Yoga is different from physical exercise. While physical exercise fortifies your external organs, Yoga strengthens your mental strength. That is it makes you focus on the vital things and ignore the unwanted things. This is more important for a sportsman. That's why Yoga plays an important role in sports.
Yoga is more a discipline than a sport.One has to follow all the different steps and do it the right way to get the maximum benefits out of it...It helps a sportsman become agile ...
Yoga makes your body flexible, which is required in sports of any kind. Yoga doesn't need any equipment, you can do it all by yourself. Yoga coupled with meditation helps in mental wellbeing too, increases your concentration and helps to focus.
Yoga makes us fit physically, mentally and spiritually. Besides giving more flexibility to our body, Yoga makes us more confident and increases our power of concentration. All these traits are essential for a good sportsman.
Yoga provide flexibility and hence a good sportsperson should have flexible body not stiff, yoga also increases stamina which also needed to a sportsperson...
Yoga warms you up for the next activities that you are going to do. It is a stimulator which works will for the body and keeps it in a prepared state. And yes, don't forget that it works well for the mind too.
Sports is not only physical activities. If a man properly fits physically and mentally he will be the topper in sports. Hence Yoga is the best choice to prepare mentally.