San Francisco State KIN 331 T, TH Fall 2014

I present as a representation of peak performance, Vietnamese revolutionary and independence fighter Ho Chi Minh. Regardless of the contention and bloodshed which characterize the American experience, Ho’s commitment toward realizing the goal of shaking off European and colonial subjugation, even in the face of overwhelming odds and continual rebuke, nonetheless make him a respectable figure. From the end of WWI to the unification of Vietnam, Ho boldly and tirelessly struggled to bring the promise of independence and self-determination to his people. Along the way, Ho led his people in a monumental struggle against successive waves of imperial first-world oppressors: the French, the Japanese, the French again, and finally the U.S. Possessed of all ten themes of leadership, Ho broke the will of superpowers, and in the process shattered long-held conceptions regarding power.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qh_L0xT_nU

I chose sprinter Ana Guevara as a peak performer because she is considered the best female Mexican athlete of all time. She grew up in Sonora, Mexico and that’s where her dream started. Through hard work, dedication, and an endless passion for running in 2003 in the world championships in Paris she became the best female 400 meter sprinter in the world. Those 48.89 seconds marked a historic moment for her and for Mexico. Also, the first Mexican female track athlete to win a gold medal in a major international competition. Although that was the peak of her career, this was preceded by several victories. In 2001, she won a Golden League competition and in Canada during the world championship she won the bronze medal. In 2002, she dominated the Golden League by winning all seven events.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijj62NheJ6U

Below is a video of one of the all-time great percussionists and musicians (and Bay Area native), Sheila E. Daughter of Latin music pioneer, Pete Escovedo, Sheila was born with salsa for blood and a heart of bombo. She has had an illustrious career playing with world class acts like Prince, Marvin Gaye, Herbie Hancock, as well her very own Grammy-nominated band. Her career has spanned roughly 4 decades so far, and she is a testament to what can be done with the right mix of passion, influence, and drive. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiD4STAUTxg

Here is a clip of a very famous dancer by the name of Mikhail Baryshnikov. He is performing a solo variation from the classical ballet Don Quixote. You can see very clearly why I chose him as my peak performer. The ease with which he moves, his calmness, and his musicality are simply mesmerizing to watch. There is also the insane amount of times he can turn–whether on the ground or mid-air. Hope you enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owb_Ezc8G70

Here is a clip of a famous dancer by the name of Mikhail Baryshnikov. In the clip, he is performing a solo variation from the classical ballet Don Quixote. You can see very clearly why I chose him as my peak performer. The ease with which he moves, his calmness, and his musicality are simply mesmerizing to watch. There is also the insane amount of times he can turn–whether on the ground or mid-air. Hope you enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owb_Ezc8G70

Here is a clip of the Warriors Stephen Curry’s highlights. In this video there are highlights from his 54 point game against the Knicks. Curry holds the record for most made 3′s in a season with 272. Those stats alone show how good of a shooter he is. In the video you can see how his shot looks so effortless in many situations, whether it be off the dribble, in transition or from long range. Stephen Curry is an elite performer. I mean even President Obama said he’s the best shooter he has ever seen…enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAc4Ym1cv4k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kq_xl5P1RY

Below is a clip of one of the top shooting guards ever, Dwyane Wade. Before this game, Dwyane Wade was being criticized for struggling in the playoffs recently and this was response to all the noise against him. 41 points against one of the best defenses and being guarded by one of the rising stars in the NBA in Paul George. Throughout his whole career, Wade has sacrificed a lot to be a winner. Whether its when he was with Shaquille O’neal in his first championship or his 2 championships with the Big Three, Wade is a winner. And to this day he continues to sacrifice millions, leadership, and role changes in order for his team to succeed in a very tough league.

