
2012
Peak Athletic Coaching began with AJ Baucco in his hometown Cleveland, Ohio.
A then up-and-coming professional triathlete, AJ began helping a handful of local athletes improve their swimming. Coached athletes’ continuously improving race results, and the local multisport community quickly taking notice, paved the way for AJ to expand coaching to bike and run, and fill a full coaching roster.
Thus was born the first iteration of the company: AJ Baucco Coaching.
One of the athletes on AJ’s original roster was Ryan McCready, an elite amateur triathlete from Columbus, Ohio. Ryan had moved on from a career in the Navy and was pursing his athletic dreams full time. Ryan had been volunteer-coaching with Team RWB, and had grown to love helping others achieve their goals. Ryan expressed interest in coaching with AJ, and the partnership potential was quickly clear.
2014
AJ and Ryan spent the early winter months of the year together in Clermont, Florida triathlon training, and filling every other moment teaching Ryan everything there was to know about coaching.
Complimentary to his pursuit of sport, Ryan began his career as a full-time triathlon coach. Ryan had quick success – his roster started to fill by the close of 2014.
Lesley Smith, a very accomplished professional triathlete based in Boulder, Colorado, took notice and expressed interest in joining the growing company. Seeing the potential Lesley brought as a coach, AJ brought her on board.
Aspiring to support every angle of world class coaching, AJ sought out Christopher Lee, the former head coach for the University of Colorado swim team, to join the mission. Chris was an aspiring professional triathlete himself with a degree in Physical Education and Exercise Science. He was a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. AJ knew that Chris could use his education to further develop and dial the company’s training philosophies.

2017 - 2018
Gaining traction, AJ recruited more coaches to support a growing client base.
By 2018, 10 additional coaches were hired including names like: Cam Dye, a dominant professional triathlete with a multitude of short course victories, Nathan Killam, a Canadian professional triathlete and fire fighter with a knack for helping others achieve their goals, and Tim Delss, an established multisport coach from Maryland with a great deal of experience working with athletes of all ability levels. With the expanding roster of professional coaches, the company quickly flourished into one of the largest coaching companies in the country.
2018
AJ retired from professional triathlon to invest more time in the business.
As endurance sports progressed in our communities, it became clear that AJ Baucco Coaching needed to adapt to grow, stay relevant, and ensure longevity in the industry.
2021
In order to adapt, the AJ Baucco Coaching brand has been retired, but the work is carried forward by the next iteration of the company:
Peak Athletic Coaching.
From the first coached laps at the local pools in Cleveland, the mission remains the same: deliver relevant, world class endurance sports coaching to athletes of all ability levels.
Peak Athletic Coaching has inherited the success of AJ Baucco Coaching, and now elevates the mission on a bigger, better platform, to help you, our athletes, continue smashing bigger-than-ever goals, and deliver the results you work hard for.
