by By Dan Ninham (Oneida)
“I am preparing for the NAIA National Cross Country Race on November 22nd,” said Tiajhae Nez.
Elite athletes appear to always be preparing for elite athletic events. Every training workout, rest day, and weekly events are preliminary but necessary to be ready for the ultimate event.
Tiajhae Nez is Dine’ from Kirtland, New Mexico. Her mother is Tonya Johnson and her father is Duane Nez, and they also live in Kirtland, NM. Her unique name is her brother and sister’s names combined.
“I am a freshman at the University of Antelope Valley,” said Tiajhae. “I am 5’6” and weigh about 125 lbs.” Tiajhae is the number one runner of the UAV women’s cross-country team. The University of Antelope Valley men’s and women’s teams are preparing to compete in the NAIA National Championship meet on Friday, November 22, in Vancouver, Washington.
Tiajhae put in the long and short miles and fast times to be where she is now as an up and coming elite college distance runner. As a high school athlete, she made the 2019 Wings of America team, named the Navajo Times All-Star for cross-country and basketball and all state team for cross-country. Her basketball team was the 2019 New Mexico Class 4A State Tournament Runner-ups. She turned her basketball shoes in for running shoes as she began college.
Kirtland Central HS Cross Country Coach Lenny Esson shared: “Tiajhae ran for me in high school during her junior and senior years. She was fairly new to the sport in I believe in her third year. She’s shown me some great times for someone so new but she’s also got amazing work ethic. Only time will tell how her collegiate races will look as she continues to grow. Becoming an elite level runner there will determine on her commitment to excellence. She’s under a great coach who will help her. When she comes home she joins our high school runners for some training.”
“The strengths that I bring are my weird humor and ambition, in a way,” said Tiajhae. “Like yeah, I want to improve my times but I also want everyone on the team to improve theirs as well. I like to keep things together and be a team player. I also like to try to lead and makes sure everyone does what they have to before their race so we’re all ready.”
Tribal core values define who student athletes are. “We respect everything that is on this earth, so a lot of it has to do with respect,” said Tiajhae. “Another value is supporting our own people, so as a student athlete I want to use my platform to motivate other natives that they can get to college and that they can be successful.”
Athletes have a past tense where they were, a current tense where they are now and a future tense where they are going in their journey. “Hopefully I am going somewhere that’ll benefit me as a person. I also want to work with different organizations that help the native youth. Sports helped me a lot throughout my years. Especially running, it gives a sort of discipline to be a better person in a way. Like it keeps me away from the negative aspects that’ll get me in trouble.”
“My mom and sister always told me: ‘There’s a little boy watching what I do and accomplish.’ I know my nephew Queanté looks up to me, because he shows me his schoolwork and calls me a genius. He also says, ‘I want to run fast like Day.’ He calls me Day because he can’t pronounce my name.
Role model student athletes share advice to others including other student athletes to be successful in the classroom and in athletics. “Stay motivated,” said Tiajhae. “Think about the sacrifices you and your family make for you to be where you’re at. Also to think about who’s watching you and looking up to you as a role model along the way, whether it’d be a younger sibling or cousin.”
“Tiajhae, aka TJ, is just an awesome gal all around,” said Clay Maes, University of Antelope Valley Head Cross Country Coach. “Very strength based as a person. Strength based meaning, always positive, a great outlook on everything, never gets discouraged, a true warrior who also appreciates the little things in life.”
“One thing that stood out with TJ is I went out to meet her at the Navajo Times ceremony in December of 2018, and with so many people at the event, I was having trouble finding her. Lo’ and behold, she found me and introduced herself and immediately I saw a person who is making an instant impact with her community. She is a great student, great runner, great person, and a great role model. Rarely have I come across a speedster with her potential as a runner and person. I feel TJ has the ability to become one of the, if not the most prominent lady native speedster in the country within the next few years. I know she will collect All-American honors in due time, as well as being a top tier runner at the national collegiate scene in a couple years! In due time!” added Coach Clay.
Photo Credit: Clay Mayes
