Food Fuels Performance

On any given afternoon at Peak Performance KN in Derby, the sounds of bouncing softballs, quick footwork drills and encouraging coaching echo through the facility. But beyond the athletic energy lies a deeper mission -- one rooted in family, community partnerships and a firm belief that what we eat directly impacts how we perform.

Peak Performance KN at 211 W. Market St, is truly a family affair. Kaitlyn Patterson and Nevada Raitt, alongside their daughter, Harper, opened the combined performance facility and retail store in 2023 with a vision that extended beyond sports training. That vision was strengthened by a long-time friendship. Nevada has known Michelle Canny since fourth grade, and today Michelle and her husband, Matt, represent the fifth generation of their family to farm and ranch in the small southwest town of Johnson. Together, they operate Bear Creek Cattle and Wholly Cow Market, providing high-quality, locally raised meat.

The connection felt natural.

“We believe that food fuels performance,” Kaitlyn explains.

So, when Michelle, an active member of Shop Kansas Farms, learned about the Sedgwick County Harvest Hub, she and Kaitlyn immediately wanted to be involved. The Harvest Hub’s focus on connecting consumers with local producers aligned perfectly with Peak Performance’s holistic philosophy of health.

Inside the facility, that philosophy is visible everywhere. Peak Performance KN is the home of the Twisters softball organization, with youth teams at the u8, u10 and u12 levels. Yet training here goes far beyond batting practice or fielding drills.

“Going to practice is the most minimal thing you can do,” Kaitlyn says, based on this quote from one of her former coaches, “Everyone goes to practice. Champions are great because of what they do outside of practice.”

Athletes who train at Peak Performance focus on speed, agility, strength, nutrition, sleep and resiliency, critical but often overlooked components of success. Kaitlyn draws from her degree in exercise science to support athletes who might otherwise be overlooked due to their size, age, or stage of development. By helping them make small technical adjustments, she often watches confidence grow alongside performance. While Nevada draws on his unique experience in helping support athletes' mental performance and shaping a growth mindset necessary to succeed in life, he is also the resident hitting guru.

“Sometimes it only takes tweaking a few things for a kid to realize what they’re capable of,” Kaitlyn says. “Seeing that moment when it clicks is incredible.”

The facility itself has become a vibrant community hub. In addition to softball, the space hosts training sessions and rentals for baseball, football and soccer teams. Families gather for glow-in-the-dark dodgeball parties and local groups utilize the building for fundraising events.

This spring, Peak Performance is expanding its reach even further by launching a weekly senior walking program on the first Tuesday in March. Participants can walk free of charge from the building around the park before returning for a functional mobility class, another example of the facility’s commitment to lifelong wellness.

That commitment extends to the store's shelves. Through the Sedgwick County Harvest Hub network, Peak Performance KN offers Wholly Cow Market beef along with locally sourced chicken from Marzenia Farms and lamb from Vos Dorper. Customers can also find jams and jellies from Belle & Buddies and Heat Mavericks (hot sauce and Spice it Up seasonings).

By bridging athletics, nutrition and local agriculture, Peak Performance KN demonstrates how strong communities are built. Partnerships with producers not only support Kansas farms but also give families convenient access to foods that help them thrive.

For Kaitlyn and Nevada, the goal has always been bigger than sports. Thanks to their connection with the Sedgwick County Harvest Hub, that performance now starts at the table — and carries onto the field, into the community and across generations. 

Learn more about Peak Performance KN by going to their website.