It’s not every day you see a New Canaan kid place fifth in a world championship, and even rarer when the contest in question is the Invitational World Finals for the World Ninja League.
Yet that’s the case for Luke “The Flying Fratt” Frattaroli, a 14-year-old athlete who has dedicated the last four years of his life to a sport few have heard of.
Frattaroli prepares to start a run at the World Ninja League 2024 World Championship held at the Greensboro coliseum June 20th – 24th. Credit: Maiah Deshazer
Based on the highly popular “American Ninja Warrior” TV show, Ninja is a form of obstacle course racing which sees athletes compete for the best time as they tackle a series of increasingly difficult obstacles, ranging from a series of steps which the athlete must jump across, to the infamous “bar hop.”
“We couldn’t find a sport that I really liked, that I really wanted to make a big commitment to,” Frattaroli, a Saxe Middle School eighth-grader, told the New Canaanite. “I never knew you could actually do it as a sport until a couple years ago when I found out this gym in Stamford had open classes, so I tried one out and I really liked it.”
Stamford Ninja Academy, Frattaroli’s main gym, is one of an increasing number of “ninja gyms” which provide practice courses and coaching to those interested in the emerging sport. Several coaches at SNA have also competed on “American Ninja Warrior.”
Frattaroli tackles an obstacle. Credit: Maiah Deshazer
“You don’t really know it’s real,” Frattaroli said. “You’re so used to seeing them on TV and now they’re right here in front of you. They’re all awesome. Whenever I get the chance to train with one of them I always take it, because you need to get the strategies from the best.”
Like any other sport, Ninja comes with its own training regimen, which targets muscle groups not typically used in other sports. Because the courses are typically only revealed to competitors within 24 hours of a competition, Ninjas must also have the versatility to tackle a wide range of obstacles.
“It takes a lot of upper body strength—it’s really hard on your shoulders, forearms, your back,” Frattaroli said. “I usually just stick to the fundamentals and try to build up from there. And then after every competition, I look at what I did wrong and how I can fix it.”
As is the case with many other athletes, Frattaroli found that his training resulted in both physical and mental benefits.
Frattaroli rings the buzzer during a competition. Credit: Destini Wilson
“It really helps you figure out how to do a lot of things on your own, and how to just deal with pressure on your own,” Frattaroli said. “I do love team sports, but that’s one huge benefit of Ninja, that you just have to face your fears, go out there and do stuff on your own, it’s just you and the course. Sometimes, there’s a lot of obstacles that are really high up or really sketchy, and you’ve kind of just got to keep doing it until you’re not scared.”
His unique moniker, “The Flying Fratt,” comes from his father, Dan Frattaroli, a former Karate champion.
“My dad, he was huge into karate,” Frattaroli said. “He won the 1993 junior karate world championships, and his signature kick was a jumping side kick, and he called it ‘The Flying Fratt’ and that’s how I got it.”
Those interested in learning more about the sport of Ninja can find more information on the Stamford Ninja Academy or World Ninja League website.