Zach Hess: Ninyo & Moore's Own Olympic Hopeful

Ninyo & Moore Backs Speed Skater Zach Hess in His Quest for Olympic Glory

Ninyo & Moore is proud to support Zach Hess, a talented speed skater, in his goal to become an Olympian.  Zach was recently hired as a Field and Laboratory Technician in our Salt Lake City office.  He is an inspiration to other young athletes and we look forward to watching him on this path toward his goal.

Zach’s Story

Zach grew up on the ice. Since the age of six, his mother would bring him to the local skating rink in his native town of Conyers, Georgia. This was where he developed his “feel“ for the ice; an inherent talent instrumental for him to stand out and take his skills to the next level. After attending college where he punted for the football team and excelled in track, he returned to Atlanta, Georgia and met a man who previously worked with Ryan Liviiee, formally of the short-track speed skating national team. This key meeting introduced Zach to the world of speed skating and, from that point on, with a vision and a plan in place, Zach’s training began.

Zach regularly trained at a public skating rink dreaming of his chance at Olympic glory.  This training involved a variety of strategies, including a bowl of water placed on his back while skating laps to learn balance, as well as utilizing a turn-belt, which simulated the forces that he would feel in the corners at high speed.  Zach’s dedication grew and, in between skating days, he would work solo up to 3 hours daily performing an intense series of drills that would increase his skills on the ice.  This was not just a physical commitment. It also involved a very strict diet containing high amounts of white meat, rice, bison and vegetables, and no sweets or fast food.

Zach had his next opportunity when he was encouraged to reach out to the short track speed skating program to discover his potential.  After emailing them footage of his training and conveying his desires, they welcomed Zach for a tryout stint in November 2023. For those two weeks, Zach skated his heart out, learned a lot and, most importantly, proved that he had the potential and what it takes to be a champion. This opportunity to meet idols that he studied and watched, including current members of the national team, solidified his decision to return.   

After life interrupted, as it often does, he had a long talk with his coach that left him with an internal question: “What would the eight year-old me and then the eighty-year-old me think of my decision to go or not to go?“ Zach knew the answer.  Within two weeks, he resigned from his job and packed a U-Haul trailer with everything he owned.  With the support of his family, who helped raise $3,000 with a fundraiser to help with his dream, he embarked to Utah to begin training.  

By July 1, 2024, Zach was back in Utah, wide eyed but trusting in his plan.  He began his intense training with the hopes of making the “FAST” team, a developmental program for the athletes closest to the national team.  FAST serves as a feeder team to the national level.  Currently, Zach is very close to making that team and he recently participated in his first national race.

Zach lives and breathes speed skating, whether it be film study in x.25 slow motion, pushing hard at practice, asking national team members questions about foot placement, or working on mentality.  Like those that have inspired him such as Apollo Ohno, Derek Parra, Shawni Davis, and Kristan Santos Griswold, Zach has a dream and a vision.  He truly feels like this is his destiny, that he was born to be a speed skater, and he firmly believes he will get there.

Click to learn more about this inspiring journey.