The new Ninja Warrior club invites students to practice a unique sport.
Based on the show, American Ninja Warrior, the sport is a form of obstacle course racing. It offers a diversity of different leagues, gyms and competitions for people to practice and test their skills.
Freshman Isabel Draper started the club because there were few opportunities to participate in Ninja Warrior in the local area. She has been doing Ninja Warrior for about five years; three of those years competitively.
“I love sharing Ninja with people,” Draper said.
Draper is planning to take the club on trips to various Ninja gyms every two weeks. Ninja Warrior gyms are facilities where people can develop Ninja Warrior skills and compete in obstacle-course races. She and other members are looking for places within driving distance to compete, including one gym in Indianapolis.
Additionally, the club is seeking locations that could become obstacle courses in the Upland area, even potentially proposing a course being built on campus.
However, the club's regular activities and meeting times will depend on the interest and commitment of students, Draper said.
Although the club has not officially met, she hopes they will be able to meet and take a trip to a gym before the end of the semester.
“I really hope that it does appeal to all different skill levels,” Draper said.
She said one great way to improve skills is to watch others who are more experienced. When she first began Ninja Warrior, she watched videos of competitions.
She loves helping beginners in Ninja Warrior. Back home in St. Louis Draper coached children at the local gym.
She hopes that the club will help people improve by working with others of all ability levels.
“I’m hoping we can get more people to join and hopefully be able to foster a sense of community in the club,” Junior Marco Aguirre, a club member, said.
The sport involves different types of challenges that require agility, balance, grip strength and upper body strength. Junior Ethan Kleiman, a club member, describes Ninja Warrior as a different way to move around.
“(Ninja Warrior) moves a different muscle set than traditional working out or like CrossFit or something,” Kleiman said.
The club is an opportunity for students to get active. Aguirre said he joined to learn how to be more agile and to live a healthier lifestyle.
The Ninja Warrior club will offer something new to Taylor students. Kleiman said that he used to go to open gyms as a kid, but there are not many affordable places for adults to practice Ninja Warrior.
“I just hope to test my limits in a way that I haven’t really done,” Kleiman said. “I enjoy traditionally working out, but it can sometimes get monotonous.”
Draper is looking for people who are interested in occupying the club’s leadership positions.
Clubs at Taylor are required to have a president, vice president, treasurer and secretary. Draper said she wants some kind of leadership cabinet. They will be involved in setting up events, making decisions and recruiting people.
When starting a club, students also need to create a constitution and have a staff advisor.
Those who are interested in joining the Ninja Warrior club should reach out to Isabel Draper at her email: isabel_draper@taylor.edu.
