American Ninja Warrior competitors are many things—flexible, strong, nimble and outstanding athletes. And one of the newest warriors is also a College of Health student.
Aly Larson will compete on Season 17 of the show, which will air next year. But that’s only the latest of her accomplishments in a long list that includes performing foot archery, aerial silks, and more. She even appeared in a junior version of the popular TV show.
“I have a lot of strength and flexibility from aerial silks, and when I was 13, I competed on American Ninja Warrior Junior,” she said. “It was a big challenge for me at the time, but I’ve stepped up my ninja training, so I feel ready!”
A second-year student in the Department of Health & Kinesiology, Larson also teaches aerial silks at a local gym, and her friends encouraged her to apply for the bigger competition.
“You send a two-to-three-minute video describing your inspiration and goals,” she said. “They want to know about you as a person and what would qualify you to run the course.”
When Larson received “the call,” from the production agency, she was spending her time in student mode, finishing up some homework.
“I was very surprised and excited,” she said.
Thanks to her previous TV experience, Larson isn’t fazed about competing under the bright lights. She’s also a performer at heart who took up foot archery as a teenager. The only foot archer in the state, she’s performed at the Utah Jazz halftime show and in shows with Paris Hilton and David Osmond.
Next week, she’ll fly to Las Vegas and prepare to compete in a quarterfinal course with six obstacles. If she succeeds in the first course, she’ll move on to the semifinals course with more obstacles. No matter the outcome, she’ll have to keep it under wraps until the show airs in 2025.
“Although my career in aerials has always been my main focus, I’m always open to trying new things, and I’m excited to see where this goes,” she said. “I’ll do my best and if it doesn’t go as planned that’s ok. There are always other opportunities.”
That’s an understatement. Larson’s planning to use her kinesiology degree to pursue a career as a physical therapist. The skills she’s picking up in the classroom will also help make her a more well-rounded athlete, performer, and coach.
“This pathway fits my interests outside of school,” she said. “Knowing how the body functions really suits me, and I’ve been enjoying it so far.”