Tyler Wetzel, the director of training and curriculum at NinjaZone, began his career coaching gymnastics and Ninja at a local club. Today he helps new locations launch strong and grow with confidence. In this executive spotlight, he shares his passion for building foundational movement skills in kids, the industry trends and challenges he’s watching, where Ninja Sport is headed, and why he believes progress matters more than perfection.
Can you share a short overview of your career background and how you got to your current role?
I started out coaching NinjaZone and gymnastics at a local club. That’s where I learned the fundamentals of coaching, working with parents, and eventually hiring and training other staff. Those experiences gave me a really strong understanding of what coaches and program operators need day to day, which ultimately led me into training and curriculum.
What are you currently most focused on in your position?
I’m currently most focused on onboarding and ongoing support for our clubs. We have an in-depth onboarding process to make sure every new NinjaZone location starts off on the strongest foot possible. From there, I really enjoy helping organizations figure out where they are, where they want to go and what they need as they move through the different stages of growing their program.
What problem in the industry are you most passionate about solving?
We’re seeing more kids come into programs without the foundational coordination, balance, strength and overall movement experience they need. Building that foundation early is something I’m really passionate about. I want kids to develop movement skills that set them up to be successful in whatever they choose to do later, whether that’s another sport, recreational activity, or just being active as a teenager and adult.
What trend in the industry are you paying closest attention to right now?
I’m paying a lot of attention to programs that are built around entertainment versus education. Right now, Ninja programs seem to be moving in both directions. Some businesses are built heavily around open gyms and birthday parties, while others focus more on classes, skills, and progression. Both can have a place, but I’m interested in where the industry goes as families start to better understand the difference between an experience that’s fun for the day and a program where their child is actually learning and progressing over time.
What’s one challenge operators or leaders in this market are facing today?
I think two of the biggest challenges are hiring staff and building community awareness. “Ninja” still isn’t a household term, and it can mean a lot of different things to different people. That can make someone hesitant to apply for a Ninja Coach position because they don’t know what qualifications they need. On the parent side, families may see Ninja listed alongside other programs and simply don’t understand what their child will actually be doing or learning. The better we get at defining the sport and educating people about it, the easier both of those challenges become.
What opportunity or area of growth excites you most about the future?
I think there’s a lot of opportunity as Ninja Sport continues to develop into two different avenues. One is more obstacle-based Ninja, similar to what people recognize from American Ninja Warrior. The other is what I’d call Acro Ninja, with more flipping, parkour, tricking and movement skills. I think we’re going to see both sides continue to grow and become more clearly defined.
What is one piece of advice or philosophy you would share with our audience?
My biggest piece of advice is progress > perfection.
A lot of coaches get stuck on making sure every skill is absolutely perfect before allowing a kid to move forward. Technique matters, but kids also need to feel like they’re progressing. Consistent, frequent wins are a huge part of keeping kids motivated and keeping them in a program long term. Sometimes our job as coaches is knowing when to keep refining a skill and when a kid is ready for the next challenge.
How does your company or solution help support customers or the industry overall?
One of the biggest things NinjaZone provides is a system. We’re not just giving an organization a list of skills and telling them to figure it out. We provide curriculum, progressions, coach training, onboarding and ongoing support so their staff understands both what to teach and how to teach it.
That consistency is important for operators, but it’s also important for kids. No matter who is coaching the class, there should be a clear path forward and an opportunity for that child to keep progressing. Ultimately, we’re trying to make it easier for organizations to run a strong program, easier for coaches to feel confident teaching it, and easier for more kids to build a foundation for movement that lasts.
For more information on bringing NinjaZone to your facility, visit the-ninja-zone.com.
For more information on how NinjaZone supports youth enrollment, retention, and program growth, visit the-ninja-zone.com.
To schedule a conversation about NinjaZone at your facility, visit calendly.com/ericabarnes/15min?month=2026-09.
