Sault gymnast to compete on American Ninja Warrior

Sometimes, dreams really do come true.

Sylas Snider, a Rebel Gym coach and Superior Heights graduate, will be heading to Los Angeles, CA next month to compete on American Ninja Warrior – the hit sports entertainment show where America’s top athletes tackle some of the most challenging obstacle courses on the planet.

SooToday last spoke with the 18-year-old ninja in November 2022 after he placed second in the pro division at the Canadian Ninja League National Finals in Vancouver, B.C., which qualified him for worlds this June.

With the help of his friend and videographer Eythan Henson, Snider submitted a video along with his application to American Ninja Warrior several weeks after he returned from nationals.

Having watched the show since he was 10 years old, Snider has dreamt of competing on the grand stage of ninja obstacles for well over half his life.

“One day we were watching the show, and we went to the backyard and started building some of the obstacles in our backyard,” he says. “We’ve been watching it for a long time.”

“I always thought it would be cool to compete on it.”

Those fantasies became a reality on Feb. 1, 2023.

“I was coaching a class and saw there was a call from a U.S. phone number,” he says. “I stepped away to take the call, and it was American Ninja Warrior saying they accepted my submission.”

“I was freaking out. I was super happy.”

“After I got off the phone, I told the coaches that were there with me that I got accepted and they were all super happy for me. My dad was actually in the back of the gym working out, same with my mom, so I was able to tell them after my class and they were so happy.”

Snider’s journey to qualifying for the ultimate stage of ninja competition was by no means an easy one.

When he was just four years old, Snider’s doctors discovered he had a congenital heart defect which required open heart surgery.

“By going on the show, I can help spread awareness for that and raise money for the Twinkie Foundation,” he says. “The charity raises money for kids with congenital heart defects and for their families. I’ve been with them for a while now and they’ve been super supportive.”

After overcoming those health challenges early on, Snider participated in gymnastics for ten years before joining Rebel Gym in 2019.

There, he began his ninja training with strength and conditioning coach Tyler Belanger.

Overcoming the complications and challenges of a pandemic, Snider never lost sight of his goals, and he has since competed on some of the biggest ninja stages in the continent.

Although American Ninja Warrior typically only accepts U.S. citizens to be on their show, Snider’s mother is American, which makes the young ninja a dual citizen and therefore eligible to compete.

While he’s unsure of all the broadcast details, Snider says he’ll be among 30 contestants heading to L.A. for qualifiers next month, with the top 12 moving on to the semi-finals.

The semi-finalists will then fly back down to compete for a spot in the national final, which is set to take place in Las Vegas this May.

“You can’t get to a bigger stage than this, so I’m super pumped,” he says. “The number of opportunities it could bring makes me really excited.”

“I’ll get to meet really good athletes and possibly get the opportunity to train with them and see what they do. I know some friends who have been on the show, and they’ve been invited to run seminars at different gyms and camps.”

Snider explains his preparation techniques ahead of regular tournaments will take a massive shift as he trains for American Ninja Warrior.

“On the show, they don’t allow you to have chalk,” he says. “So, in training, I won’t be using chalk anymore.”

“The training I typically do for competitions is pretty general. But for the show, I’ll be looking at a bunch of episodes and find the common obstacles and just practice those ones a lot.”

Snider will conduct most of his practicing at Rebel Gym, where he’s still working as a full-time coach.

American Ninja Warrior is famous for its warped wall – a 14-foot-tall wall obstacle with a short run-up that competitors must reach the top of in order to finish the obstacle course.

“They have a 14-foot wall that you have to get up, or an 18-foot wall where you get 10 grand if you complete it,” he says. “I’m definitely going to practice for the 18-foot wall. I’ve only gotten to practice it once; I touched the edge but didn’t go over.”

“I’ll have to find an American gym to practice the wall prior to going.”

Snider is still hoping to travel to North Carolina and compete at worlds in June, but for now, the 18-year-old ninja phenom is going to focus on the show.

He says the support throughout his entire sporting career has been incredible.

“My parents have helped me so much,” he says. “They’ve always been super supportive of my training.”

“My strength and conditioning coach has been super supportive as well. He’s given me a bunch of tools and resources to help build me up and give me opportunities that I never would have had.”

“I’ve had so many ninjas and friends from around Canada reach out to me saying how excited they are for me, and that’s meant a lot.”

Snider will head to L.A. for the American Ninja Warrior qualifiers on an undetermined date some time between Mar. 15 and Apr. 2.

To help send Snider to the American Ninja Warrior qualifiers, donate here.