Milford’s Dube battles at Ninja Worlds in Connecticut
MILFORD – As far as athletes
go, Mickayla Dube is not your
average, run-of-the-mill middle
school cheerleader.
The 13-year-old seventh-grader
at Milford Middle School has
another side, a dark, cryptic side
if you will.
Dube is an aspiring American
Ninja Warrior. And this weekend
she takes a huge step, traveling
to Connecticut to compete in the
first-ever National Ninja League
World Championships at the XL
Center in Hartford.
“I’m very excited. I went
through this last year, and it was
that big,” she said. “This time
it’s different. I’m so happy just
to make it this far. Not many
people have. I’m nervous, but I’ll
be fine.”
Inspired by the “American
Ninja Warrior” TV show, ninjastyle
obstacle course competition
is a phenomenon that is
sweeping the nation.
These courses represent the
ultimate in physical tests.
“These obstacles force you to
use every muscle in your body
to get through the course quickly,”
said Dube. “It’s so much
fun. You’re doing what you love,
always pushing yourself. Out
there, it’s me vs. the course.”
Dube trains three days a week
out of the USA Ninja Challenge
gym in Manchester, which hosts
classes in it.
She began in the sport about
two-and-a-half years ago and immediately
fell in love with it.
“I had always watched the
show on TV, and I was like I
want to do that,” she said.
Athletes from 6-to-17 are
involved in this junior competition.
She qualified for the
“Worlds” with a top three finish
in a regional event down in Ashland,
Mass., back in October.
Her friends in school hear,
“Ninja” and “World Championships”
and wonder what the
heck is going on with Dube,
who does her best to keep up
with cheerleading but is clearly
driven by this training.
“I do cheerleading, but Ninja
is my main focus. A lot of my
friends at school aren’t really
that knowledgeable about it,”
she said. “You don’t know about
it at first, but once you get into it,
it’s a whole new world.”
And yes, Dube is driven to be
a major player in this whole new
world, not just now in the junior
ranks but in the distant future.
She has her sights set high.
Really high.
“I would really like to get all
the way to the TV show,” said
Dube. “I’m going to stick with
it. Hopefully someday, I will be
the first woman ever to climb
‘Mount Midoriyama’.”
“Midoriyama” is the ultimate
test for athletes in the sport.
Only a select few have been
successful.
For now, though, Dube has a
different mountain to climb, that
is conquering middle school.
“I always keep my grades
up,” she said. “They’re very
important to me. I’ve been high
honor roll this year and all of
last year.”
The Ninja training and competitions
will certainly play its
role, too.
“It really does help me calm
down,” said Dube. “It’s a stress
reliever.”