The person that I chose for a peak performer is Manny Pacquiao because he is an example of a person who worked really hard to become the person that he is right now. Not only is he a great athlete but a lot of Filipino people look at him as a hero and inspires them to be the best that they can be. This video shows Manny talking about the impact of the support that he has received from his countrymen and how this has motivated him to perform at a higher level every time he gets in the ring because he knows that he is representing the entire country. What I like about him is that even though he’s been on top of the food chain, he never got cocky and remained true to who he is and stayed humble. Manny Pacquiao’s passion for the sport makes him a great athlete, champion and a peak performer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5M5G4FxCmc

The clip that I chose is a Champion Motivational Montage from Stack. This video talks about all the different challenges, mentally and physically that athletes face. I found this clip to be very motivating because it shows how much hard work professional athletes put into being the best. The athletes throughout the video talk about the training that they go through, their struggles with motivating themselves, and the desire to be the best. .My favorite quote from this clip is from Abby Wambach, “You have to do all of the things off the field for things to come together on the field.”

I chose Cristiano Ronaldo as my favorite peak performing athlete. Ronaldo is considered one of the best players in the soccer realm. Every time Ronaldo goes out into the field, he demonstrates great sportsmanship, displays a great spirit of camaraderie, and makes every move look effortless. Whenever Cristiano Ronaldo plays, I can see that he gets into a deep state of flow. Although there may be many challenges when he plays soccer, it seems as if there is not one barrier that can stop him from doing his best. Ronaldo’s motivation is crazy! I can say without a doubt that Ronaldo pours his heart out into every soccer game and because of this deserves the best title. Ronaldo’s passion for soccer makes him the winner, and best athlete I see today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4y1ypgttwU

I picked Adrian Brody as my peak performer. Adrian Brody is one of my favorite actors of all time. He is known for his Grammy award winning role for the movie, “The Pianist” (2002). For this assignment, I have selected a particular scene in the movie in which Adrian Brody is discovered by an police office. This scene captures Adrian Brody as an peak performer in which he engages in all the areas of the wheel of excellence especially focus. In this scene, we can see that as a award nominating actor, he plays the role as a pianist who is experiencing flow in which no matter what environment he is in, he is able to fully connect with his mind and body into playing the piano.
This shows us how high performance performers are able to fully focus on what they are doing at the moment at their personal best because of the passion and love for music in this case of Adrian Brody’s role in the Movie The Pianist. The scene is one of the most touching moments in this movie and captures Flow which is why I believe this clip/performer is related to our Peak Performance class.

http://tune.pk/video/2128322/the-pianist-piano-scene-1080p-hd

The number one person that comes to my mind growing up playing and watching basketball would be Allen Iverson. He is my peak performer that I would like to talk about. Allen Iverson is one of my favorite basketball players of all time and I will tell you why. Allen Iverson grew up in the projects of Hampton, Virginia were his mother had him at the age of 15 years old and never had a father. Being raised in a bad neighborhood and not having that much of an influence to stay in school and stay out of trouble was hard for Iverson, so iverson turned to playing football and basketball were he excelled. He wasn’t the biggest, fastest, smartest or outgoing person throughout high school, but i do know from watching him play at Georgetown university and throughout the pros, he was the toughest, competitive, dedicated, no fear athlete that i have ever watched. I feel that nobody in my mind worked as hard as Allen Iverson did because of his WILL to out compete anyone that stood in his way. When he was first drafted in the NBA he stood 6’0 at 165 pounds bald headed with no tattoos. People say he’s a thug because ever since he got drafted to the NBA he grew cornrows and had tattoos all over his body which i feel doesnt make him a thug. He set a trend of cornrows and tattoos into a style and culture that African Americans love. That bothered me a lot because they judged him for the way he dressed, talked, and took no crap from no one made Iverson a thug in the United States. Iverson played 17 years in the NBA, 13 years with the Philadelphia 76ers. I felt that his peak performance with the 76ers between the years 2000-2004. I have actually met allen iverson when I was 13 years old at a warriors game. I have also read many biographies on allen iverson so I have a good background on Iverson on and off the court. Here’s a video clip of Allen Iversons top 10 plays in his career remember this guy is only 6’0 tall.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2REkZG-dhHc

