Katelyn Mitchell | Staff Writer

Whether people like to admit it or not, TV shows exert some sort of influence on us. Some people wish to be on Family Feud with Steve Harvey to test their brains or even becoming a resident in the Big Brother House with Julie Chan to test out their manipulation skills. For junior Brendan Hadden, he is choosing a more physical route.

“I got the idea with competing on American Ninja Warrior over the summer by watching the show. I started to compete and found a gym that was near where I rock climb. I asked the workers if I was able to run the courses and they said yes,” Hadden said.

As a kid, Hadden always had a love for climbing.

“This started way back when I was a kid,” Hadden said. “I would always climb trees around my neighborhood and climb up on the playground equipment at the elementary school. American Ninja Warrior is kind of like an outlet for me because I’m able to climb on things without getting in trouble.”

Even though Hadden spent his time as a kid climbing on the jungle gym, eventually he found a sport that catered to what he wanted.

“I originally started with rock climbing. Rock climbing is similar to the tasks found in Ninja Warrior, especially with the falling aspects and swinging from bar to bar,” Hadden said.

Even though Hadden has skills and the talent in climbing, he finds other ways to express his talents outside of the gym.

“I have been competing for a little under a year,” Hadden said. “I haven’t truly won a competition, but last weekend I competed in a regional competition and placed in the top three. Because of that, I am able to qualify for worlds down in Albuquerque, New Mexico.”

As American Ninja Warrior renews for each season, Hadden is keeping a close eye on the requirements.

“To officially be on the show, you have to be 19 years old and submit a video in order to be considered to run the course. As soon as I turn 19, I plan on recording and getting my skill out there,” Hadden said.

In the meantime, Hadden is focused on training  and trying to improve on new and more difficult moves.

“I train about two to three days a week for about four to five hours,” Hadden said. “I usually try to incorporate moves that I’m not that comfortable with to try and get out of my comfort zone and be more well-rounded. I just want to become the best I can be.”