Local kid to compete on TV show
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. >> Only 64 nine- and 10-year-olds will compete in the first season of “American Ninja Warrior Junior.”
Oliver Huss, 9, of Saratoga Springs, will be one of them.
“I was excited to be on the show, showing off what I’ve been working on,” Oliver Huss, who goes by Ollie, said Thursday afternoon in his garage.
His dad, Eric Huss, built a ninja gym in his garage on Ash Street in early 2017. It’s where Oliver and his friends train on a regular basis for regional and national competitions under the team Saratoga Ninja Garage. It’s where Oliver filmed his tryout video for the inaugural season of “American Ninja Warrior Junior.”
Earlier this year, sometime in the spring, Oliver submitted a video showcasing his skills. NBC liked the video enough to send Oliver out to Los Angeles in July for the first season.
The first episode airs Saturday, Oct. 13, at 7 p.m. on Universal Kids, but it’s unclear when Oliver will appear on the show. There are 20 episodes among three-age groups with a total of 192 kids competing. There’s a bracket for each age group as junior ninja compete sideby-side in a scaled-down professional course featuring six challenging obstacles.
“It felt like a short course,” Oliver explained. “Cause usually when I’m in my garage I try to make courses really long.”
He loves using his arms to get from place to place.
“I’m good at swinging on something to something else,” said Oliver Huss. “I like bars.” He likes to fly, said his father. “It was [American Ninja Warrior]. It wasn’t like he was swinging from the chandelier when he was one,” said Eric Huss. “Once he found Ninja, it evolved. He practices every day. He’ll come out to spend an hour or an hour and a half.”
Oliver can’t say how he did in the competition. He did say, however, his mother hyped him up throughout.
“It was thrilling. It was really fun to see my child doing something he loves,” said Jenny Huss.
Eric and Jenny continue to show their support. There’s plenty of pressure, but Eric said there’s humility in it.
“The biggest lesson in Ninja is failing is OK,” said Eric. “It’s so cool to see their self-confidence grow from this sport.”
Oliver has been competing since he turned five. It’s been a family event. He said if he could describe competing with one word it would be “fun.” One of the lessons ninja teaches is to never give up.
“I just push my limits until I make it,” said Oliver.