The Athlete Blueprint Champions Mindful Performance for Elite Athletes

Inside the groundbreaking partnership bringing breathwork and emotional resilience to the WNBA

By Breath Culture Team
June 26, 2025

The Evolution of Training: More Than Just the Physical

In elite sports, performance has long been measured by speed, strength, and stamina. But today, a new layer is being added to the athlete development equation: mental clarity, nervous system resilience, and emotional regulation.

At the forefront of this evolution is The Athlete Blueprint, founded by former WNBA draftee and Stanford basketball star Susan King Borchardt. Through her visionary approach to high-performance training, The Athlete Blueprint is setting a new gold standard in how athletes are prepared, supported, and empowered—physically, mentally, and holistically.

Now, in an unprecedented move, The Athlete Blueprint has partnered with Kira Mae Kazuko—one of the most influential breathwork coaches and spiritual strategists in the wellness space—to introduce conscious breathwork and mindfulness programming directly into WNBA training.

This collaboration is making history—and sending a clear message: elite athletes deserve elite support across all dimensions of their game.

What is The Athlete Blueprint?

The Athlete Blueprint is a comprehensive and synergistic training ecosystem designed for high-level athletes seeking longevity, recovery, and sustainable peak performance. Founded by Susan King Borchardt, the program reflects her decades of experience as both an elite athlete and performance coach.

Its core pillars include:

Sports performance training
Physical therapy and rehabilitation
Recovery prioritization and scheduling
Nutritional specificity and fueling
Blueprint assessments and individualized plans
Post-injury return-to-play support
Consulting services for teams and organizations

Athletes working with The Athlete Blueprint gain access to a team-based model that supports their needs from all angles—offering elite care typically reserved for professional teams but available to college athletes, youth players, and post-pros alike.

The Athlete Blueprint isn’t just a program—it’s a methodology for modern athletic success.

Meet the Visionary: Susan King Borchardt

Susan’s credibility is unmatched. A standout at Stanford, a former pro athlete, and a seasoned performance strategist, she brings the wisdom of someone who’s lived through the grind of elite sport—and transformed it into something deeply sustainable.

As a woman in a male-dominated space, she has built an empire of excellence by doing things differently: slower, smarter, more consciously.

Her roster includes rising stars and seasoned champions across the WNBA, NCAA, and beyond. From high-performing youth athletes to seasoned pros returning from injury, Susan’s holistic approach has quietly fueled some of the most promising talent in women’s basketball today.

And in bringing mindfulness and breath into her system, she’s once again leading the way in performance innovation.

Why Add Breathwork to the Blueprint?

In 2024, Susan connected with Kira Mae Kazuko, whose signature breathwork method has been described as a “living transmission”—activating confidence, calm, and clarity through precise and potent breath-led sessions.

Kira’s background spans both the spiritual and the strategic. She has designed signature wellness programs for brands like Equinox, Alo Moves, and The Miami Beach EDITION, and is the first to bring breathwork to brands like Dior Beauty, BIGFACE, and many more. Her impact is deeply felt across industries—from luxury hospitality to professional athletics.

Their partnership was born from synergy. Kira’s method aligned perfectly with The Athlete Blueprint’s values: personalization, nervous system care, and proactive performance enhancement.

Together, they co-developed a library of custom breathwork and meditation sessions for The Athlete Blueprint’s WNBA athletes—a historic first in women’s basketball.

Programming That Meets Athletes Where They Are

Every breathwork audio Kira created for The Athlete Blueprint was made with elite athletes in mind—from pregame to postgame, from the tunnel to the team bus.

Some of the standout sessions include:

Foundations of Breathwork: Education on breath mechanics, recovery, and focus
Pregame Mode: Breath-led focus activation before performance
Game Day Visualization: Mental rehearsal paired with grounding breath cues
Halftime Tunnel Reset (Winning + Losing versions): Quick resets depending on game status
Edge Reset: Post-practice breath for recovery and acknowledgment
Evening Wind Down: Sleep and recovery meditation
Full Body Buzz: Wim Hof-style breath paired with music for emotional reset

The programming is sleek, functional, and designed to be used anytime—on the court, in the locker room, at home, or during travel.

It’s not just about deep breathing. It’s about building mental resilience, sharpening game-day presence, and helping athletes unlock their next-level edge.

Why This Matters: Changing the Game from the Inside

This partnership is more than a wellness add-on—it’s a cultural statement.

For decades, the mental and emotional well-being of athletes—especially female athletes—has been under-resourced and overlooked. The Athlete Blueprint is flipping that narrative by integrating tools that speak to the whole human behind the player.

By joining forces, Susan and Kira are reshaping what’s possible when you train the mind as powerfully as the body.

It’s high performance—but with heart.

Impact Beyond the WNBA

While the current programming was designed for WNBA athletes, its implications stretch far beyond.

Kira is already in conversations about expanding these breathwork tools into other youth sports, college athletics, and team training environments. Her goal is to make breathwork and nervous system awareness part of every athlete’s foundation—not just the elite few.

And as more sports media outlets, brands, and performance teams take notice, The Athlete Blueprint is becoming a model of what conscious performance training can look like in the modern era.

The Future of Athlete Care Is Here

This partnership is a bold reminder that real strength begins with regulation. That mental clarity is a skill, not a side effect. And that athletes don’t just need more grind—they need more support.

With Susan King Borchardt’s visionary leadership and Kira Mae Kazuko’s masterful method, The Athlete Blueprint is paving the way for a new generation of athletes to rise—rooted, powerful, and fully alive in their breath.