Spotlight on Miranda Leek

Miranda Leek

Miranda Leek is 16 years old and lives in Des Moines, Iowa. She is an honor student at Dowling Catholic High School (Go Maroons!). She was introduced into archery at age five, when her father decided to take her shooting with him one day. He taught her safety and the basics, then handed her a simple, wooden recurve. She picked up on it from there, and continued shooting. It wasn’t long until her dad decided to get her a little PSE Spyder

Vic Wunderle and Miranda at NFAA Nationals

compound bow. He became her personal coach, which he still is today. She achieved quite a lot with that bow, including several state titles and records, two national titles, and a world title with two records. At NFAA Indoor Nationals in 2005, Terry Wunderle, a well-known archery coach, suggested that she make the switch over to Olympic-style recurve. For her 12th birthday, her dad bought her the appropriate equipment! That was the greatest decision ever made in Miranda’s archery career.

After her switch over to the Olympic-style recurve, her dreams grew. She became a member of the U.S. Junior Dream Team, a group of archers under 18 all training for the Olympic Games,

Farmalls occasionally need a little pull-start!

her second year with a recurve. Because this program trains directly under the National Head Archery Coach, Coach Lee, her training regime greatly increased. The time has been well invested, as she continues to improve and work toward her goal of the Olympic Games.

My wonderful, gray-nosed, spastic puppy!

When Miranda isn’t in school, training, or doing homework, she enjoys practicing the piano, playing with her puppy, helping out on the farm and antique tractor shows, reading a good book, and spending time with friends and family.