Ninja Kids for Safe Kids UNAA Qualifier, Multi-Stage and Team Competition Charity Event

Our 5th annual charity event will be multi-faceted  for talented young ninjas from around the country ages 10-15.  Participants age as of January 1, 2025 will be used to determine their category.

All athletes are guaranteed at least 3 obstacle course runs in Stage 1 at our South Apex facility.  One run will be a UNAA Area Qualifier on the Stage 1 technical course.  Athletes will get two runs on the Stage 1 speed course.  The top 40% in each division will move on to Stage 2 at our Fuquay Varina facility.  The top 50% in Stage 2 will move on to our Stage 3 course. The top 3 finishers on stage 3 will automatically qualify for UNAA World Series Finals!

But whether athletes make it to Stages 2 or 3, there will be an optional tag-team event on a combined Stage 2&3 course to build the bonds of the relationships between these young ninjas as they work together in what has become one of our favorite events.

This will be a limited capacity, multi-stage event with cash prizes with 75% of registration proceeds will be matched by our sponsor, going to Safe Families for Children.  NOTE: Although this is not a competition for those who have never been in a ninja competition, all experienced young ninjas are welcome while slots are still available!  It's an opportunity to put yourself to the test and support kids who may not have the privilege to compete and whose families are struggling.

Run order in stage 1 is determined by registration order (those who sign up first run last), and there will be limited spaces available, so sign up early.

Past competitors include:

Andrew Saffen - 2022 World Champion UNAA World Finals 9U male, 2024 13U male finalist at UNAA World Finals, 2nd in 11U male here in 2022, 3rd in 13U male here in 2023

Austin Burrows - 2024 11U male finalist at UNAA World Finals, 1st in 11U male at World Ninja Athlete Games Championship 2024, 2nd in 11U male here in 2024

Brendan Wieszek - 2nd in 11U male 2024 UNAA World Finals, 2nd & 3rd in 11U male here in 2022-2023

Grace Schneider - Flying G - ANW Junior veteran (3rd place in Season 3 9-10), 3rd in 2021 UNAA World Finals in 9U, 1st in 2023's 11U female category here (3rd in 2022 as a 9-year-old), WNL Finalist in WNL Preteen category 2024
Grayson Payne - 11U male finalist at 2023 UNAA World Finals, 13U male finalist at 2024 UNAA World Finals, and 12U male champion at 2022 Bucket of Chalk Competition
Jake Branch - Finalist at 2023 UNAA World Finals in 11U, 2nd in 11U male at World Ninja Athlete Games Championship 2024, and 11U male champion here in 2024

Joey Ray - The Kangaroo Ninja - ANW Junior finalist, Finalist at 2021 UNAA World Finals in 11U, and 13U finalist here in 2022
John David Spatola - The Dude - ANW Junior veteran, World Champion at 2021 UNAA World Finals in 11U, 2022 13U male championhere , 2023 2nd place male champion
Kherington Andrews - NNL World Champion 2021, World Ninja Challenge winner 2021, UNAA World Champion 2022, 1st in last years 11U category in 2022
Kinsie Carvin - Ninja Carolina League 11U advanced female champion 2023 & 2024, 1st in 2024's 11U female category here, Finalist in WNL Preteen category 2024

Landon DuBry - 1st in 11U category in 2023, 3rd in 11U male category at 2023 UNAA World Finals
Michael Matthews - World Champion at 2022 UNAA World Finals among 11U males and 2024 13U males, 1st in 2022 year's 11U male category, 1st in 13U male category in 2023 and 2024
Michael Scott - The Hilariously Intense Ninja - ANW Junior veteran and 11U male finalist at 2023 UNAA World Finals, 2nd in 2023 11U male category here
Ryne Colazzi - The Flying Rhino - 2nd at 2023's UNAA World Finals among 11U males, Stage 3 finalist 2021-2024
Sam Bauer - 2023 & 2024 13U male finalist at UNAA World Finals, 2nd in 13U male here in 2024, Ninja Carolina League 15U male advanced Champion in 2024

Zuri Harrison - The Homeschool Ninja - finalist in ANW Junior, 3rd at last season's UNAA World Finals among 11U females, 2nd in 11U female in 2022

Saturday, February 15 (Live stream will be available on our YouTube channel and Facebook page)

There will be 2 waves of the qualifying round (stage 1) held at our South Apex facility.  Each athlete will be guaranteed: 

• Speed course - Two runs on a side by side speed course using NSC rules (retry what you miss)... best score/time will be used to determine your rank on the speed course.
• Technical course... one run using UNAA rules which will also serve as a UNAA Area Qualifier.

Top 40% (rounded up) of male and female in each category by combined rank from both courses move on to

• stage 2 (longer, more technical course) at our Fuquay Varina facility, top 50% of male and female (rounded up) move on to 
• stage 3 (very challenging upper body and grip course) at our Fuquay Varina facility

Stage 3 will be farthest, fastest to determine the champion(s).

