Success Stories
At Stop It Goaltending we work with motivated goalies from the pro and college level to youth hockey. These athletes are looking for an edge on the competition and are dedicated to their sport, performing at a high level and staying injury free. Four years ago, Kim Johnson joined the staff at Stop It Goaltending and the response was immediate and overwhelming. Not only do our high level goalies recognize the value of yoga, but our younger athletes are introduced to this essential element of training. Kim Johnson is a valued member of our team and has had a tremendous impact on our program and clients. Kim is a talented instructor, passionate about training athletes and I am very appreciative of the results she has had with our goalies.
– Brian Daccord (President, Stop It Goaltending)
I have been training with Kim now for over three years, I have seen results not only in my game on the ice, but also off the ice. Yoga has helped me train my muscles to become stronger, more flexible, while also working together at the same time. I feel more confident on the ice because I know I have trained properly and my body is better able to react to any circumstance without any impingement. Yoga has also strengthened my mental game, the disciple and focus involved in every practice has helped me to further my game while also teaching me to relax with meditation and learning to worry only about what is in my control. Kim was the first one to show me what Yoga was and I can feel the benefits in my everyday life now. I feel healthier and stronger than I ever have before. Kim’s expertise and knowledge about yoga has brought me from a beginners role to someone who now practices yoga every week. The professionalism and passion Kim shows for yoga is second to none, and her care and special interest she takes in every student is truly extraordinary. I am now a student of Yoga for life after being connected to Kim and consider her a close personal friend.
– Cody Reichard (Goaltender of Indy Fuel ECHL, Hobey Baker Finalist, NCAA Top Goaltender)
I’ve had the pleasure of knowing and working with Kim for almost 8 years. In that time, I have taken many yoga classes with various teachers. The differentiating aspect that separates Kim from the rest is her genuine compassion for the physical and emotional needs of the people she works with. When working with Kim, yoga is not just a series of poses. She develops a comfortable and personable environment that allows you to combine both the emotional and physical aspects within the practice of yoga, allowing for a more complete experience.
– Mike Condon (Montreal Canadiens goalie, former Goaltender for Princeton University)
I began working with Kim at The Athlete’s Yoga when I was 15 years old. Knowing nothing about yoga at the time, I gave it a shot. Despite having my doubts, I became immediately drawn in by how much more relaxed I felt both mentally and physically. From then on, I committed to making yoga part of my training regimen. On the ice, I started to feel lighter on my feet, more flexible physically, and calmer mentally. It’s a fast game, but through yoga with Kim I learned to breathe through everything, allowing me to slow it down and be in more control of my game. I truly believe that yoga can provide an edge for all athletes, especially goalies. I’m not sure I would be playing pro hockey today had I not been introduced to it years ago.
– Colin Stevens (Florida Panthers prospect, former Goaltender for Union College, First Time All ECAC, ECAC goalie of the year, NCAA All-American, 3x ECAC Champions, 2014 NCAA National Champion)
It has been almost three years since I began working with Kim and since that time a lot has changed in my life. The growth that I have experienced is large in part to do with the teachings that Kim has shared with me. From the simplest saying of “effort-less” to breathing techniques that have not only improved my Yoga practices, but have helped my career as a professional baseball player immensely. Being on the mound in a bases loaded situation may be worry some to most but Kim has taught me to find my focus and breathe to relax myself. Her adaptability and caring is part of the amazing experience I have had working with Kim, she takes into consideration how my body is feeling during the off-season and manages to help me on the fly! Kim’s passion, dedication and conviction towards her teachings may be most impressive! She comes to practice on a daily basis ready to work, improve, not only her athletes but herself. Kim also takes an interest in each and every one of her students from their sports, to their personal lives, and everything in between. There is nothing like NAMASTE YOGA the Athletes Yoga!
– Dan Mahoney (Minor League Baseball Pitcher for NY Yankees Organization)
I first started Yoga when I was 14 at Brian Daccord’s Stop It Goaltending camp in June. My first time was miserable. I went in thinking it was going to be a relaxing, easy experience, but I was wrong. I was instantly drenched in sweat and I could not understand how anyone could like something so difficult. However, as I continued yoga for the remainder of the summer, I understand how it could be enjoyable. It was not until I was 16, however that I really began to enjoy it. Kim and I have grown to have a special relationship and she is always there for me when I need it. Yoga has helped me improve my flexibility, balance, mental strength and overall understanding of myself. Kim has always been the most reliable person that I know. She is dedicated to helping anyone who comes to her and without her, I don’t know where I’d be today. As a 14 year old drenched in sweat, I never would have imagined that I would still be doing yoga today. Yoga has improved me greatly as a hockey player, but it has improved me as a person as well.
– Drew Michals (NHL 2013 Preliminary Draft List, 165th overall draft pick of QMJHL)
I started doing yoga with Kim Johnson when I was 16 and had trouble at first. I thought yoga was really hard and I fought the movements. I definitely thought it was not for me and almost hated it, but I kept with it the next summer and began to see improvement in my athletic performance. Kim’s yoga truly helped me become a fully rounded athlete instead of just a hockey goalie, as I was able to move faster and reach further when stopping the puck. This, along with the peace of mind her style of yoga produces, allowed me to truly elevate my game. Now four years later, I would not train in the summer without Kim and her brand of yoga.