I chose Kosei Inoue because he is my favorite ‘now retired’ judo competitor. Kosei Inoue was at one time one of the most successful judo competitors. He not only show’s proper Japanese judo technique and hard work ethic, but was the best at my favorite throw – the uchi-mata. This video shows many of Kosei Inoue’s highlights from many different judo tournaments. What I like most about Kosei Inoue is his classic Japanese style of judo, humble attitude and desire to always achieve crisp ‘full point’ throws.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XguHf1Qdhqo

Being from Los Angeles, and being an avid NBA fan for the
past fifteen years or so, I have been fortunate enough to witness my home team win quite a number of championships. The man responsible for winning all of the championships that I have witnessed is Kobe Bryant. Throughout his career Kobe has shown time after time why he is an elite performer and one of the greatest basketball players to ever grace the hardwood. The way he carries himself on and off the court, the win at all cost mentality, and the championships or busts approach is why I believe Kobe is the last of a dying breed. Despite all the adversity and criticism, the new and recurring injuries, and all the personal drama surrounding him, Kobe Bryant has always been one to maintain focus and give his all each and every time that he steps onto the basketball court. There have been so many spectacular moments
in his career, but on one particular night, Kobe put on a show as he was in a
zone and displayed to the world why he is considered a true peak performer.

http://youtu.be/FeXZY4eVLlo

i chose Maya Moore as my peak performer. As a basketball player, she is one of the best to play the game. Her toughness, focus, and drive to be the best player has lead her to the success that she has had, winning championships with both at UCONN and professionally with the Minnesota Lynx. She is one of my favorite female athletes because she is a role model on and off the court. Her passion for the game of basketball reminds me of the passion seen from Jordan because she wants to be so successful. Here is a clip of her top plays of the 2014 WNBA season.

http://youtu.be/pFfxPpRlv2c

For a peak performer i choose VIncent Kompany a centre-back that plays as a captain for Manchester City and the Belgium national team. Kompany plays at the heart of the defense in soccer where his roles are to stop the strikers from scoring. Even though he has his mistakes here and there he is more than a peak performer. It is his duty as a captain for a great club and a great national team to raise the whole teams heads up through win or lose. He has been a peak performer by leading Manchester City to two titles in three years in the Barclays Premier League. Kompany is a mastermind and he has the skills to stop the best forwards in the world. Not only is he great at defense but he has bagged more than 10 goals for city and a couple for his nation. To me whenever I Kompany play I see a true peak-performer where not just his skill but his attitude and mind can change the whole scenario of the game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbFRs3lX3wE

For my peak performer I chose Cristiano Ronaldo a forward/striker from Real Madrid, one of the biggest soccer teams in Spain. Ronaldo has been known to be one of the best if not the best soccer player of his time. In 2008 and 2013, he won the FIFA-Ballon d’Or award for the best footballer in the world, the first Portuguese player to win the award twice. He was awarded the European Golden Shoe in 2008, 2011 and 2014. In 2008, he was named the FIFA World Player of the Year,FIFPro Player of the Year, World Soccer Player of the Year,and the Onze d’Or. In 2007 and 2008, Ronaldo was named FWA Footballer of the Year. With 68 goals as of September 2014, he is tied second in the competition’s top scorers of all time. He also holds therecord for most goals scored in a single UEFA Champions League season,scoring 17 goals in the 2013–14 season. He still remains at the top of his game until this day and is known for his great skill and talent as a soccer player. He never gives up and has so much passion and love for the game.

http://youtu.be/7ThHAz8YS74

I chose Jennifer Lawrence because she is my favorite actress for numerous reasons and she also remains humble throughout her career so far. She has won many awards in such a short amount of time it is to be believed any film she plays in will be successful which so far seems like truth. When she won an award she fell going up stage but recovered with wonderful humor. After hearing she won an oscar she fell going up stage and told a joke to lighten the mood.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WDU7zLAd2-U

