SRU Ninjas
A pair of former Slippery Rock University athletes have traded the track oval for the warped wall.
Sabrina Anderson and Krista Caldwell vied for a chance to compete for the title of “American Ninja Warrior” during a taping of the NBC television program in Baltimore April 28 and 29.
Now in its 11th season, “American Ninja Warrior” follows competitors as they tackle a series of challenging obstacles in both city and qualifying rounds across the country.
Those who successfully finish the finals course in their region move on to the national finals round where they will face a four-stage course modeled after the famed Mt. Midoriyama course in Japan. The overall season winner takes home a grand prize of $1 million.
Kevin Castech, press manager for NBC Entertainment, said the show first premiered in 2009 on the G4 network and moved to NBC during season 4.
“American Ninja Warrior” is based on the popular Japanese game show “Sasuke,” according to Castech.
Anderson said of her time in Baltimore, “It was the city qualifier and the city finals. So, there were about 30 people who qualified for the city final and 12 to 15 of those will go on to the finals in Vegas.”
Anderson couldn't say very much her most recent competition due to the nature of pretaped television shows and nondisclosure agreements.
The results of Caldwell and Anderson's contests will not be known before the show debuts at 8 p.m. May 29 before moving to its regular slot from 8 to 10 p.m. Mondays, beginning June 10.
Caldwell said, “I think Baltimore is the fourth episode, June 17, but that could change.”
Caldwell said of her experience, “It was an absolute blast. I can't really give any details about the obstacles because they don't want us giving any information out until the episode airs.”
But Anderson could compare her most recent experience to her first go at “American Ninja Warrior.” She also competed in 2017 but failed to reach the regional finals because of an ankle she had injured in her senior year of track and field, an ankle that later required surgery.
“It's my second time on the show,” she said. “In season 9, I was in the city qualifier in Cleveland.”
“I had some torn tendons and ligaments in my ankle. The injuries were actually from my track events,” she said.
Anderson said she was better prepared for her qualifying round this time.
“The first time, I didn't realize how involved it is,” she said. “I really liked climbing and I thought the show was a pretty cool idea, but I didn't do any ninja training.
“ I was definitely underprepared. It is more of a TV show than an athletic show,” she said. “It caught me off guard at the start when the producers were getting the crowds amped up and all the lights.”
Castech said, “Last summer 'American Ninja Warrior' delivered a 1.3 rating in adults 18 to 49 and 5.9 million viewers overall in 'live plus seven day' Nielsens, scoring as the most-watched broadcast of the night with each of its final five telecasts of the summer.“'Ninja Warrior' generated top-10 rankings among prime time summer shows on the Big 4 networks in numerous key demographics,” said Castech.For her latest go-round, Anderson said, “There are some ninja gyms scattered throughout the state.”Anderson lives in North Carolina and was referring to gyms that, as “American Ninja Warrior” gained mainstream popularity, gear themselves to training contestants and would-be contestants for the show.Anderson said, “It takes a lot of upper body strength, climbing strength, balance and agility to get across the different obstacles. You also need grip strength and hand strength.”Caldwell said she began training two years ago at a ninja gym near Philadelphia called iCore.“I found this gym and I thought, 'Oh my gosh, I could actually try this, '” Caldwell said.Caldwell also competes in a national ninja league not affiliated with the show.Anderson and Caldwell both received undergraduate and advanced degrees at Slippery Rock University while competing on the track and field team.Anderson earned her undergraduate degree in exercise science in 2016 and finished her master's degree in business administration in just one year, graduating in 2017.She became one of the most decorated track and field athletes in the program's history.Caldwell graduated from SRU in 2015 with a degree in exercise science. During her athletic career at Slippery Rock she was a distance runner specializing in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.Since graduation, Caldwell shifted her interest from distance running to all-around fitness, which led her to ninja training and sparked her interest in the television show.“You make this three-minute video showing your skills, strength and personality, and you fill out an application online,” said Caldwell. “That's the two things they use to decide.”About the actual competition itself, Caldwell could only say, “It's very much fun. You are nervous before you go.“But once I got up on the stage, I was truly in my element. I felt so confident and so excited. The atmosphere built me up and I felt right to take on the course,” she said.
Caldwell said she remembered Anderson from their days at Slippery Rock.During the most recent American Ninja Warrior competition, Caldwell said, “She was six before me.“It was actually pretty crazy. They get 100,000 applicants and chose not even 90 to compete, so it's pretty wild that Slippery Rock University had two people representing them.”But, at least for now, Caldwell and Anderson have to put their ninja dreams aside and concentrate on making a living.Caldwell said, “I am a physical therapist. I got a 2018 doctorate in physical therapy.” She's a physical therapist at Premier Orthopedics in Glen Mills, Pa.Anderson said, “ I'm actually looking for a job. This past winter through to the end of March I worked with the USA Bobsled and Skeleton team at Lake Placid, New York, and then in Park City, Utah.”Anderson said when she recovered from her ankle injury she worked on mastering the skeleton sled in rookie camp.Anderson said, “The skeleton is a one-man sledding sport. It starts kind of like a bobsled. I sprint with the sled and then jump on, head first and face down.“It uses the same track as a bobsled or luge. In theory, I'm a rookie this year, but I'm just having fun with it.”She said, “I'm living in Raleigh, North Carolina. I'm looking for a job in an HR position at the universities around here or a marketing or public relations-type job.”Anderson said she has been training to ride the skeleton since December.The 11th season of “American Ninja Warrior” will tape opening rounds in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Oklahoma City, Baltimore, Seattle and Cincinnati before the June 18-23 finals in Las Vegas.The show will premiere on May 29 and run throughout the summer into mid-September.Castech added “Applications for this season have long been closed (https://www.anwcasting.com/), but hopefuls can come to the remaining cities (Seattle/Tacoma and Cincinnati) to enter our 'walk on raffle' for a last chance to enter the competition in those markets. The raffle happens the day before the city qualifiers begins.”