NOTE: We reserve the right to bump additional participants up to next stage in any stage

Sunday, February 16 afternoon (optional team comp, starting at 2 PM):

NOTE: Monday, February 17 is President's Day which may give people more options to consider for those traveling

Two part team competition at our Fuquay Facility (teams will be assembled from all participants in an NFL style draft pick...)

• tag team competition on hybrid course from stages 2 and 3
  (and possibly some other wrinkles)
• tag team competition on same course
  (but no team member can repeat obstacles they tackled on the first round)

Winning teams will be determined by a combination of scores and times from both runs

Prizes

Ninja Master has agreed to match 75% of entry fees to support Safe Families for Children, but there will also be a small prize pool of $200 for 1st place, $125 for 2nd place, and $75 for 3rd place in each category.  Medals only for the team competition.

For more information about sponsoring this event, along with Ninja Master, please contact Ken Auer <ken.auer@rocksolidwarrior.com>.

Coming in From Out of Town?

For those flying in, Raleigh-Durham (RDU) is the closest airport... Fayetteville is a bit farther but not too much.

Places to Stay & Places to Eat

We'll be negotiating discount rates at our recommended hotels and hope to have them available soon.

4-5 miles to the south in Holly Springs:

• Hampton Inn & Suites (Please note cutoff date is 01/27/25 for your 02/14/25 event any rooms not sold will just be released back into hotel inventory. Also, you may choose to make reservations online or call 1-800-445-8667 and state the group code SRR and same code also used for online as well). 
• Hampton Inn Express (Holly Springs) booking link and group discount code (SSR)

Less than 2.5 miles north of our South Apex location in Apex off of Marco Dr. 

• Springhill Suites Raleigh Apex for 169.00 USD per night - Last Day to Book : Friday, January 31, 2025.  Book your group rate for Rock Solid Warrior
• Candlewood Suites
• Holiday Inn Express

If you want to RV or camp out, we can arrange that, too.  But we'd prefer you'd let us know ahead of time so we can plan accordingly.  Also, if you'd like to seek a host family, let us know that, too.

Here's a list of places to eat

Prices (before convenience fees)

Sign up now to reserve your spot. All participants and spectators must sign our waiver.

Each athlete can spectate at any event.  Each athlete can have 1 additional spectator (presumably parent or guardian) for free.  Additional Spectator tickets must be purchased.

NOTE: Run Order for the Qualifying Round will be determined by when you sign up... 1st to sign up will run last in your wave

Before October 15, 2024

   Athletes:

• $75 Multi-Course, Multi-Stage Competition, 
• $100 to include Long-course Tag Team Competition
• $40 Tag Team Competition only

   Spectators:

• $5 (1-day pass)
• $10 (full-event pass)
• $15 (family full-event pass)

After October 15, 2024

   Athletes:

• $90 Multi-Course, Multi-Stage Competition, 
• $125 to include Long-course Tag Team Competition
• $50 Tag Team Competition only

   Spectators:

• $10 (1-day pass)
• $20 (full-event pass)
• $30 (family full-event pass)

Schedule

There will be open gym times available from Noon-1:00 Friday, February 14 at either of our Rock Solid locations as well as Open Gym at our Fuquay Varina location (5:30-7PM).  Both Rock Solid locations will be closed after these open gyms on Friday to set up for the competition.

Saturday, February 15 (schedule subject to change)

  1:00 AM Preview Videos of Stage 1 Speed and Tech Courses available on our Facebook and Instagram pages

  8:15 Doors open for Registration & Warm-up in South Apex

  8:45-9:00 Opening Ceremonies

  9:00 Stage 1 begins

• 11U - Speed Course at 9:00, Technical Course at 11:15, lunch break at 1:00, travel to our Fuquay facility (20 minutes away)
• 13U - Technical Course at 9:15, lunch break at 11:15, Speed Course at 1:00, travel to our Fuquay facility at 3:00 (20 minutes away)
• 15U - Speed Course at 11:00, lunch break, Speed Course at 3:15

  1:30 PM Preview Videos of Stages 2 and 3 available on our Facebook and Instagram pages

  2:15 Stage 2 begins (at our Fuquay location)

• 11U - 2:15
• 13U - 4:00
• 15U - 5:45

  7:00 Stage 3 begins (at our Fuquay location)

• 11U - 7:00
• 13U - 8:15
• 15U - 9:30

Sunday, February 16 - optional

  Morning rest or optional church service... suggestions include joining many of us at Cornerstone Fellowship Church in Apex, or attend Church Alive! which meets in the same building as our Fuquay Varina facility

  2:00-4:30 Tag Team Competition at Fuquay facility (11U, 13U, 15U combined)

  5:30 Optional dinner in private room at Cleveland Draft House for continued fellowship (room provided by Rock Solid Warrior, each individual responsible to pay for their own meal)

For travel consideration: All ninja activities should be complete no later than 4:30 on Sunday afternoon... 
NOTE: President's Day is on Monday, February 17 and many may have Monday off of school or work which may enable more travel options