The AFL Players’ Association today announced athletic brand lululemon as the official Yoga and Mindfulness partner.
The partnership will see lululemon offer yoga and meditation sessions along with personal development and mindfulness training to players at various AFLPA events throughout the year.
With a long history of helping AFL players prioritise wellbeing and achieve a healthy work/life balance, the AFLPA looks forward to lululemon sharing their unique culture of yoga and mindfulness with AFLPA members.
“With the increasing demands on modern day AFL players both on and off the field, it’s important that players develop tools and strategies to combat these pressures,” AFLPA CEO Paul Marsh said.
“We’re seeing more and more players engage in mindfulness activities to switch off and to also complement their physical training regimes and lululemon’s values and practices align perfectly with what we as an association encourage players to embrace.”
St Kilda veteran Sam Gilbert is thrilled that the AFLPA has joined forces with lululemon to bring mindfulness activities and resources to players.
“I’ve been in the AFL system for 13 years and I have learnt how important it is to maintain balance and to have something outside of footy to keep the mind at ease,” he said.
“Yoga has become a part of my life over the past few years and I’m excited that the younger players coming through the ranks now will have access to the values and tactics that lululemon are so focused on.”
“At lululemon, our purpose is to elevate the world through the power of practice. With our roots in yoga, we’ve spent considerable time focused on understanding the mind/body connection so mindfulness and mindful performance are an intrinsic part of our culture,” said Paul Tinkler, Managing Director, Australia and New Zealand — lululemon.
“We’re very excited to be partnering with the AFLPA as part of their wellbeing approach and to be sharing our culture, tools and resources with players, staff and delegates. We look forward to working with the AFLPA in the year ahead and supporting their people to live happy, healthy, and fun lives.”
The partnership was announced at lululemon head office this morning ahead of International Yoga Day (Thursday, 21st June).
Several AFL players took part in a morning yoga and mindfulness session alongside AFLPA CEO Paul Marsh and lululemon Managing Director of Australia and New Zealand Paul Tinkler.