Fort Drum youths conquer obstacles at Ninja Camp

FORT DRUM, N.Y. (Aug. 17, 2026) -- Fort Drum Youth Sports and Fitness introduced a new Ninja Camp to help kids stay active this summer and build their confidence and coordination on a custom-designed obstacle course.

Instead of bouncing off furniture at home, children jumped, tumbled, swung, and balanced on all the equipment inside the gymnastics room. Coaches Danielle Douglas and Alycia Pinon demonstrated different movements and assembled them into sequences for the “ninjas” to follow.

“We taught them a lot about balance and coordination, as well as giving them confidence,” Douglas said. “And it was just so rewarding to know that they trust us enough to believe in themselves and complete the whole camp.”

“They improved a lot in only a few days,” Pinon said. “Some kids couldn’t do a handstand before, and now they are able to, or feel confident to do one without us being there. The improvements were impressive.”

Pinon said the Ninja Camp provided an environment for children to develop athletic skills like strength and agility. But the most significant hurdle for many campers wasn’t a physical obstacle, but their own self-doubt.

“They go from thinking, ‘Oh, I can’t do that’ to doing it and realizing, ‘Oh, I didn’t know I could do that,’” she said. “So, it’s a great opportunity for them to do something they are not used to, and seeing they are able to do more than they realized.”

During one session, Pinon helped a young camper with her first back roll, and the reaction was priceless.

“At the end of class, she was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I did it!’ It was the most innocent and happiest yell I’ve ever heard,” Pinon said. “And that’s what I love – that moment when you know you can do it.”

On the last day of camp, Aug. 13, children navigated their way through a complex obstacle course multiple times before being presented with a next-level challenge: completing a modified version while balancing a wooden egg on a spoon.

Douglas said the course tested their adaptability and fortitude, teaching them to push past mistakes.

“We told them that every time you drop the egg, you just pick it up and keep going,” she said. “There’s no reason to feel defeated. Nobody was getting upset, and that was wonderful. I think they learned a lot.”

By stepping away from the rigid rules of traditional sports camps, Douglas said they had the freedom to get creative with obstacles courses and physical challenges.

“It’s really good for us as coaches to get creative with this, and it also teaches them to expand their imagination,” she said. “They have many ideas that we don’t think of, so it’s a great resource for them in that sense. And they don’t even realize half the time that they’re really exercising.”

Parents interested in upcoming sports and fitness leagues, youth clubs and seasonal programs can visit the Sports and Fitness Center in Bldg. 10790 on Chapel Drive, call 315-772-6718, or visit.