NAVIGATING A NEW OBSTACLE COURSE
13-year-old will compete on TV in “Ninja Warrior” meet for kids.
There’s no obstacle Katie Bone won’t take on. In about five years, the 13-year-old Bernalillo resident has become a nationally ranked rock climber.
Her latest challenge is competing on “American Ninja Warrior Junior.”
The series is a spinoff of the popular show “American Ninja Warrior.” It is open to kid athletes and features 10 iconic American Ninja Warrior obstacles, including the Shrinking and Floating Steps, the Little Dipper, Spider Walls, Double Tilt Ladders, Crazy Cliffhanger, the Block Run, Flying Squirrel, Wingnuts and Skyhooks.
Katie Bone will zip through the challenge as her episode airs at 4 p.m. Friday on Universal Kids, channel 889 on Xfinity.
“I actually knew nothing about Ninja when I did the competition,” Katie said. “I’ve been climbing at
Bernalillo resident Katie Bone will compete on the next episode of “American Ninja Warrior Junior,” at 4 p.m. Friday on Universal Kids.
Stone Age in Albuquerque, and this was something new. A big challenge for me.”
During the second season, more than 140 boys and girls from across the U.S. face off on head-to-head courses in three age brackets: 9-10, 11-12 and 13-14.
Each age group is coached by all-star Ninja mentors, and Katie traveled with her parents to Los Angeles to film last year.
“Getting to Los Angeles was really fun for a climbing training camp,” she says. “It was a great opportunity for me.”
Tammy Bone, Katie’s mom, says Katie got into rock climbing by accident.
“Her brother heard from a friend about Stone Age Climbing Gym,” Tammy Bone said. “We learned about the climbing team. On her first tryout, she didn’t make it. She kept training and, the next time around, she was on the team.”
Katie heard about auditions for the second season of “American Ninja Warrior Junior” and applied.
“There were 10,000-plus kids that applied for the new season,” Tammy Bone said. “The application process was long, and there was a series of video interviews done.”
In July 2019, Katie went out to qualify for the show.
“She’s been on this incredible journey,” Tammy Bone said. “I’m proud of her determination.”
Katie is home-schooled and babysits three or four nights a week for an essential worker, her mom said.
Her father built her a climbing wall in the weeks since Stone Age Climbing Gym closed due to stayat-home health measures related to COVID-19. She finds time daily to put in a few hours of work at
home.
“Being able to have a course at home really helps my focus,” Katie said. “It’s important to keep my mind in its best shape, too.” Katie manages to fit a lot of work into each day. In addition to her schoolwork and training, she has also has been keeping her Type 1 diabetes in check.
She was diagnosed three years ago, yet kept competing at a national level.
Climbing is a physically demanding sport and training is important.
Katie has come a long way in living with her diagnosis and has become a point of inspiration for others living with Type 1 diabetes.
“It’s really important for me to keep pushing myself and be an example,” Katie said. “It’s all right to let people know that you are different. It’s OK. People need to know that they aren’t limited, they are limitless. I’m here to show them that despite my diagnosis, I’m moving forward and accomplishing everything I want.”