Kaoklai is a true modern day David and Goliath story brought to life. A world class Muaythai Boxing champ, with an overall fight of 200+, has been dominant in the sport for years. I chose KaoKlai as a peak performer because of his ability to pick guys four times his size into pieces. Kaoklai’s strategy is different from other Muay Thai fighter; he knows that in order to beat a bigger and stronger fighter, one has to make them miss. Thus using speed and agility to counter his opponent. Kaoklai’s training is filled with him
dodging, bobbing, and weaving kicks and punches. Size isn’t a factor for
Kaoklai, most guys when they go against a bigger opponent they fear of being knocked out, or being injured. Kaoklai on the other hand see’s the opportunity as a chance to prove to the world that size doesn’t matter. The sport of Muay Thai is a mental game, if one believes he can defeat a guy four times his size it’s possible. Watch this video and you’ll see David and Goliath go at it, in the ring.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJ_7p8LYZFE

I have always been into the sport of baseball growing up and being from the bay area the San Francisco Giants have always been my team. Since we just recently clinched our 3rd World Series title in the last 5 years, a peak performer that I thought of was Madison Bumgarner whose pitching performance broke World Series records and led us to the title. He is the first player in World Series history to record two wins, a shut out and a save. He finished the series with only allowing one run in 21 innings pitched. He now holds the record for most innings pitched in a single postseason series. He also dominated in past World Series appearances he made with the San Francisco Giants in 2010 and 2012. He was very consistent with all his performances and that is a key characteristic of a peak performer. Besides breaking all these records he was also named 2014 NLCS and World Series MVP.

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

For my peak performer, I chose world champion triathlete Chris McCormack. McCormack was an olympic distance triathlon champion before switching to the Ironman distance. He Made it to Kona(the world championships) in 2002 and did not finish the race. In 2003 he placed 59th. In 2004 he failed to finish the race again. In 2005 he took 6th place and in 2006 he took second place. His dream since he was little was to win the world championships and finally in 2007 he took first place at Kona. I chose Chris because he was someone who defied the odds that people put on him. Going from olympic distance to ironman distance is a huge jump and experts told him he will never be able to win. He is very inspirational to me and my triathlon career because he took some heavy losses but unlike most, he kept training. He worked day in and day out and took his losses as a learning tool. Eventually all of his hard work payed off and to me, he is one of the greatest triathletes out there. He is a peak performer, never giving up until his goals were reached and went beyond them, winning another world championship in 2010. This clip shows the struggles and dedication it takes to be an ironman whorl champion. http://youtu.be/lKyfu4cuHHY

I chose Bill Gates as my ideal peak performer and the rationale for this is he has many of the qualities that peak performers require. I too, find myself looking up to him for ability to create one of the world’s most recognizable brands Microsoft. Yet despite all of his success, he has chosen to use his vast, immeasurable wealth for the betterment of humanity as a whole. He has dedicated his time to the elimination of a whole host of virulent diseases with no desire of any monetary compensation. This ultra altruistic behavior is why i have chosen him as one of my key role models. The following video does a wonderful job of explaining why he deserves all of the praise given to him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSL-iIskEFU

Ashton Eaton is an American decathlete and an Olympic Champion who holds the record in both the decathalon and hepathalon events. I chose him as a peak performer because he constantly works on improving his performance on the track despite winning the gold medal in the 2012 Summer Olympics. When competing, his main focus is overcoming his past record. Recently, Ashton has been preparing to beat his record for the 1600 meter run. This shows that he is passionate about Track and Field as a sport and it shows his commitment to improving his performance. As a leader, Ashton leads by example. He exemplifies how we should all strive to do our best, in everything that we do, despite reaching our goals. This video explains his view on overcoming limits and his personal experiences in Track and Field.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LI0bWZngyMs

