What actually happens in an athlete's head as they practice and why does it decide whether they stick the next skill or spiral?

In this episode, we sit down with Blake Mattan, a mental performance coach who's worked with youth athletes across elite sports, to unpack what's really going on behind performance anxiety in cheerleading.

From cheer athlete to coach and entrepreneur, Blake's own path through the sport shapes everything he now teaches gyms, coaches, and parents about building resilient, confident athletes.

In this episode, Blake shares practical tools and mental models for helping athletes manage pressure, bounce back from mistakes, and actually enjoy the sport they've poured years into.

We get into why performance anxiety shows up the way it does in cheerleading specifically, how a simple "goldfish method" can reset an athlete's mind after a mistake in seconds, and why setting intentions - not just goals - changes how athletes show up to training.

Blake also breaks down the weekly reset habit he recommends for both athletes and coaches, and where the line is between normal nerves and needing extra mental coaching support.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Performance anxiety and how to manage it in cheerleading
• The importance of mental training alongside physical training
• The goldfish method for acknowledging and moving on after a mistake
• Setting intentions and building accountability into training
• Tools and habits that build resilience and confidence over time
• How coaches and parents shape an athlete's mental well-being
• Knowing when it's time to seek extra mental coaching support

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Blake Mattan and his work

02:06 Blake's journey from athlete to coach and entrepreneur

04:11 The evolution of Blake's career and personal life

07:48 Understanding performance anxiety in cheerleading

10:48 The goldfish method to relax and move on from mistakes

14:58 Setting intentions and accountability in training

20:00 Tools for developing mental habits and resilience

24:51 Encouraging a positive and supportive team environment

29:59 When to seek additional mental coaching support

35:03 Resources and advice for aspiring cheer coaches

After The Routine is a podcast exploring life beyond the mats - the careers, mindset, and lessons that carry cheer, dance, and gymnastics families into what comes next. Whether you're an athlete, coach, gym owner, or parent, this show is here to help you grow and explore opportunities. 

What does it actually take to build a thriving cheerleading program, and a team culture coaches and families don't want to leave?

In this episode, Anne-Marie Joyce takes us through her journey from a cheer-obsessed kid in 1980s Nova Scotia to founder of Beach Cheer Athletics, and one of Ontario's leading voices in sport governance.

Anne Marie breaks down how she built her gym's culture on accountability, consistency, and effort over outcomes, and why the standards a leader tolerates are the standards a team lives by.

We dig into leadership for coaches and gym owners, handling conflict and negativity without losing your culture, and why authenticity and emotional intelligence matter as much as how many kids can throw a round off two to tuck on a team.

She also shares the story of her U12 Level 4 team and encourages individuals to get involved in cheerleading beyond the coaching floor - through governance, community leadership, judging, or coaching.

Whether you're a coach, a gym owner, or an athlete thinking about what comes next in the sport, this conversation is packed with incredible lessons you don't want to miss out on.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Anne Marie Joyce and her cheerleading journey
01:22 Starting in cheerleading from Nova Scotia in the 1980s
05:28 Moving to Toronto and founding Beach Cheer Athletics
13:08 Growth and expansion of the gym over 14 years
22:41 Developing a strong team culture and leadership
29:23 Building standards through actions and consistency
35:27 Creating accountability that is supportive and respectful
44:16 Celebrating effort and growth over medals
52:40 The story of her U12 Level 4 team and their success
01:08:13 Involvement in sport governance and community service
01:14:31 Opportunities for involvement in cheerleading beyond coaching
01:20:55 Advice to 16-year-old self and future aspirations

Subscribe so you don't miss out on the next conversation!

#cheerleading #gym ownership #leadership #culture #sportgovernance #athletedevelopment #Ontariocheerleading #Canadiancheerleading

From the gymnastics floor to the Toronto Blue Jays organization, Cait Nelson has spent her career at the intersection of elite sport and mental health.

In this episode of After The Routine, she's pulling back the curtain on what's really happening inside cheerleading, gymnastics, and youth sports culture for athletes and coaches, and the pressure they're experiencing to get results.

She shares her journey from competitive gymnast turned cheerleader to psychotherapist, and explains how she's built her business, Lyft Counselling, and team of six over the past two years.

Cait and Rachelle dig into the perfectionism and perception issues that shape so much of cheer and gymnastics culture, why so much harm in sport is unintentional rather than malicious, and what safe, supportive sport environments actually look like - for athletes, coaches, and parents alike.

Whether you're in the sport or just curious about the mental side of performance, this conversation offers a great look at how sport can better support the humans inside it.

