Danbury Ninja Ready For Prime Time

DANBURY, CT — Danbury's ninja has made it to the big time.

16-year-old Danbury High School student Devan Alexander, who made a name for himself two years ago competing on Universal Kids' "American Ninja Warrior Junior," will make his broadcast debut Monday night.

Devan said the producers of NBC's "American Ninja Warrior," the granddaddy of all obstacle course-based entertainment programming, asked him to audition after being impressed by his run on ANWJ. The rest is ninja history.

The stakes are a little bit higher in the adult version of the competition, along with the walls the competitors need to scale. A top prize of $1 million will go to the winner of the 13th season of "American Ninja Warrior" if they can conquer all four stages at the National Finals in Las Vegas.

All Devan's friends at DHS are rotting for him, but none are as thrilled as the kids he coaches at Ninja Mania, on Kenosia Avenue in Danbury. It's one of a new wave of niche gyms that condition athletes to compete on the show and in the National Ninja League.

Devan joins joins the competition in the ninth episode of the season, which premieres on NBC/Channel 4 Monday, Aug. 23 at 8 p.m.