Ninja Team
What is Ninja Team?
Ninja is inherently an individual sport. So, why make a team? Well, one of the benefits of ninja is the community. It’s made up of athletes and fans that encourage, uplift, motivate, and push each other to the pinnacle of their performance. Ninja Team at Skyhook is where dedicated Ninja athletes come together to grow in not just strength and agility, but also in character and confidence. Ninja team focuses on skills in the gym but also in life and character growth.
There are two main benefits to team- a smaller, consistent training group, and 1.5-hour long practices.
Two key differences and benefits of joining Team or Team Prep over our regularly scheduled classes are the smaller and more consistent group you work with paired with longer practices make for a more unique and rigorous training experience. The longer classes allow for more focused training in technique, strength and strategy of obstacles and skills. This, working in tandem with the fact that every student in Team practice WANTS to be there, results in a positive, growth-oriented atmosphere.
Competing in Ninja
Why do we compete?
Competition is one of the biggest aspects of training Ninja Warrior. It gives us something to strive for, and gives us a stage to show the results of our hard work. With this, many kids are hesitant to be in a competition setting with their teammates and spectators around. This is why a key goal of our Team program is to cultivate a sense of confidence to overcome these sorts of fears, and how to take failure in stride, with the idea in mind that mistakes are a necessary part of growth.
Do I have to compete?
For Team Prep members, there will be ONE required competition this season. The competition is a lower level competition that Skyhook will be hosting this season as part of the UNAA . For our Competitive Team, there are several required competitions- at Skyhook and at other Ninja Warrior gyms in the Pacific Northwest. These competitions will vary in style and format, and will be in several different leagues.
Meet The Team Coaches
Competitive Team
Competitive Team is a little more involved, and its schedule is a reflection of the higher level training. Competitive Team is directly training for competitions, and there are a few throughout the year that are mandatory.
Competitive Team practices are on Monday and Wednesday from 6:30pm-8:00pm. Additionally, there is an optional Course Runs practice on Friday.
Competitive Team is, at the start of the season, placed into 3 tiers based on skill. These tiers- just like the groups in Team Prep- rotate throughout the gym working with all of the coaches on various skills.
Course Runs
Team Course Runs are an additional optional practice on Fridays, and are split up into two groups. The purpose of these practices is to simulate being on a real competition course. Ninjas age 11 and under (as of 1/1/23) will go from 6:30pm-7:30pm. Ninjas age 12 and up will go from 7:30pm-8:30pm.
Team Prep
The Team Prep program is our entry into higher level ninja. Here, we begin working on the skills required to be successful in Ninja Warrior, helped by a consistent training schedule.
Team Prep practices are on Tuesday and Thursday from 6:30pm-8:00pm.
Team Prep is divided into 3 groups based on size/age. These groups rotate throughout the gym, working on different skills with all of the Team coaches.
Team Progression
As the season progresses, we will do quarterly evaluations of the entire Team program, this may mean we move people between groups, tiers, or between Competitive Team and Team Prep.
