Building Confidence Through Play Since 2016
Warrior Playground began with one simple belief:
Movement should be one of the best parts of childhood.
What started as a small outdoor ninja training space has grown into Colorado's premier ninja and movement facilities, helping thousands of children, adults, and families discover what they're capable of through movement, play, and challenge.
Today, Warrior Playground is far more than a ninja gym.
It's a place where confidence is built.
Friendships are formed.
Challenges become accomplishments.
And children learn that they are capable of more than they ever imagined.
Building Confidence Through Play Since 2016
Warrior Playground began with one simple belief:
Movement should be one of the best parts of childhood.
What started as a small outdoor ninja training space has grown into Colorado's premier ninja and movement facilities, helping thousands of children, adults, and families discover what they're capable of through movement, play, and challenge.
Today, Warrior Playground is far more than a ninja gym.
It's a place where confidence is built.
Friendships are formed.
Challenges become accomplishments.
And children learn that they are capable of more than they ever imagined.
Our Story
OUTDOOR GYM
Handmade obstacles, one small outdoor training space.
FIRST INDOOR GYM
5,000 square feet, and a community that kept growing.
CURRENT FACILITY
12,000 square feet, opened in 2024.
Warrior Playground began with one person discovering a sport that changed his life.
After trying ninja training at fellow gym owner and five-time American Ninja Warrior veteran Lorin Ball's gym, founder Sam Banola immediately fell in love with the combination of strength, creativity, problem-solving, and play.
As a personal trainer and lifelong woodworker, Sam began building obstacles by hand alongside his personal training business, creating a small outdoor ninja training space where kids and adults could experience this incredible sport.
Families quickly embraced the idea.
As the community grew, Warrior Playground outgrew its outdoor home and moved into a 5,000-square-foot indoor facility.
Just a few years later, it outgrew that space as well.
In 2024, Warrior Playground moved into its current 12,000-square-foot facility, allowing us to expand our programs, host competitions, and welcome even more families into our community.
Many of the obstacles throughout the gym are still imagined, designed, and built by Sam himself, making Warrior Playground unlike any other ninja facility.
In 2017, Claire walked through the doors looking for a place to train after being selected to compete on American Ninja Warrior.
That introduction eventually became both a partnership in life and a partnership in growing Warrior Playground into what it is today.
What's in a Name?
People often ask us where our name came from.
To us, a warrior isn't someone who defeats other people.
A warrior is someone who faces challenges with courage.
Someone who gets back up after falling.
Someone who keeps trying when something feels difficult.
Someone who encourages others along the way.
And a playground is a place where curiosity, imagination, movement, and joy come together.
Put those ideas together...
...and you get Warrior Playground.
A place where people of every age discover what they're capable of through movement, play, and challenge.
What We Believe
Movement Should Be Fun
Children—and adults—learn best when they're engaged, challenged, and having fun.
Confidence Is Earned
Confidence grows every time someone accomplishes something they once thought they couldn't.
Every Child Belongs
Whether it's their first class or they're training for national competition, every student deserves to feel successful and part of the tribe.
Play Has Purpose
Behind every obstacle, game, and challenge is intentional coaching designed to help students grow physically and emotionally.
Progress Is Personal
Success isn't about comparing yourself to others.
It's about becoming a little stronger, braver, and more capable than yesterday.
Community Matters
The encouragement, friendships, and support we build together are just as important as the skills learned on the obstacles.
Experience You Can Trust
Behind every class is an experienced team of coaches who genuinely love helping others grow.
Together, our leadership team brings nearly 100+ years of combined coaching experience across ninja, gymnastics, personal training, group fitness, obstacle racing, and early childhood movement.
Along the way we've been fortunate to work alongside some of the best athletes and coaches in the sport, but what matters most to us isn't titles or television appearances.
It's helping every child and adult discover what they're capable of.
Highlights
Over 100 Years of Combined
Coaching Experience
from licensed personal trainers and career athletic coaches
American Ninja Warrior
Competitors
Sam Banola (2018) and Claire Pearson
(2017 & 2018)
World Champion
Coaches
UNAA World Champions, OCR World
Champions, CNL Champions, national
champions, and elite competitors
Decades of Gymnastics
Experience
Former Level 10 gymnast and gymnastics
coaches with decades of teaching experience
Colorado Ninja League
Founders
Creators of Colorado's premier youth
ninja competition organization
Custom-Built Obstacles
Many of the obstacles throughout our
gym are designed and built by hand, in-house
Meet Our Leadership Team
Sam Banola
Sam Banola
Founder • Head Coach • Obstacle Designer
Sam is the creative force behind Warrior Playground.
A lifelong personal trainer, woodworker, and obstacle designer, he continues building many of the custom obstacles that make the gym unique while leading coach development, programming, and athlete development.
Sam competed on NBC's American Ninja Warrior in 2018 and helped create the Colorado Ninja League, giving young athletes throughout Colorado the opportunity to experience organized ninja competition.
Claire Pearson
Co-Owner • Coach •
Claire joined Warrior Playground after a career spanning corporate fitness, boutique strength training, and personal training.
Her experience includes coaching roles with Life Time Fitness, Orangetheory Fitness, Colorado Athletic Club, and owning her own strength training facility, RAW Fitness.
Claire competed on NBC's American Ninja Warrior in both 2017 and 2018 and now oversees business strategy, marketing, and program development while continuing to coach and grow Warrior Playground's vision.
Claire Pearson
Co-Owner • Coach •
Claire joined Warrior Playground after a career spanning corporate fitness, boutique strength training, and personal training.
Her experience includes coaching roles with Life Time Fitness, Orangetheory Fitness, Colorado Athletic Club, and owning her own strength training facility, RAW Fitness.