Chris
Rene is a singer who despite his life challenges and difficulties,
fought hard and slowly rose to the top. As a rapper who has been born
and raised in Santa Cruz, CA, he grew up in a music family. Loved by
his mother and father, he faced challenging times as a teenager which
soon lead him to become dependent on drugs and alcohol. As a young
adult, he became addicted to meth amphetamines but still stuck to
writing music and expressing himself through his raps. A few years
later, he finally gained the strength and courage to get the help he
needed. He checked in to rehab, and after 1 year was cleared ad clean
to get out. He then went on to auditioning for the X-Factor and blew
everyone away with his talent and music. This has lead him to a path
of greatness and success. I look up to Chris Rene as an idol because
even through the toughest times he still fought and got through them.
His music is inspiring and motivates others to get through what seems
to be impossible times.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IciT8yX9V9I

Marissa Mayer is a
business leader, engineer, and computer programmer who is my role model. She is
one of the most successful women in the tech field today. Prior to being CEO of
Yahoo today, she spent thirteen years at Google, where she worked in product development.
She was their first female engineer. Marissa Mayer proves that women in the
tech field can be successful, strong, and intelligent. She made a real impact
on the technology industry. Mayer discusses that she is ‘blind to gender’ and that
passion is gender neutralizing in this industry where women are dramatically
out numbered by men. She loves challenges and I believe that is what made her
successful to reach her peak performance. She quoted, “I always did something I
was a little not ready to do. Those feelings at the end of the day, where you’re
like, ‘what did I get myself into?’ I realized that sometimes when you have
that feeling and you push through it, something really great happens.” This
quote describes that she got into the flow of her work and as a result she
reached peak performance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9g1DpjA5jbg

Ma Lin is a retired table tennis player most famous for his serves. He holds the highest number of world cups among males and has had a lot of struggles throughout his career. This video below was the only one I could find with English in it. At the peak of his career, there was a series of events that lead ultimately to his downfall. Throughout this time, many people criticized his performance and being unable to overcome his personal issues outside of his table tennis career; however, in this video (before retirement) he explains what his career meant to him and what it was like to push past everything to make it on the team. His dedication, positive attitude, and persistence is what kept him going and I believe that these are characteristics of a peak performer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIoC_pBDWrU

Rich Froning is an elite peak performer by definition. The man holds 4 consecutive titles being “The Fittest Man on Earth” of the CrossFit games. He is the supreme jack of all trades; he has strength, speed, agility, and endurance. He is an elite athlete who can do it all. And the work he does in the offseason is no joke. Rich Froning trains for everything to stay at the top.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byTcqfD7lPE&spfreload=10

The peak performer, Damian Lillard was chosen for a number of reasons. Lillard is a humble yet hungry point guard in the NBA and has overcome a number of obstacles. Although his hometown of Oakland California may not have been the easiest place to live, Lillard claims Oakland has made him into who he is. In addition he did not come from a large named school in Weber State University but Lillard diligently put much practice and was drafted 6th overall in his draft class. Hitting multiple game winners that require much composure and concentration, peak performance has been displayed through his performance on and off the court.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyWV_Yio_Ug

http://youtu.be/FeXZY4eVLlo

Kobe Bryant is arguably one of the best players to ever play the game of basketball. Entering the NBA straight from high school, Bryant had the drive and determination that many veteran players in the league did not expect. In his rookie year in the NBA, Bryant became the Rookie of the year, which would set way for the many more accomplishments in his career. Even though Bryant now has 5 championships, he has not become complacent nor is he satisfied. Bryant’s workout regime consist of 4 a.m. workouts which are accompanied by his other workouts or practices throughout the day. Kobe Bryant is a perfect example of a peak performer because he always strives for the best, no matter he age, injuries, or circumstances.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amwVW0I4KD8

I chose Billy Beane as a peak performer for many reasons. When Billy Beane became GM of the Oakland A’s, he did not have the luxury to spend “x” amount of dollars on star players like many other teams had. After their 2001 season success, players who became big stars e.i Jason Giambi, Johnny Damon etc. were wanting big contracts the team couldn’t afford. Billy Beane experimented with a theory to try and “replace” these type of players by looking at undervalued players that can contribute just as much but with half the cost. This also gave those players another shot that many other teams didn’t give Miraculously, the A’s went on and made history by winning 20 games in a row in there 2002 season and made it to the postseason again. Billy Beane finds ways for his team to compete, despite the unfair advantage other teams have with there multimillion dollar payroll.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amwVW0I4KD8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vumwNmBGNG4

