound than what I was being taught. I wanted to probe that profundity. I have had a daily practice of yoga and meditation since 1979. In my twenties, I found my first guru, teacher.

“College was an extended adventure for me,” he said and told the story of taking organic chemistry in 1982 at the University of Pennsylvania, for just two classes, before deciding to bike to New England with his girlfriend.

“It was so different from Philly. I was surprised I didn’t need a visa! I said, ‘This is where I want to live!’”

His first job in Vermont was in a machine shop in Winooski, requiring that he get up at 3:30 a.m. to meditate and undertake his yoga practices. He came to Middlebury in 1985 to work at Project Independence. Before long, he established himself as a presence in athletics at Middlebury College.

“It’s a dream come true,” he said. “I never expected to be a part of a sports program. I thought sports and yoga were two different worlds. Once the athletes found out how effective the practice of yoga can be, it sells itself.”

Men’s and women’s cross-country coach Nicole Wilkerson said of Prem Prakash: “He has worked with our cross-country team for many, many years now. He gives the team constant and quiet support, listens well to their needs, and provides a much-needed outlet for ‘quiet time’ for them.

“He is so kind and genuine.”

Karl Lindholm Ph.D. is the emeritus dean of advising at Middlebury College and retired assistant professor of American Studies. He can be reached at [email protected].