Connect with Cait and her team at Lyft:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lyftcounselling/

Website: https://www.lyftcounselling.com/

Subscribe so you don't miss out on the next conversation!

Shane James went from growing up on a Mississippi chicken farm to running one of the largest media outlets in the cheerleading industry.

In this interview, Shane James - founder of Cheer Daily and the Cheer Awards - shares how he built a career across cheer media, magazine publishing, and live event production.

Shane is a cheer industry entrepreneur, publisher, and founder of Cheer Daily and Stunt Daily. His career spans college cheerleading, Olympics media coverage, print magazine publishing, and the creation of the Cheer Awards, one of the cheerleading industry's biggest annual events.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Shane James' career path from cheerleading to publishing and media
• How cheerleading media and events have evolved from print to digital
• Strategies for managing your time and juggling multiple projects
• Why relationships and collaboration matter in your career
• How digital marketing and SEO apply to cheerleading media and events

Want to learn more about Cheer Daily and the stories they're covering? Check them out now at https://cheerdaily.com

#cheerdaily #eventproduction #marketing #digitalmedia #cheerawards #cheerindustry #cheerleadingcareers

What It Takes To Turn Cheer Into A Career - Sam & Rolton Edwards on coaching, choreography, business & community

Sam and Rolton Edwards went from passionate cheerleading athletes to industry leaders and, in this episode of After The Routine, they share exactly how they did it.

We talk about building a career in cheer, launching businesses like Spirit FX Canada and Sharp Performance, their business philosophy, and where careers in the sport are headed.

You'll learn more about developing great coaching staff and choreographers, why character and passion matter more than resumes when hiring, and how to build community and mentorship within a gym.

Whether you're an athlete, coach, or gym owner, this conversation is packed with practical insights on building a sustainable cheerleading business and career.

Interested in learning more about The Sharp Performance, Spirit FX Canada, and all of the things their team is doing? Check them out now at https://thesharpperformance.com

Interested in joining their team? Check out their available positions now at https://thesharpperformance.com/careers

What does it actually take to turn a lifelong love of cheerleading into a global career?

In this episode of After The Routine, athlete turned entrepreneur, Dominique Longpre, breaks down what it looks like to build a career and a business around the sport you love.

From competing internationally to founding a cheer uniform and gear company, Dominique has spent her career finding new ways to stay connected to cheerleading long after her competition days ended.

In this episode, Dominique talks about her journey from athlete to business owner, the global growth of the cheer industry, and how trust, showmanship, and teamwork translate from the mat into entrepreneurship.

We get into what it's really like running a uniform and gear company, what goes into organizing a global cheer tournament, and how coaching and athletic experience can become real career assets. Dominique also shares candid advice for anyone hoping to turn their passion for cheer into a career.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Dominique's cheerleading journey from starting on her high school team to competing internationally
• The importance of trust and showmanship in cheerleading
• Opportunities in the cheer industry, including an opportunity at her company Cheer Action
• The global growth of cheerleading and international competitions
• What it's like running a cheer uniform and gear business
• The role of teamwork and leadership in cheer and business
• The upcoming AIA global cheer tournament
• Career advice for aspiring cheer professionals

About After The Routine
After The Routine dives into the career paths available in cheerleading, dance, and gymnastics beyond competition.

Through conversations with coaches, judges, event producers, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders, this podcast helps athletes, parents, and coaches understand how the sport can translate into lifelong opportunities where they stay connected.

New episodes release every two weeks.

What do growth mindset, team culture, and coaching strategy all have in common?

In this episode of After The Routine, Sports Performance Consultant,, Jeff Benson, breaks down what actually separates athletes, coaches, and gyms who improve from those who plateau.

From athlete and teacher to therapist, and now, Sports Performance Consultant - Jeff Benson has spent his career figuring out what actually makes athletes better: not just skills, but mindset.

In this episode, Jeff joins us to unpack how growth mindset, team culture, and intentional coaching shape not just performance, but the athletes themselves.

We talk about the difference between coaching for zero deductions and coaching for growth, how to build a team culture that survives pressure and criticism, and why authenticity might be a coach's most underrated tool.

Jeff Benson is a coach, Sports Performance Consultant, and author whose work bridges athletic performance and mental health. He's the author of Unblocked and The Walls Come Tumbling Down, co-author of The Cheer Coach's Handbook, and founder of Mind Body Cheer.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Jeff Benson's journey from gymnast and cheerleader to sports psychology
• Growth mindset vs. fixed mindset
• Building a positive team/gym culture and core values
• Strategies for resilience and confidence
• The role of praise and accountability in athlete development
• Handling negative culture and criticism in sports

Resources mentioned in this podcast:

Unblocked by Jeff Benson: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Unblocked+Jeff+Benson

The Walls Come Tumbling Down by Jeff Benson: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=The+Walls+Come+Tumbling+Down+Jeff+Benson

The Cheer Coach's Handbook by Jeff Benson, Dan Cotton & Danielle Johnston: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=The+Cheer+Coachs+Handbook

About After The Routine

After The Routine dives into the career paths available in cheerleading, dance, and gymnastics beyond competition.

