Peak Performance Training for Competitive Cheerleaders
Train the Nervous System.
Win the Competition.
Breathwork, nervous system regulation, and mindset mastery — the science-backed edge your athletes are missing. For individuals, teams, coaches, gym owners, and parents.
The Problem
Your Athletes Are Losing Points
Before They Hit the Mat
The gap between what your athletes can do in practice and what they deliver under competition pressure is not a skill problem. It is a nervous system problem. Shallow breathing, unchecked anxiety, and untrained stress responses are silently costing your team points every single competition.
91%
of athletes breathe dysfunctionally
Ritsumeikan University
67-80%
of routine at >90% max heart rate
University of Tampa
2:30
seconds to deliver a season's worth of work
Meet the Founder
Mary Bostwick
Founder & Performance Coach
From the Competition Floor to Changing the Game
My name is Mary Bostwick, and Mind Over Mat was forged through both elite athletic experience and the kind of adversity that teaches you what resilience really means. I am a former NFL cheerleader and World Cup All Star Champion — I know what it takes to perform under the brightest lights and the heaviest pressure.
But my journey to founding Mind Over Mat was not linear. I am a survivor — of domestic violence, homelessness, addiction, and the kind of battles that test everything a person is made of. In June 2026, I celebrate 10 years of sobriety — a milestone that represents discipline, healing, accountability, and the refusal to let my past define my future.
That combination — elite athletic background and lived experience of trauma and recovery — gives me a unique perspective on the mind-body connection under pressure. I understand what it means to carry both love and responsibility at the highest level. I know what it feels like when your body betrays you in the moments that matter most. And I know that the nervous system is trainable.
I founded Mind Over Mat because breathwork is fundamentally missing from cheerleading, and athletes are paying the price in injuries, mental blocks, and shattered potential. This is not generic sports psychology or wellness coaching — this is a science-backed performance protocol that treats dysfunctional breathing as the root cause of athletic failure under pressure.
"The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places."
— Ernest Hemingway
Former NFL Cheerleader
World Cup All Star Champion
Brookdale College & Georgian Court University
Certified Breathwork Coach
Volunteer EMT
Author — Book Releasing Summer 2026
10
Years Sober (June 2026)
NJ
Based in Ocean County
∞
Passion for Athletes
The Journey
From the Mat to the Mission
NFL cheerleader. World Cup All Star Champion. Elite competitive athlete. Every chapter of the journey built the foundation for Mind Over Mat.
NFL Cheerleader
NFL Cheerleader
Competition
Competition
World Cup All Star
Training
Tumbling
Tumbling
Competition
Career
All Star
Career
Competition
Career
Career
Training
Competition
Coaching
Career
Competition
Programs & Services
Training for Every Level
Whether you are an individual athlete, a full team, a coach, or a gym owner — there is a Mind Over Mat program built for you.
Athletes1:1 Athlete Coaching
Personalized breathwork and mental performance training designed for your specific competition challenges. We identify your unique stress patterns and build a custom protocol.
- Custom breathing protocol
- Competition-day routine
- Mental block breakthrough
- Progress tracking
Teams & SquadsTeam Programs
Full-team integration that synchronizes breathing patterns, builds collective resilience, and creates a shared mental framework for competition day.
- Team breathwork sessions
- Synchronized warm-up protocols
- Group visualization
- Competition-day playbook
GroupsCamps & Clinics
Intensive multi-day immersions that transform how your athletes relate to pressure. Perfect for pre-season preparation or mid-season reset.
- Multi-day intensives
- Hands-on workshops
- Team-building breathwork
- Take-home protocols
Coach Education
For CoachesLearn to integrate nervous system training into your existing coaching framework. Become the coach who trains the whole athlete — body, breath, and mind.
- Certification program
- Practice integration guides
- Athlete assessment tools
- Ongoing support
Gym Owner Packages
For Gym OwnersDifferentiate your program with science-backed mental performance training. License the Mind Over Mat system for your facility and give your teams an edge.
- Program licensing
- Staff training
- Marketing materials
- Facility integration
Parent Resources
For ParentsUnderstand what your athlete is going through and learn how to support their mental game at home. Because peak performance starts long before competition day.
- Home breathing exercises
- Competition-day support guide
- Anxiety recognition tools
- Communication strategies
Expanded Edition
Mind
Over
Mat
Peak Performance Training
for Competitive Cheerleaders
SUMMER 2026
The Book
The Complete Guide to Breathing, Focus, and Performance Under Pressure
Mind Over Mat: Expanded Edition is a comprehensive, science-backed manual covering everything from foundational belly breathing to advanced competition-day protocols. Seven parts. Thirteen chapters. Dozens of peer-reviewed citations. One goal: giving competitive cheerleaders the mental edge they have been missing.
The full book launches Summer 2026. In the meantime, you can read the complete expanded edition online right now.
What People Are Saying
Real Results from Real Athletes
From individual athletes to full gym programs, Mind Over Mat is changing how competitive cheerleaders prepare for and perform under pressure.
"We integrated the Mind Over Mat breathing protocols into our warm-up and competition-day routine. The difference was visible within two weeks. Our athletes are calmer, more focused, and our last 30 seconds have never been stronger."
Coach Sarah M.
All-Star Level 5 Coach
"I used to get so nervous before competing that my hands would shake during stunts. The box breathing technique changed everything. Now I have a routine I do backstage and by the time we hit the mat, I feel in control."
Jessica T.
Level 4 Flyer, Age 16
"Our daughter struggled with mental blocks for over a year. After working with Mind Over Mat, she not only overcame her block — she hit her standing tuck at competition for the first time. We cannot recommend this enough."
Mike & Dana R.
Cheer Parents
"Licensing the Mind Over Mat program was one of the best investments we have made. Every one of our teams now uses the pre-competition breathing protocol. Parents have noticed the difference. Judges have noticed the difference."
Apex Athletics
Gym Owner, 12 Teams
"The coach education program gave me tools I never learned in any coaching certification. Understanding the nervous system has completely changed how I prepare my athletes for high-pressure moments."
Coach Devon L.
High School Cheer Coach
"The belly breathing exercises helped me stop panicking during my tumbling passes. I actually enjoy competing now instead of dreading it. My coach says I look like a different athlete on the mat."
Mia K.
Level 3 Tumbler, Age 14
Get Started
Ready to Train the Nervous System?
Book a free consultation to discuss your goals, learn about our programs, and find out which Mind Over Mat pathway is right for you. Whether you are an athlete looking for a personal edge, a coach seeking to elevate your team, or a gym owner wanting to differentiate your program — we are here to help.