– Tyler Stillings (Goaltender for Assumption College)
Kim is the reason we have a flourishing yoga program at Bb&N today. She’s given our students a whole new way to support themselves, both physically and emotionally. Interest in yoga at the Upper School has come alive under Kim’s guidance, and everyone from competitive athletes to afternoon art students have made their way to Kim’s yoga classes. Students benefit from her engaging, creative and challenging teaching style, while her warmth, ease of connection and knowledge of the practice create a perfect environment for growth. Assisting Kim over the past two years has given me the foundation to teach my own yoga classes – I’m grateful to her!
– Lelia Evans (Fellow Yogi/Yoga instructor and Spanish teacher at Buckingham, Browne & Nichols)
Kim Johnson has taught at Lawrence Academy in one capacity or another for six years. She is an extraordinary teacher for the young and for the young at heart. Spirited and original, she motivates through kindness, humor, and her own unquestionable example of mind-body health.Warm and understanding on the outside, there is an unmistakable tough core within, a combination that draws people to admire her and want to work with her.
– David Smith (Lawrence Academy – English, Winterim Director)
Kim is a gifted yoga instructor who is incredibly talented with an unmatched passion for her work. She has a gift of tailoring each practice to the needs of her class/students and pushes you to your limits in a comforting yet challenging way. You leave her class with such a sense of accomplishment, spiritual and physical awakening. Kim is a true teacher of yoga who with her warmth and generosity guides you to explore your edge. I have witnessed first time yoga students and the transformations they undergo from taking Kim’s class – it is inspiring! She also inspires me in my own practice and was a big facilitator in my exploration and love of yoga. It is impossible to leave her class without feeling light, centered and renewed. I have never come across a teacher that cares so deeply about her students, and is so willing to share her beautiful gift of yoga with others so openly.
– Meaghan Adamyk (Fellow Yogi)
Before starting yoga, my freshman year, I was very skeptical. I thought to myself, ‘How can this possibly help me?’ Like many on my team I was hesitant to try this new activity. I am not very flexible, and although I may look like I have a lot of strength, my core and upper body was not as strong as I thought when I started. The first couple sessions for me were hard and tiring. I would wake up the next day with my body aching. However, after the first couple sessions I really allowed myself to focus on what yoga is all about; Ouija breathing and Uddiyana Bandha. These helped me focus on my breathing and engage my core. I have learned over these three years to focus my breathing, in order for me to deepen my poses and relieve pain. Also, with the practices yoga has taught me, I have been able to let myself escape and relax during each session. Along with the stress relief, my body has become more flexible, and I have been able to strengthen my core. Although I only have one more preseason left with Yoga Kim, I want to continue my practice and even try to get my mom and friends to come with me. Yoga has really impacted my life, and I know (from experience with my team) that even if you are skeptical or do not like yoga in the beginning, by changing your perspective you can really enhance your experience. Namaste!
– Alicia Papineau (Bentley University Lacrosse Player)
I have been attending yoga sessions with Kim since they have been offered as an addition to Stop It Goaltending’s hockey camp. These yoga sessions have made a tremendous impact on my goaltending, as well as my health. Yoga has helped my game by improving my flexibility and strength. It also provides a way for me to not only physically relax my body, but also to mentally relax. Yoga has significantly reduced the amount of injuries that I have experienced since I started practicing. It has also allowed me to enjoy an improved amount of flexibility, especially in my hips. Kim’s specifically tailored sessions, which are geared towards goaltending, have provided me with the poses that best tailor to my specific sport. Kim has inspired me to not only continue my yoga practice, but to also continue it after my hockey career is over.
– Marcus Calvanico (Goaltender for Connecticut College)
I worked with Kim Johnson for over three years when I was at Lawrence Academy. My work with her included weekly yoga training with our team as well as two weeks straight of yoga training during the school’s winterim program. Her knowledge of yoga as it relates to being a better hockey player is second to none. When you train year round, incorporating her yoga programs will keep you injury free but will also get you stronger and more flexible. Despite going to Ohio for college, I still keep in touch with Kim on a regular basis for advice on training and to talk because beyond yoga coaching, she is a tremendous motivator and person.
– Chelsea Knapp (Goaltender for Ohio State, Named to US Women’s Under 22 Team, former goaltender at Lawrence Academy)
When I started doing yoga with Kim four summers ago, I found it difficult and frustrating. What I had expected to be a relaxing, meditation-like class left me physically exhausted and embarrassingly self conscious about my lack of flexibility. But over the last four years, Kim’s patience and kindness have encouraged me to stick with it, and yoga has increased my quickness and flexibility, given me more mental composure on the ice, and helped me stay calm and relaxed off of it. Hockey injuries have forced me to get surgery on both hips and my right knee, but yoga has allowed me to recover from those injuries, heal my muscles, and protect myself from future injury. I can confidently say that without yoga I would not still be able to be playing hockey competitively. When I’m home, I train with Kim every chance I get–not just because she’s a great teacher, but also because she’s a wonderful, caring person who truly cares about each and every one of her students.
– Sam Parker (Goaltender for Colby College, Voted Defensive Player of the Year in his inaugural year, Norman E. Walker Award for Most Improved player, voted All-ISL as goaltender for Buckingham Browne & Nichols school)