Through conversations with coaches, judges, event producers, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders, this podcast helps athletes, parents, and coaches understand how sport can translate into lifelong opportunities beyond the competition floor.

New episodes release every two weeks.

Ever felt overwhelmed walking into your first cheer or tumbling conference? Here's your game plan!

In this episode of After The Routine, host Rachelle Provost breaks down exactly how to prepare for, survive, and get the most out of cheerleading and tumbling conferences.

From what to pack to how to turn what you learn into actual real life change back at the gym, this episode covers it all.

They talk pacing yourself through long conference days, finding a note-taking system that actually works for you, building a team-wide system for sharing what everyone learns, and why networking (yes, even the awkward parts) is one of the most valuable things you can do while you're there.

In this episode, Rachelle covers:

• How to build a conference preparation checklist
• Tips for pacing yourself physically and mentally through long days
• Note-taking and content-sharing strategies
• How to network with confidence
• A simple framework for turning conference takeaways into action back at the gym

Whether you're heading to your first conference, going back in a new role (director, manager, lead, head coach, etc.), or you're a gym owner trying to build a stronger process for your team, this episode will help you walk in prepared and walk out with a plan.

About After The Routine

After The Routine dives into the career paths available in cheerleading, dance, and gymnastics beyond competition.

Through conversations with coaches, judges, event producers, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders, this podcast helps athletes, parents, and coaches understand how sport can translate into lifelong opportunities beyond the competition floor.

New episodes release every two weeks.

Ever felt overwhelmed walking into your first cheerleading or tumbling conference? Here's your game plan!

In this episode of After The Routine, host Rachelle Provost breaks down exactly how to prepare for, survive, and get the most out of cheerleading and tumbling conferences.

From what to pack to actually taking what you learn and applying it into real change back at the gym, this episode covers it all.

They talk pacing yourself through long conference days, finding a note-taking system that actually works for you, building a team-wide system for sharing what everyone learns, and why networking (yes, even the awkward parts) is one of the most valuable things you can do while you're there.

In this episode, you'll find tips for:

• How to prep for a conference
• Tips for pacing yourself physically and mentally through long days
• Note-taking and content-sharing strategies
• How to network with confidence
• A simple framework for turning conference takeaways into action back at the gym

Whether you're heading to your first conference, tackling it in a new role, or you're a gym owner trying to build a stronger post-conference process for your team, this episode will help you walk in prepared and walk out with a plan.

About After The Routine

After The Routine dives into the career paths available in cheerleading, dance, and gymnastics beyond competition.

Through conversations with coaches, judges, event producers, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders, this podcast helps athletes, parents, and coaches understand how sport can translate into lifelong opportunities beyond the competition floor.

New episodes release every two weeks.

"The goal isn't to avoid hard moments, but to handle them"

In this episode of After The Routine, Becky Acra shares her journey from cheerleader to coach, director, author, and sports psychology student, emphasizing the importance of mental toughness, communication, and maintaining a healthy athlete identity. 

Throughout the episode, you’ll discover practical insights for coaches, parents, and athletes to foster growth, resilience, and positive relationships in youth sports. 

We cover: 

• Becky's journey into cheerleading and coaching
• The importance of mental toughness and resilience
• Effective communication with athletes and parents
• Creating a positive team culture through consistency
• Balancing athlete identity and multi-sport participation
• The role of parents in supporting athlete development
• Strategies for managing pressure and expectations
• The emotional impact of sports seasons ending
• The significance of ongoing coach education and conferences
• Practical tips for fostering growth mindset and confidence

Want to read Becky’s new book Raise The Athlete, Not The Pressure? Grab your copy now at https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?params=VUNdgmW61pvsi0yh5dY92VpI5bqqLHlHUQayxzxsM93

About After The Routine 

After The Routine dives into the career paths available in cheerleading, dance, and gymnastics beyond competition.

Through conversations with coaches, judges, event producers, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders, this podcast helps athletes, parents, and coaches understand how sport can translate into lifelong opportunities beyond the competition floor.

New episodes release every two weeks.

#aftertheroutine #cheerleading #sportpsychology #mentaltoughness #athletedevelopment #teamculture #resilience #youthsports