Claire competed on NBC's American Ninja Warrior in both 2017 and 2018 and now oversees business strategy, marketing, and program development while continuing to coach and grow Warrior Playground's vision.
Melissa Anderson
Head Competitive Team Coach
Melissa has been with Warrior Playground since the very beginning.
A mom of two and former Level 10 gymnast, she’s spent more than 20 years coaching gymnastics, and almost 10 coaching ninja.
She has won UNAA World Championships, OCR World Championships, numerous national ninja competitions, and continues competing while helping develop the next generation of athletes.
Andy Mirkis
Adult Ninja & Competitive Team Coach
Andy has also been with Warrior Playground since the very beginning.
Before discovering ninja, Andy spent decades coaching gymnastics, helping athletes build strong movement foundations.
Today, he continues proving that movement has no age limit.
Competing well into his 60s, Andy has won Colorado Ninja League Finals, earned multiple podium finishes at OCR World Championships, and continues inspiring athletes of every age.
Andy Mirkis
Adult Ninja & Competitive Team Coach
Andy has also been with Warrior Playground since the very beginning.
Before discovering ninja, Andy spent decades coaching gymnastics, helping athletes build strong movement foundations.
Today, he continues proving that movement has no age limit.
Competing well into his 60s, Andy has won Colorado Ninja League Finals, earned multiple podium finishes at OCR World Championships, and continues inspiring athletes of every age.
Jen Day
Early Childhood Lead • Camp Director
Jen brings a professional background in early childhood education, K–8 teaching, psychology, and behavioral therapy to Warrior Playground.
Before joining our team, she worked as a preschool teacher, K–8 educator, and behavior therapist supporting children with a wide range of needs.
Today, Jen leads our Early Childhood Movement program and camps, combining her understanding of child development with movement and play to create experiences where kids feel supported, challenged, and excited to learn.
Growing Our Own Coaches
One of the things we're most proud of is seeing students become coaches.
Several members of our coaching staff first walked through our doors as young ninja athletes, grew up training and competing in Colorado Ninja League, and now have the opportunity to encourage the next generation of students.
It's one of the greatest compliments our community can give us.
One of the things we're most proud of is seeing students become coaches.
Several members of our coaching staff first walked through our doors as young ninja athletes, grew up training and competing in Colorado Ninja League, and now have the opportunity to encourage the next generation of students.
It's one of the greatest compliments our community can give us.
Helping Build Colorado's
Ninja Community
Helping Build Colorado's
Ninja Community
Warrior Playground has always believed that competition should build confidence—not just champions.
Working alongside five-time American Ninja Warrior veteran Lorin Ball, Sam created what would become the Colorado Ninja League (CNL)—a statewide series of competitions that allows athletes to compete at gyms across Colorado, earn points throughout the season, qualify for Finals, and experience the excitement of ninja in a supportive community.
Today, Warrior Playground proudly hosts Colorado Ninja League competitions, monthly ComPunity Course Nights, and competitive programs that continue helping athletes grow both on and off the course.
Helping Build Colorado's
Ninja Community
Warrior Playground has always believed that competition should build confidence—not just champions.
Working alongside five-time American Ninja Warrior veteran Lorin Ball, Sam created what would become the Colorado Ninja League (CNL)—a statewide series of competitions that allows athletes to compete at gyms across Colorado, earn points throughout the season, qualify for Finals, and experience the excitement of ninja in a supportive community.
Today, Warrior Playground proudly hosts Colorado Ninja League competitions, monthly ComPunity Course Nights, and competitive programs that continue helping athletes grow both on and off the course.
Helping Build Colorado's
Ninja Community
Warrior Playground has always believed that competition should build confidence—not just champions.
Working alongside five-time American Ninja Warrior veteran Lorin Ball, Sam created what would become the Colorado Ninja League (CNL)—a statewide series of competitions that allows athletes to compete at gyms across Colorado, earn points throughout the season, qualify for Finals, and experience the excitement of ninja in a supportive community.
Today, Warrior Playground proudly hosts Colorado Ninja League competitions, monthly ComPunity Course Nights, and competitive programs that continue helping athletes grow both on and off the course.
Over a Decade of Building Confidence Through Play
Every year, thousands of moments happen inside these walls.
A preschooler balances across an obstacle for the first time.
A child finally reaches the top of the warped wall.
A teenager qualifies for Finals.
An adult rings the buzzer after months of hard work.
Parents watch from the benches as their child turns around with the biggest smile and says,
"Mom! Dad! Watch this!"
Those are the moments we'll never get tired of.
Because those moments aren't really about ninja.
They're about confidence.
And that's why Warrior Playground exists.
What Families Are Saying
My son started out afraid to try almost everything. Now he can't wait to show us what he learned.
This is the first activity our daughter has ever begged to keep doing.
The coaches care about our kids as people—not just athletes.
We'd Love to Welcome You.
Whether you're looking for your child's very first movement class, ninja lessons, adult fitness, or simply a place where your family can move, play, and grow together, we'd love to meet you.
Come discover why so many Colorado families have made Warrior Playground part of their story.
We'd Love to Welcome You.
Whether you're looking for your child's very first movement class, ninja lessons, adult fitness, or simply a place where your family can move, play, and grow together, we'd love to meet you.
Come discover why so many Colorado families have made Warrior Playground part of their story.
Ninja, movement and fitness in Longmont, Colorado. Helping kids discover what they're capable of for over 10 years.
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Contact
Location: 700 9th Ave., Longmont, CO 80501
Phone Number: 303.485.1000
Email: [email protected]
Hours:
M-Th: 3:30pm - 7pm
Fri: 3:30pm - 6pm
Sat: 10:00am - 4pm
Sun: 11am - 4pm
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