Squamish's The Ninja Gym has its first competition team.
The local team, which came together last month, is part of the Canadian Ninja League.
The athletes are headed to Chilliwack to compete for the first time as a team at a competition at Elite Ninja Development on Saturday, Nov. 23.
The popularity of ninja sports ballooned in North America with the American Ninja Warrior TV Game Show—which sees competitors race through elaborate obstacle courses.
Starting in 2009, the show has run for 16 seasons.
Head coach of the Squamish team, Shaun Stephens-Whale, notes there's been a culture built around the show.
There are thousands of ninja gyms around the globe, and a World Ninja League, of which the Canadian League is a subset.
Stephens-Whale describes the sport as part parkour, gymnastics and rock climbing.
For competition, an obstacle course is broken into between five and 15 different obstacles that an athlete has to get through in sequence.
The homegrown team was sparked after the Squamish gym held a competition in September.
"It was fantastic. What we found, though, is that a lot of our competitors came from outside of town," Stephens-Whale said, adding that only about 5% of the competitors were from within town.
"I was a bit shocked by that. I personally know of how amazingly talented people in this town are, and I thought that we should definitely showcase what Squamish has to offer ... So we created a competition team."
The key to being on the team is being capable, of course, but also showing enthusiasm.
The goal is to compete within the Lower Mainland at first and then beyond, according to Stephens-Whale.
"The athletes come from really diverse backgrounds, which is interesting but not surprising because I'd say ninja is one of the most well-rounded sports you would encounter," said Stephens-Whale, who is also one of the owners of the local gym.
He said some members of the team have a background in other sports, such as gymnastics, hockey, and mountain biking, among others.
"[Ninja] involves a lot of different movement types. It involves a lot of explosive strength, co-ordination, body awareness as well as grip strength," he said.
For his part, Stephens-Whale has competed in mountain, obstacle and tower running. His interest in ninja as a sport was sparked by the U.S. TV show—which he watched closely.
"I just think the sport is super cool, and I love all the different components. It involves a lot of different skills, and so it's always fun to train, and it never gets tiring."
In addition to Stephens-Whale, members of the Squamish competitive team are:
- Emiliano Sotelo
- Jasper Fofonoff
- Carter Hetherington
- Ashton McRae
- Lillian Tempany
- Axel Doak
- Mackenzie Doak
- Matthew O'Donnell
- Noah Corrente
- Chris Carter
- Quinn McRae
- Ruby Howard
- Isabel Howard
- Hutton Wade
- Jack Walsh
- Rhodes McRae
The competitions are divided by age. For the upcoming Chilliwack competition, the local team will be mostly competing in the younger categories. Stephens-Whale and fellow coach Chris Carter will compete in the adult category.
"I'm really excited to see how everyone does. Our athletes have definitely been working hard," Stephens-Whale said, noting the team practices twice a week and each member has homework in between.
"I think they're going to be ready to throw down.”
The season for the sport follows the school year of September through June.
Anyone interested in the sport or the team can get in touch with the gym.
"We're looking for anyone who's looking to try something new, but they don't have to be necessarily great at it. They just have to be enthusiastic," he said.
Find out more about The Ninja Gym Squamish on its website. The gym is located at 39455 Discovery Way #118.
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