By Matt Wettig
This school year, Lane will see the return of Yoga Club.
The club is headed by Zoe Prell, Div. 550, Annabel Spranger, Div. 550, and Ewelina Mikocewicz, Div. 581. The club’s sponsor is Mr. Kopack.
Kopack has been practicing yoga for more than 15 years, after a bad bicycle crash in college. He sustained extensive damage to his back, which in turn caused his muscles to atrophy.
“One night I went to the movies and the girl making popcorn noticed my injury, the brace I was wearing and everything. She said, ‘Well I know someone who can help you’ and gave me a number. I didn’t even know what it was for. The next day I called, it turned out to be a therapeutic yoga class for people with injuries,” Kopak said.
Soon Kopack started to notice physical improvements that he was not previously achieving through conventional modes of healing.
“I’ve been sold ever since,” Kopack said.
In total, it took eight months for his back to heal.
After his recovery, Kopack continued practicing yoga to improve his physical prowess. He also praises yoga for not only its physical benefits, but also mental.
“It helps for [mental] clarity, one’s ability to take difficult situations and make them manageable. Also, just simple things like, if you’re feeling lethargic you can do a certain sequence to regain your energy.”
Currently Kopack practices yoga twice a day, an hour in the morning and one to two hours after school.
Prell, Spranger, and Mikocewicz started the club with the intent of showing students how beneficial yoga can be in their lives.
“Plus, it’s nice to have a place to do yoga where you’re not the only teenager,” Spranger said.
Of the three, Spranger has the most experience with yoga. She was introduced to it by her mother at a young age, but did not begin to attempt it on her own until sixth grade. She cites increased ability to focus and physical challenge as her biggest perks from yoga.
The club will be practicing Iyengar Yoga, which is a specific type that places emphasis on breathing techniques and posture. As the club’s sponsor, Kopack will be instructing and helping student’s with their poses.
Although they have already had their first meeting, new students are still encouraged to join.
“Most of the members are beginners,” Prell said. “Only a few have prior experience, but very little.”
Spranger sees this as a positive, “We’ll start easy and work our way up.”
Future meeting locations are to be determined. For more information or questions you can visit the Lane Tech Yoga Club Facebook page.
