Woodstock Preteen Advances On 'American Ninja Warrior Junior'

WOODSTOCK, GA -- "American Ninja Warrior Junior" is set to crown its first-ever Junior Ninja Champions when the premier season finale airs on Saturday, April 27 at 7 p.m. on Universal Kids. And the winner might be your neighbor.

Tate Allen, 12, of Woodstock, proved his strength and ability when he competed in the April 13 semi-finals for age group 11-12 of "American Ninja Warrior JuniorAmerican Ninja Warrior Junior."

Now, he's taking it to the next level when he will compete on the April 27 finale episode of the show.

The competition started with over 200 Junior Ninjas from across the U.S. facing off on head-to-head courses in three age brackets: 9 - 10, 11 - 12, and 13 - 14-year-old girls and boys. “American Ninja Warrior Junior” courses feature iconic Ninja Warrior obstacles, including Sonic Swing, Tic Toc, Spin Cycle and the Warped Wall.

The show is hosted by original series hosts Matt Iseman and Akbar Gbajabiamila alongside Olympic gold medalist Laurie Hernandez.

Three final winners (one per age bracket) will be named the ultimate kid ninja champions during the season finale. The debut season of "American Ninja Warrior Junior," which is Universal Kids' most-watched series to-date, marked the first time kids could become part of the five-time Emmy nominated worldwide American Ninja Warrior phenomenon.

Junior Ninjas competing in the Saturday, April 27 finale:

• Ages 9-10
  • Taylor Greene – Dacono, CO
  • Sean Arms – Clinton, CT
  • Collin Cella – Milford, CT
  • Jacob Goldman – Port Washington, NY
• Ages 11-12
  • Ella McRitchie – Bainbridge Island, WA
  • Kai Beckstrand – St. George, UT
  • Tate Allen – Woodstock, GA
  • Caleb Brown – Christiana, TN
• Ages 13-14
  • Vance Walker – Marietta, GA
  • Jonathan Godbout – Sterling, MA
  • Jeramiah Boyd – Burnsville, MN
  • Nate Pardo – Cambridge, MA

In Allen's first episode that aired last October, episode 6, he won three races, earning him an advancement to the semi-finals this weekend.

Allen attends The Kings Academy in Woodstock, has two brothers and enjoys all sports, especially American Ninja Warrior Junior. He heard about the show through his coaches at Ninja Quest Fitness, and wanted to be on the show because he loves ninja and competiting.

"I have had a lot of support and encouragement from friends and coaches as well as other members at Ninja Quest," Allen said. "I have also had a few local newspapers and magazines write articles about my involvement with ninja. Even my school newspaper wrote an article, which was cool."

Allen said the best part about being on the show was being able to compete against other ninjas and making a lot of friends from all over the country that he's still in contact with.

"It was very challenging facing many great competitors," Allen said. "It was also very challenging participating in the many interviews I had and learning how to answer questions and be on camera. I trained six or seven days a week, both in my backyard and at Ninja Quest. A lot of my training included running speed courses because on the show you race others."

Allen said it was cool being one of 64 kids in his age group of 11-12. There were 192 kids total in all the age groups.

"It was an honor to get picked, and I was so thankful for this opportunity," Allen said. "I learned how to compete under lots of pressure, participate in various interviews and how to keep composure in the midst of the competition."

Allen continues to participate year-round in competitions all around the country.

"I loved my experience on American Ninja Warrior Junior and I hope to be invited back for season two," Allen said. "I love the support of the ninja community and how everybody encourages you to do your best and to try new things. I love all the friends that I have made and the opportunities to travel around the country. I also love pushing myself to the limit and seeing what I can accomplish."

For more information and local channel listings visit UniversalKids.com.