Incredible gym culture: there is something so amazing about helping young girls feel strong.  How do we foster healthy gym environments? How to do support the females AND the males in such a way that we are working together to empower one another, promote safety, and produce stellar athletes?  It’s all here in today’s part 2 episode with Shelle Edge. 

In the world of ninja warrior most often men & women and boys & girls compete together and train together.  Is this always the best option? This is a topic that we have explored a lot on The Ninjababes Podcast.  Today Shelle Edge shares her perspective on girls and boys training ninja together and why she started a teen girls’ ninja program at her gym.  Shelle is from England, she is a personal trainer and a ninja coach, listen to her story today!

Gloria Orta talks with Cara Poalillo about her time on American Ninja Warrior season 12.  Her rookie year was filled with excitement as she hit the course for the first time, proving that dreams do come true.  Gloria, age 20, shares today about her experience coming to America as an immigrant and growing up with big dreams. She is passionate about building her future career around supporting the immigrant community, and inspiring girls to go after their dreams. 

Gloria’s Recommendations:

Netflix: 30 Minute Hug

Netflix: Immigration nation

Texas Civil Rights Project https://texascivilrightsproject.org/action/

www.HHS.gov

@gloriasofit

Rebekah Cornwall is the singing ninja, but did you know that she is the strategy and technique queen?  She has spent hours reviewing skilled ninjas’ competition runs and obstacle work. Rebekah has an eye for technique and strategy.  Marie Young and Rebekah talk about her time on ANWJr. Rebekah explains her life-changing moment of standing on the ANW Jr. course for the first time. She shared advice for other teens. 

What does being a bystander of abuse mean? As a bystander what can you do to help stop a situation of sexual abuse or violence?   How can we normalize bystander culture like: checking in with friends, telling others when something seems wrong, and being respectful in talking to each other about our observations and feelings.  What can we do better at our gyms?  

Today Cara Poalillo and Rachel Stewart talk all about learning how to recognize red flags in situations and how to speak up and tell people when something seems “off”. We discuss ideas for gyms in making their environments more safe and building a culture of open communication. 

Rachel Stewart is a ninja, a survivor or sexual violence, and  a professional sexual violence prevention educator and victim advocate.  Today she shares about what consent is and how that can look in gyms.  We also talk in depth about respecting survivors that we know of or don’t know of in our own communities.  

Resources:

www.Rainn.org 

https://www.loveisrespect.org/on-campus/resources/

https://www.scarleteen.com/need_help_now_a_guide_to_scarleteens_direct_services

Renee Caverly-Gillett is a Licensed Professional Counselor who specializes in trauma therapy. Cara Poalillo and Renee discuss how to cope with the news of Drew Drechsel and the ripple affect of grief in the ninja warrior community.  How can we respond to what is going on instead of only reacting in anger? There are ways that we can still value and develop our own goals and identity without feeling in despair.  

Cara Poalillo and Whitney Miller are back for part 2 in discussing sexual abuse and how to make make gyms safer.  Whitney was a From Darkness to Light counselor and has taught on consent and abuse.  Today we talk about everything from coach training and screening, state mandated reporting, spotting consent, and running large events.  We discuss several resources that gyms can use in improving their safety plans.  

https://www.d2l.org/ From Darkness to Light resources

*Trigger Warning*

Today’s episode Whitney Miller and Cara Poalillo discuss sexual abuse, recognizing the warning signs, and discussing what makes a person “safe” or “unsafe”. 

This content may be a trigger for some people who have been victim to abuse.  The purpose of this episode is to help open up the lines of communication about sexual abuse in the light of recent events in the Ninja Warrior community and the devastating news that has come out about Drew Dreschel.  Our guest today, Whitney Miller, has worked as a social worker at a Child Advocacy Center where she was an intake coordinator and provided crisis counseling. Whitney has also taught workshops in community prevention, and she shares some of that prevention and awareness wisdom with us today.

Brett Sims has competed in American Ninja Warrior since before the start of ANW in America.  He competed for 2 seasons on Sasuke in Japan before ANW started in the US.  Grace Sims has been a rock climber and competitor on ANW since season 7.  Brett has a been coaching parkour and ninja for over 7 years.  Grace and Brett are co-owners of Motive School of Movement in Greenville, SC. Today we discuss coaching in ninja, the differences in coaching females vs. males, and how to best empower girls to be confident in their abilities.  

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