Our Network

Jared is a youth ministry and American Ninja Warrior veteran! He was a youth pastor for 12 years and has competed on the show 4 times. He is married to the love of his life, Sally, and has 2 sons – Micah and Bennett. He has his BA in Christian Studies with an emphasis in Pastoral Ministry from East Texas Baptist University. He loves trying to use every opportunity to share the love of Jesus with the world. He started Overcoming Obstacles Ministries with the help of his church and friends in 2016. It became a 501c3 non-profit in 2017 and is now operating strong reaching thousands with the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Jared is based in Grandview, TX.

Daniel Gil is a professional ninja athlete. He was the winner of the 2020 season of American Ninja Warrior, and he is a consistent national finalist on the show. Daniel is a Christ-follower, motivational speaker, and worship leader. He spends his days training, traveling, competing, speaking, and teaching. Daniel hopes to inspire, challenge, and motivate people to pursue their dreams.

Along with being part of the OO team, Jon serves at Claremore Assembly of God in Claremore, Oklahoma, as the Associate Pastor. Previously, he served as the Youth Pastor for 13 years. He has his BA in Preaching and Evangelism from Central Bible College and an MA in Theological Studies from Assemblies of God Theological Seminary. He has competed on American Ninja Warrior 2 times along with World Finals for multiple ninja leagues. Jon grew up in Alaska and Mongolia, where his parents were full-time missionaries! Jon’s dad, Jim, has also competed on American Ninja Warrior!

Isabella Wakeham is 20 years old and has been doing ninja for 10 years. She first saw it on TV and begged her parents to let her try it out. They took me to the closest “ninja gym” and it ended up being one of the top gyms in the country: Iron Sports! She is a 2-time World Ninja League Elite Champion and 2-time Vegas Finalist for ANW. She has competed on seasons 13, 14, 15, 16 & 17. She is a ninja coach as well as a college student at Texas A&M studying kinesiology. Isabella wants to do everything she can to show the people around her the love and power of God!

Phillip Puett has been a Youth Pastor for 30 years and is the current Youth Pastor at Cowboy Fellowship in Jourdanton, TX. Phillip is married to his beautiful bride Casey Puett and they have 6 kids and 7 grandbabies. Phillip has traveled all over the world sharing the Gospel to youth while leading 20 different overseas missions trips. Phillip started Ninja Warrior about 5 years ago when he built his backyard ninja course. He has recently turned his backyard into the “Backyard Ninja Academy” where he trains 7-18 year old ninjas to compete. Over the past 3 years, Phillip made it to the World Finals of World Ninja League Championships. In 2024, he made it all the way to stage 3 hitting buzzers along the way. Phillip’s “NINJA” Verse is Joshua 1:9 “….Be Strong and Courageous, do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will go with you wherever you go.”

The best part about Nate is his passion for life and his genuine spirit. He is an adventure enthusiast and loves a good adrenaline rush! He has his BA in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Business Management from Louisiana Tech University and has competed on American Ninja Warrior 5 times! He persevered through many challenges to qualify for the finals in Las Vegas two times! Nate has a God-given, world class ability to speak and share his God-stories with the world. In 2020 Nate had a rare opportunity to compete on a Latin American TV Show called “Exatlon.” After SEVERAL obstacles, Nate ended up beating the odds and won the entire show. Nate is the first to give God glory for all of his accomplishments. Nate is based in Houston, TX.

Sally is the glue that holds this team together. She has a BA in Psychology. She helped Jared lead in youth ministry for 12 years. Her full-time job is raising two crazy ninja boys! On top of all of that, she is an accomplished artist, who loves teaching/leading art classes/workshops at events, conferences, etc. to help people connect the dots in their faith journeys. She also does dynamic art presentations during live worship services.

Sam Folsom has been doing ninja warrior for 7+ years. He started at a small gym nearby and then started making obstacles in his family’s barn which is eventually where he started doing all of his training. That barn has since become iconic in the ninja community. Sam has trained in the barn for 5+ years with his brother Phil Folsom. Along with Phil Folsom, he has trained there with Tyler and Sydney Smith and his fiancée Isabella Wakeham. Sam loves competing in ninja warrior and loves showing the love of Christ through his interactions at ninja competitions!

Abby has been training for ninja warrior for several years now, and she was recently a competitor on season 16 of American Ninja Warrior! She works part-time at her church in Claremore, OK, she is part of the OO staff team, and she is currently attending Nelson University, where she is pursuing a double-major in both Youth/Student Ministries along with Human Services. Abby is a huge animal lover – especially her dog Finn. She loves to run, enjoys a good iced coffee, and loves to encourage people that, through Christ, they can overcome any obstacle they face in life!

Walker Loyd is the endurance ninja. If people walked around with a 24v battery, Walker would have a 48v! He is fueled by fulfilling the mission God has placed in his heart to love and serve others relentlessly. Walker is married to the love of his life, Autumn. They recently welcomed their first born son Luke Loyd. Walker graduated from Tarleton State University where he earned his Masters degree in Kinesiology. Since 2016, Walker has competed in the sport of obstacle course racing as a professional athlete. He has qualified for world championships 7 times! Walker has served in various ministries for the past decade and enjoys leading events with Overcoming Obstacles. Walker is a full-time police officer and SWAT Team member!

DeeJay Whiting serves as the Student Minster Lead at Rush Creek Church. He and his wife, BreAna, have 3 children and together, they love to sing, dance and watch the Tennessee Titans. Deejay and BreAna are top notch worship leaders! God has gifted them with the ability to take a crowd of any size into the presence of God with their music. Deejay is an all-state high school athlete and still uses his athletics to connect with students today.

Ken is 52 years old and is the director of the Ninja Warrior Program at Athletes in Motion in Prairieville, LA. He has competed 2 times on American Ninja Warrior! The biggest Obstacle God has helped him overcome:  battling childhood cancer. Ken: “this was difficult for our entire family, but thankfully I was so young I didn’t realize the gravity of the situation until I was much older and already in remission.  Unfortunately, in 2010 my wife found out she carried a gene that practically ensured she would get cancer. We had to make the difficult decision for her to undergo a complete hysterectomy, oophorectomy, and bilateral breast removal with reconstruction. The recovery was long and painful. I knew she was suffering and I couldn’t do anything to help. Everything in our life was strained, but God saw us through it with amazing support from our family, friends and church family.

Karen’s journey is one of resilience and determination. At 44, this Physician’s Assistant from Lucas, TX, faced a life-altering injury during a normal ninja training session in 2019. A devastating fall left her with broken neck bones and torn ligaments, almost paralyzing her. The road to recovery was long and grueling, requiring her to wear a cervical collar for three months and undergo physical therapy for a year. During this time, Karen was unsure if she would ever return to the sport she loved. Despite these challenges, Karen’s indomitable spirit led her back to the ninja gym exactly one year after her accident where she rebuilt her strength and conquered her fears. Now, with her neck fully healed and her determination stronger than ever, Karen returns to American Ninja Warrior, determined to write a new chapter. This is more than a comeback; it’s a testament to the power of perseverance and the will to overcome.