Jordyn Howell, 22, never expected get a call back, let alone appear on America Ninja Warrior, sending in an application to the show on a whim.
“I didn’t think there was any harm in applying,” said the University of Idaho senior. “I honestly thought I wouldn’t make it.”
Howell, who is studying marketing, said she has been a fan of the endurance competition for years and decided to give the obstacle course a shot once she realized she was of age to apply.
The show first aired in December 2012 as a spinoff of a popular Japanese television series, Sasuke, according to NBC’s website. People compete across the U.S. in the hopes of making it to the final competition in Las Vegas, Nevada.
In May, Howell’s impulse paid off — she would be competing in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Howell said she went to playgrounds and skate parks to prepare for the “grueling” course, adding it was hard to properly train for the show.
She said she is also a member of The Boneyard Gym in Moscow, which served as her main source of “confidence to even send in the application.”
Howell’s episode aired July 9 on NBC. She didn’t complete the course this time around, saying she intends to come back in the future and give it another try.
“I’ve got a taste of it and now I want more. … It’s definitely something I’ll never forget,” Howell said. “I met the most amazing people there, even the competitors who have been there season after season were so humble and were willing to give me tips and point- ers since it was my first time competing.”
Howell said she’s currently in contact with people who want to become her mentor to help her get better, motivating her to return.
She said she encourages anyone interested in competing to apply.
“It takes you out of your comfort zone, it’s scary but it’s worth it in the end,” she said. “It opened so many doors for me, I can only imagine how it could help someone else in any way.”
Howell said getting involved with things like American Ninja Warrior or even some- thing as simple as joining a gym or an intramural team allows one to meet a lot of new people, who can provide a different perspective on life.
“It’s always good to try new things, sometimes they work out and sometimes they don’t,” Howell said. “You have to keep pushing your boundaries, it helps you in so many ways.”
Howell said she tries to play at least one or two sports a semester — mainly basketball and volleyball.
She said she regrets not getting involved sooner, but attests “it’s never too late.”
“I didn’t get that involved until late my sophomore year. I didn’t want to step out of little bubble,” Howell said. “I just wanted to get my degree and get out. Now, I’m wishing it would slow down just a bit, so I can enjoy it a little longer before real ‘adulthood’ begins.”
Olivia Heersink can be reached at [email protected]