https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rkmdaORZPs

The peak performer I chose is Kelly Slater. I chose Kelly because he is an 8x world champion in the sport of surfing. He is the definition of a peak performer being someone who have excelled in competition into his older age and has maintained his status as an elite athlete within the sport. As surfing is a sport that challenges your mind and concentration as much as it challenges your body, the amount of dedication he continues to bring to competition is an indicator of the amount of work he puts in behind the scenes. Not only are his 8 world championships impressive enough, but when put in the context of a sport that has evolved over the years, from everything to location, and even judging skills, his adaptation and his ability to continue to compete at the highest level is amazing to see. Below is a link to some of his clips just within this year.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZhoDUFhjpo

The peak performer I chose to share is Buster Posey, catcher for the San Francisco Giants. Posey exemplifies character, poise, and persistence in a variety of ways. He’s a respectable athlete with several accolades including National League Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player awards, three NL All-Star team selections, two NL Silver Slugger trophies, and three World Series rings.
During the 2011 season, Posey had a collision at the plate which resulted in a gruesome injury that had the potential to end his career. Instead, the catcher acted as a true peak performer and came back stronger than ever. He patiently braved through his rehabilitation program and refused to let his injury end his career as a catcher. Where other athletes might have grown impatient and rushed their rehab or given up on the tedious workouts, Posey chose to take this opportunity to strengthen his game and motivate himself in a way that would make him an even better athlete.
Interviews with his teammates have shown that Posey is a pleasure to share a dugout with. He acts as a mentor to younger players and is eager to gain wisdom from veterans. He is a leader who is respected and appreciated by his peers. Posey is a peak performer in this way because he has found a way to remain humble despite his countless successes and he motivates his teammates to be the best they can be.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kp_ZTnanbZ8

I chose Stephen Curry as my peak performer because for the last few years, he has really shown his amazing talents and reached new heights in the NBA. He has broken many records in history including his own records. He has led the Golden State Warriors to many victories and have proven how the whole team believes in his 3 point shots as much as he believes in his team’s unparalleled team work. He makes his shots seem effortless and natural. Curry has been the face of the NBA and is continually reaching new heights for the Warriors. He is truly something special and that’s why I chose him as my peak performer.

I didn’t pick Ronda just because of ‘Ronda the Champion’ (well yes that too) BUT also ‘Ronda the Person’ granted my only exposure to her is through media. Sure, she qualified for the Olympics in Judo at seventeen. Sure, she has a 12 – 1 record in UFC. Sure, she’s the UFC’s highest paid fighter, male or female. But on top of being an amazing fighter, she doesn’t just defeat her opponents in the ring, she also kicks ass and takes names outside of it too. She famously called convicted domestic violence perpetrator Floyd Mayweather out on his history of assault. Her straight-up “screw you” responses to criticism of her “masculine” body have made her an idol for women everywhere. She has openly spoken about her personal problems, such as dropping out of high school, and her struggle with bulimia. That is what makes her even more of a peak performer – she can admit to her problems and show her progress. Rousey is not afraid to speak her mind which has earned her the nickname rowdy and in a media landscape too often populated by women who don’t speak their minds, it’s refreshing and inspiring to hear from someone who doesn’t buy into popular culture’s BS. Furthermore, the sport of MMA, and not just the women’s divisions, owe her so much. Hell, my 52 year old neighbor who has never watched sports in her life now has a ‘DNB’ t-shirt, works out 3-4 times a week and watches MMA on youtube on her spare time. All thanks to Ronda. She made people care about a women’s division that just wasn’t marketable yet. As good as the skill has been for years, people simply didn’t care about the landscape of women’s MMA without her. Whether people love her or hate her, Ronda gets you talking. Ronda gets you watching. If it wasn’t for her, women wouldn’t be main AND co-main on a major fight card. Rousey is an exceptionally skilled sportswoman, and she’s transformed that skill into a highly lucrative career.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiFv7cICWRU

The first song in this video, called ” The Storm” is my favorite performance of his because there is buildup to his part and then when he starts, he just explodes with his musical talent on the violin

Through her own talk show, DeGeneres has been a role model and a genuine human being. She is funny and tells it how it is, also going above and beyond in order to make you laugh. She doesn’t just talk about celebrities but also spotlights real life stories and helps people out. DeGeneres even made a new clothing & lifestyle collection, the line called ED (like the guy’s name, not her initials but also her nickname). She was not dressing for her and her own comfort in the beginning when she was highly aware that people knew she was gay. She said that everyone should be able to express themselves and dress the way they want to, and that’s how she started dressing how she felt.

From the information above, it is obvious that she has a good amount of characteristics that make her a peak performer. Her positivity, self-esteem, ability to not be stopped by failure already makes her a great role model. She persevered through the rough parts of her past and is now a very successful Emmy award winning talk show host who was also awarded the Favorite Humanitarian Award for her charity work throughout the years. She just wanted to make people laugh believes that people should always be kind to one another.

Ray Charles has left a lasting impression in the music industry, he is one of the most influential individuals in the field, especially soul music. In my opinion he is a peak performer for many reasons. What differentiates him from other artists is the type of music he produced. His songs included the feel of blues,gospel, pop, r&b, jazz and country. A couple of his well known songs are “I got a woman” and “Hit the road Jack”. The interactions of what people define as different types of music into one song was always present in the music Ray Charles produced. He was willing to take risks, although what he was making at the time was considered controversial or opposed other peoples views. He firmly held on to what he wanted to write about. Also he managed to make it through the music industry despite being blind. He lost his vision as a child due to glaucoma. Ray Charles attended the Florida School for the deaf and Blind. Here his musical talent was further developed. He learned how to play instruments and use a braille. From small time gigs in local areas in Florida he was eventually discovered and signed a contact with a prestigious label called Atlantic records. The characteristics that Ray Charles posses such as persistence, confidence and positive mind set is what makes him a peak performer.