47°
That time has come for the 16-year-old North Hunterdon Regional High School junior, who last January got the call from producers saying her application had been accepted.
"I sat on the floor for two hours in shock," Julia said in a phone call with Daily Voice.
For days, she was in disbelief. But reality is beginning to set in for Julia, who soon will put her years of training to the test and compete against some of the very people she looked up to over the years.
Julia began ninja training at 10 years old after her mom, knowing her daughter's awe for the sport, found a Groupon for an open gym at Nex Level Ninja in Flemington.
"At first it was all brand new to me and it was cool, but there was a lot I didn't know how to do," the teen said. "I have a lot of self-drive... so I just keep pushing and pushing and pushing until I'm sufficient."
Now a World Ninja League athlete, Julia never quit until she perfected a skill or obstacle.
Julia stopped playing other sports to focus on her ninja training. She trains three times a week for about two hours each. The first hour is strength based, the second is gym circuits, endurance courses and other ninja challenges.
"It's such an amazing sport that trains everything from strength to technical agility," she said. "I see so much progress in myself and my training partners. It's an amazing community."
Julia says she is beyond ready for ANW.
"I've always known I could get this far," she said. "You know when you're ready. It's not following in someone else's footsteps, it's following in your own path."
While a premier date for the show has not yet been announced, it will air on NBC sometime during the summer.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Pascack Valley and receive free news updates.
