The Architecture of Elite Performance

A moderated discussion on the mindset, preparation, and long-term protocols required to reach the highest levels of sport.

May 9th, 2026 | SLO High School Auditorium | 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Register for the Panel

What This Panel Is

Success in high-level athletics is rarely a result of raw talent alone. It is the product of a specific mental architecture and a disciplined approach to the "long game" of development. Following the SLO County Combine, this curated panel brings together five individuals who have successfully navigated the transition from youth prospect to elite professional.

The discussion moves past cliché motivational advice to focus on the clinical realities of the developmental process. Attendees will gain a clear understanding of how to audit their current preparation and align their daily habits with their long-term collegiate or professional aspirations.

Key Outcomes:

  • Frameworks for building mental resilience under high-pressure stakes

  • Preparation protocols used by world-class athletes during the off-season

  • Strategies for managing the physical and mental demands of a long-term career

  • The role of "deliberate practice" in accelerating skill acquisition

  • How to differentiate between standard training and elite-level preparation

  • Navigating the psychological transitions between competitive levels

TEMEKA JOHNSON

A product of Kenner, Louisiana, Johnson was a standout at Bonnabel High School, where she earned USA Today All-American and WBCA All-American accolades, earning a reputation as one of the nation’s top point guards.

At LSU, Johnson quickly made her mark, becoming the all-time leader in assists not only for the Lady Tigers but also in the SEC and across the NCAA. She holds the LSU record for assists in a game (17 vs. Georgia on March 5, 2005), posted four 15-assist games during her career and accumulated 945 assists, a mark that remains Top 10 in NCAA Division I history.

She was a four-time All-American (2002-05) and the winner of the 2005 Nancy Liebermann Award as the nation’s best point guard. Johnson was an NCAA Regional All-Tournament selection in 2004 and 2005, as she helped lead the Tigers to Final Four appearances in both seasons.

Johnson capped off her collegiate career as the recipient of the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award, recognizing the nation’s top player under 5’8”. She earned her bachelor's degree from LSU in 2004.

Her success continued professionally when she was selected No. 6 overall in the 2005 WNBA Draft by the Washington Mystics. Johnson earned WNBA Rookie of the Year honors in 2005 and went on to have an 11-year WNBA career, playing for the Washington Mystics, Los Angeles Sparks, Phoenix Mercury, Tulsa Shock, and Seattle Storm.

She captured a WNBA Championship with the Mercury in 2009, cementing her legacy as one of the league’s premier floor generals.

During the WNBA offseason Johnson played in leagues overseas including teams in Israel, Poland and Russia. Since retiring from professional play, Johnson has dedicated herself to coaching and player development.

 Through her H.O.P.E. Foundation (Heaven Opens People’s Eyes), Johnson has organized youth mentoring programs, holiday community feedings, and initiatives supporting underserved schools and families — further demonstrating her dedication to making a lasting impact.

 Johnson’s career and influence have been recognized with inductions into both the LSU Athletics Hall of Fame and the New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame.

Sharon Day-Monroe

A two-time Olympian and three-time World Championships participant, Day-Monroe was the 2005 NCAA high jump national champion with a mark of 6 feet, 4 inches, was an NCAA All-American seven times combined in indoor and outdoor competition, won Big West titles in the high jump three times, long jump once and heptathlon once and twice was selected as Cal Poly Female Student-Athlete of the Year (2005 and 2008).

In the summer of 2004, she was the U.S. Junior Track and Field champion in the high jump and went on to earn a bronze medal in the World Junior Championships at Grosseto, Italy. Day-Monroe competed in the 2007 Pan American Games at Rio de Janeiro, representing the United States on the first of many senior national teams.

She competed in the high jump at the 2008 Beijing Olympics (24th place) and in the heptathlon in the 2012 London Olympics (16th place).

Day-Monroe holds Cal Poly records in the high jump (6-4 ¾) and heptathlon (5,642 points) and broke the American record in the pentathlon on Feb. 21, 2014.

In women’s soccer, Day-Monroe ranks No. 4 all-time in Cal Poly history in career points (27 goals, 14 assists for 68 points), earned first-team All-Big West honors all four years and helped Cal Poly reach two NCAA Tournaments. She was 2003 Big West Tournament MVP and 2003 Big West Freshman of the Year.

Day-Monroe currently is the winningest multi-event athlete in U.S. history with three outdoor heptathlon titles and four consecutive indoor pentathlon crowns. She was the top American finisher in international competition over a recent seven-year stretch in the heptathlon, with her best performance a sixth-place finish in Moscow.