When you think of American Ninja Warrior, most people think of athletic adults scaling walls and flying through the air with only a rope or a bar for support. Well, watch out grownups, the kids are coming for you! For the first time, the wildly popular American Ninja Warrior franchise has opened its obstacles to the next generation of ninjas. In October of 2018, American Ninja Warrior Junior debuted on the Universal Kids network. These pint-sized ninjas took on obstacles that make even the most seasoned adult ninja sweat. Competing in age brackets of 9&10 years old, 11&12 years old and 13&14 years old, the course features obstacles like the Sonic Swing, Tic Toc, Spin Cycle, and of course the iconic Warped Wall.
Throughout the competition, the ninjas will be mentored by All Star Ninjas and the three final winners—one from each age group—will be named the first-ever American Ninja Warrior Junior Champions.
Among these fierce competitors is Holly Springs’ own Josh Auer. At 13 years old, Josh is no stranger to the world of Ninja Warrior competitions. Josh began competing on the Ninja Warrior circuit a little over a year and a half ago, but it didn’t take long for him to get excited about the sport. “Less than two years ago, Josh hadn’t competed in a single obstacle course race in his life, but after watching American Ninja Warrior, he insisted it was his sport,” Josh’s dad, Ken, said. In just two years, Josh went from having never competed to qualifying for the Ultimate Ninja Athlete Association (UNAA) Finals in Rocky Mount, and qualifying for the National Ninja League Finals at Pinnacle Parkour in New Jersey. Josh has traveled around the U.S. as part of the competition circuit to places such as Albuquerque, New Mexico; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Michigan; Virginia and Maryland.
When Josh learned about the American Ninja Warrior Junior (ANW Jr.) opportunity he knew he wanted to be a part of it. “Initially, I was contacted by ANW Jr. casting through the ninja Instagram account that I had with my brother, and the gym that I compete at locally, WarriorTech OCR, also had an announcement about applying for the show,” Josh said. Once he decided to compete, Josh had to complete an extensive application process. “It was a lengthy process to apply for the show. The application had over 50 questions that required a lot of research on dates I had participated in various sports and activities. I also submitted five videos and each had a specific emphasis, such as my background and physical abilities on ninja obstacles,” he said. Once the application process was complete, Josh was off to Los Angeles with his family to compete alongside 191 other ninjas to become the first American Ninja Warrior Junior champ.
Although new to this particular competition, Josh and his family are no strangers to the Ninja Warrior obstacles. In fact, Josh’s brother, Caleb, is his coach and workout partner.
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[Caleb] is always challenging me to push myself to conquer the next obstacle,” Josh said. Having the support of his brother and his family has meant the world to this young competitor. “My parents have seen from the beginning that I have a passion for this sport. They have been willing to put my interests ahead of their own and support me however possible to help me make my dreams come true,” Josh said. For Josh’s parents, Ken and Carol, watching their son compete and chase his dreams is nothing short of a blessing. “His [Josh’s] determination and God’s gifts have opened up so many doors for him. The greatest thing is watching him recognize that this is an opportunity to bless and encourage others,” Ken said. Mom, Carol, said,
“We consider it a great privilege that Josh was selected, and have emphasized to Josh that no matter how well he does on the show, it was still a great honor to have been chosen to participate in ANW Jr.’s first season.”
As for how far Josh will go in the ANW Jr. competition, we will just have to wait and see. “My qualifying runs have already aired, and I made it to the semi-finals. The semi-finals episode will air sometime in the spring, but in the meantime, I’ll keep working out and competing every chance I get,” Josh said. One thing is certain, Josh doesn’t plan on stopping his run anytime soon, “I will be competing in the Athletic Warrior Games finals in Chicago in January 2019 and in February I will compete at the National Ninja League World Finals in Connecticut,” he said.
But Josh isn’t using his skill just for competitions. He is also using his experience to help next generation ninjas prepare for the big time. “I’ve had the opportunity to work at my brother’s side as he trains younger kids, and I’m starting to give lessons myself to aspiring young ninjas,” he said. When asked where he sees himself in five or ten years, Josh doesn’t see himself straying far from the ninja world. “I hope to get on the adult American Ninja Warrior show and make it to Stage 2 in Las Vegas. The sport continues to grow, and there are some that are trying to get it into the Olympics in 2024. I’d love to compete there.”
As for what Ken and Carol hope for their son, Ken said,
“We hope Josh recognizes that he needs to make the most of every opportunity, but stay humble in the process, recognizing what a privilege it is and ‘to whom much is given, much is expected.’” Kim added, “We hope Josh continues to grow in his sportsmanship as he cheers on his fellow competitors and will keep a watchful eye for those who need encouragement.”
Wherever this ninja’s path may lead him, it is clear that he will have the love and support of his community and his family. Good luck, Josh, and always remember that Holly Springs is cheering for you and wishing you nothing but success!
