by By Dan Ninham (Contributing Writer)
Miranda Stewart Hess Jr. is an enrolled tribal member of the Big Pine Paiute Tribe of the Owens Valley. She is a 13 year old seventh grader at Jemez Valley Middle School, Jemez Pueblo, NM.
Miranda Jr. was born on the Big Pine Paiute Reservation, where Sr. spent her entire life until she had to move with new employment. She got a job with the US Forest Service (USFS) and the family left the Rez. She met her husband who was also employed with the USFS, and he was living in the Black Hills of South Dakota. They got married and moved Miranda Jr. to South Dakota where they lived for Jr.’s first seven years of her life. Sr.’s husband got a promotion to upper management on the Jemez Mountain District within the USFS and they moved to New Mexico where they have resided for the past six years.
Miranda Stewart Hess Jr.’s mother is Miranda Stewart Hess Sr., an enrolled member of Big Pine Paiute Tribe and her father is Brandon Price Hess, an enrolled member of Bishop Paiute Tribe. Miranda Jr. has seven brothers.
Miranda Jr. is a member of the Wolfpack Wrestling Academy, Jemez Valley Middle School girls’ basketball team and Sunset Little League Wildcats softball team.
Miranda Jr. is a four-time State Wrestling Champion and two times each in South Dakota and New Mexico, two-time Greater Southwest Wrestling National Champion and two-time State Runner Up. She also is a starting point guard and team captain on her basketball team and team captain and starting pitcher and All-Star on her softball team.
Her indigenous core values defines how she practices and competes. She said, “We as Indigenous people are powerful and strong. We have great medicine within us. My belief in my culture helps me compete to the best of my abilities. I pray to my ancestors for power and guidance before every match or game. I face every obstacle with a Warrior’s spirit.”
She has individual goals that are far reaching and she’s on her journey to meet them.
“My individual athletic goals are to be able to wrestle at the Olympics and place,” said Miranda Jr. “After I graduate college I want to pursue a career as a UFC fighter.”
“I am going to reach my goals by learning and practicing all I can in combat sports and wrestling,” Miranda Jr. added.
Mentors help guide young athletes to deal with adversity and challenges as well as with accomplishments.
“My main mentor is my mom Miranda Stewart Hess Sr.,” said Miranda Jr. “My Mom is my main mentor because she has been there for me through everything. She teaches me right from wrong and guides me to be the best I can be. She believes in me even when I didn’t believe in myself. She was an athlete in middle and high school and coached my teams for years, and I’ve learned a lot from her. She always tells me ‘All Go No Quit’, so that’s what I do.”
Mom Miranda Sr. talked about the 2023 NM Juniors Wrestling Championship. She said, “Her victory was unbelievably sweeter than any other over the years. She dominated her season rival, winning 3-0 against an opponent she has never beat and lost three times to this year. Jr. showed up and did everything perfect to not allow her opponent to score even one point on her. Miranda left it all on the mat, gave 110% and her hard work and focus paid off in the best way possible.”
“Bringing home the gold! As soon as the whistle blew it was ALL GO NO QUIT!! The mental fortitude it took to overcome the mind block of knowing she lost to this girl three times already; knowing this is the biggest tournament of the year, and being able to keep her emotions in check and stay focused on her goal shows such strength and determination. Such a will to win,” added Miranda Sr.
Josh Wenze is one of the head coaches at Wolfpack Wrestling Academy. He talked about one of their star athletes. He said, “Miranda is a very special and talented young woman. She is a phenomenal athlete that comes along once in a coaching career. She is extremely humble, coachable, self-motivated and outworks everyone in the room.”
“Once she learns how to control and tap into that mindset, she will become unstoppable. Her future is unlimited with possibilities not only just in sports but in any direction in life she chooses to pursue and conquer,” added Coach Wenze.
