Nina Ruiz
In Motion Staff Writer
“American Ninja Warrior” is back in action with old and new faces to compete in intricately designed obstacle courses designed by viewers at home, as well as by the competitors themselves. This time, the action was centered for two days in Daytona Beach at the International Speedway.
Daytona Beach was the third stop out of six planned to produce episodes for the show’s upcoming season which launches June 12, according to NBC. The Daytona Beach qualifying show will air June 26 and the city finals will air Aug. 7, according to the network. Almost 150 competitors showed up in Daytona to try their hands, legs and arms at the challenging obstacle courses with names such as “Floating Steps,” “Rolling Thunder” and “The Warped Wall.”
NBC first aired the show in 2009 and it has grown in success ever since. Hosts Matt Iseman, Akbar Gbaja-Biamila and Kristine Leahy explained the unusual ways contestants train for the show, which consists of building courses in their own backyards and attending ninja gyms with course models.
“One of the craziest ways we’ve heard some of these people train is replacing the water pits with fire. Talk about the motivation to win,” Gbaja-Biamila said, noting that hosts root for all the competitors, anticipating the moment when they hit the famous buzzer at the end of the course.
Hosts have their fingers crossed for the contenders and so do the contestants and fan base. Sheree Phillips, mother of returning contestant Josh Phillips, travels with her family to accompany her son on his journey to each city.
“It’s a competition, yes, but there’s no rivalry. Every contestant is ‘for’ each other and rooting for each other every step of the way in this incredible atmosphere that you don’t commonly find in sports,” Phillips said.
The initial walk-ons for the course camped out for three weeks at Cypress Park to ensure their spots. The contestants enjoyed the camaraderie they developed and gave each other support during their time together.
Frederick Torres, the first walk-on of the night, said, “We all decided to just set up our own course to practice and train on constantly. Some of the guys had gym memberships so we went back and forth between the two.”
A student from Daytona State College, Spenser Dugal with a black belt in Taekwondo, also ran the course as one of the testers before filming began.
“I really surprised myself,” Dugal said. “I made it to the third course when I only thought I would make it past the very first one. It was a super cool experience.”
Competitor Todd Bourgeois, more commonly known on the show as “Cajun Cowboy,” comes from an education background himself. Working as a Physical Therapy Professor at the University of St. Augustine, he was encouraged by his own students to participate in team obstacle events six years ago. His individual successes eventually led to ‘American Ninja Warrior’ inviting him to Miami to compete in its fifth season in 2013.
“This is a very eclectic group of people here,” Bourgeois explained. “It’s great to see how we can all come together and respect one another. When it’s all said and done, we’re all walking across the same stage so we all try to help each other out. The diversity here has really helped to open my eyes to be more accepting. Everyone is different. But everyone is cool.”
Perhaps the only “famous” member of the group of contenders was NASCAR driver Ben Kennedy, great-grandson of NASCAR founder Bill France Sr.
“It’s pretty cool,” Kennedy told the Daytona Beach News-Journal, in reference to the family connection. “I don’t know if I’m ready for it, but I’m going to give it my all and have some fun.”
Kennedy is among three NASCAR drivers in the “Ninja’” field this season, along with Ryan Blaney and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. The latter two will participate in the show’s Cleveland taping May 8-9.