I chose Patrick Willis as my peak performer because he embodies all the things we have been talking about in this class. He is a very positive person, and although he is out for the season right now, he continues to remain positive and work hard. He is always on social media talking about how every situation is a blessing and a lesson and he sees everything as positive. He always supports his 49ers even from the side lines. He knows that to be a great person or athlete requires sacrifice and he is dedicated to greatness. He knows he is part of a unit as a defensive linebacker. He has a lot of awards and honors to back himself up but what I find great is he remains to be humble and knows he can do a little better each day.

My peak performer is Klay Thompson, a professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors. He exemplifies focus without distractions and the passion to keep exceeding what he has already accomplished. He is always trying to be a better shooter and score the basketball more than one way. He especially likes hard competitions, when Kobe when guarding him throughout the game. He is committed to learning from the new management and is open to listening to their game plans. He also shares the wealth, getting assists and rebounds every game as well. When he comes into the game, he gives the team reassurance and a quiet confidence that is unique to his style of play.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHPMt9vd9Ns

Tim Duncan, of the San Antonio Spurs, is my peak performer because in his long successful career, he has kept high-class and professionalism on and off the court. Late in his career, he isn’t as fast, as strong, and of course as young, but he still gets the job done. Soon to be a hall of famer, Tim Duncan has been on his peak performance since he got into the NBA, and after just winning his 5th championship, he is not close to finishing up his legacy.

Paolo Guerrero, Peruvian soccer player, is who I consider to be my peak performer because he is probably one of the few Peruvian soccer player that would give out their best for their national team. Whenever he would get to the field he would give 110% of his will to win the game. He is not considered one of the top players of today, but whenever I would see him play I knew that he was doing all he could to make his people happy. He is a very passionate player and never threw away the towel when things got hard. He had a lot of skills and techniques whenever you saw him play it would seem impossible to mimic. Every move he made with the ball looked like he was always in control and always aware of his surroundings. I truly consider him one of the top Peruvian soccer players of all time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHayBOEpGE0

The native Queen rapper Nasir ” NAS” Jones is the person that I choose as a peak performer. I choose him because through out the years his been consistent with his musical style that promotes positivity. He mostly write his lyrics with message or deep meaning. He is recently was honored with the W.E.B. DuBois Medal during a ceremony at Harvard University due to his involvement and contributions to culture, human rights, and the arts central to the African and African-American community. https://youtu.be/1DuwNnAXYds

My peak performer is Kobe Bryant. I chose Kobe first of all because he is my childhood idol. Growing up as a Lakers fan, he was always my favorite player at first because of how physically gifted he was, and how he always seemed to make the highlight reel by doing some crazy dunk, or making an insanely different shot. However, as I got older I admire Kobe much more now for his intense work ethic, and unflappable desire to win. While it may go against many peak performance theories to only focus on winning, I think at the end of the day it’s important for people to use what motivates him or her, and since winning is what drives Kobe I respect him for using that drive to push him to greatness.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rZlfgfrU9s

The peak performer I have chosen is Derek Jeter. Hands down he was one of the greatest baseball players of all time. Many have said that Derek Jeter is the Michael Jordan of baseball and it just so happenes that the two of them are friends. But Derek’s skills aren’t the reason I chose him as the best peak performer. I chose Derek Jeter because of his actions on and off the field. Derek was the one to be humbled at every turn. He was the man to always be a good teammate. He was someone you could depend on day in and day out. Derek Jeter in my eyes is the best peak performer because of his skills and the type of person he is. Even Red Sox fans love Derek Jeter. That just shows you the power that this one man holds.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LqnetSUjYHw

https://youtu.be/01rdaKrwn0k
i choose the LSU track and field team because i love how dedicated they are to their sport. they show how much they practice and how hard working they are to win championships