Coral Springs resident Vinnie Castranova at the American Ninja Warrior 13 Qualifiers
By Ryan Yousefi
Coral Springs resident Vincent Castranova has advanced to the finals stage of Season 15’s American Ninja Warrior contest and is now on the brink of winning the competition’s coveted one-million-dollar grand prize.
On Monday, August 28, at 8:00 p.m., NBC will air the second finals episode of American Ninja Warrior Season 15, featuring Vincent Castranova, a longtime resident of Coral Springs.
A show veteran from past seasons, Castranova, known as the ‘Plumbing Ninja’ due to his work as a plumber, recently shared his joy with Coral Springs Talk at reaching national finals and how much winning the million-dollar prize would mean to his family.
“Being a part of Ninja Warrior is a blessing,” Castranova shares.
“I’ve been a fan of the show since Season 5 and always hoped I would one day take part myself, so to make it to the National Finals has been a dream come true,”
While his journey to the finals of American Ninja Warrior has been a dream come true, Castranova says it has not come without challenges; he caught COVID-19 last season just days before competing, a setback that has only made his success this season much sweeter.
Having appeared in past seasons and advancing to the finals during the current campaign, Castranova says he’s often recognized around town as his local fan base has steadily grown. He tells Coral Springs Talk he is grateful for the support he received from the Coral Springs community.
“It is such an honor to represent Coral Springs and South Florida,” Castranova said. “I take great pride in my hometown and how it helped shape me into the man I am today.”
“It is heartwarming when I get noticed in public and asked for an autograph and picture. I remember being that kid, and it’s humbling knowing I’m the one being looked up to now.”
Castranova says past experiences on the show have built his confidence in believing he’s the best competitor in terms of his chances of taking home the million-dollar first-place prize. Still, most of all, his success has come from past hiccups on the course that have hardened his ability to expect the unexpected.
“Every season I’m on the show, I grow more and more confident. I don’t get too nervous anymore,” he said. “I accept that anything can happen and do my best to make myself and my family proud.”
A father to a two-year-old girl named Gracie, with a second girl on the way, Castranova, tells Coral Springs Talk that winning the million-dollar prize would change his family’s lives and that he’s been relentlessly training to make it a reality.
He shares that much of his training and growth from past seasons is a credit to the SoFlo Ninja Academy, a training center located at 1751 West Copans Road that replicates obstacles seen on the show.
“SoFlo Ninja Academy is the ultimate training center for future Ninja Warriors because it has exact replicas of the obstacles seen on the show, and I train every chance I get.”
Vincent believes that if he can take home the ultimate Ninja Warrior crown, it will be not just a testitude to his physical prowess but also mental strength.
“Having a good mindset and believing in yourself regardless of if you fall is key to being one of the best,” Castranova explains.
“And that goes much further than Ninja Warrior. A lot of the battles you go through on the course translate to many aspects of life.”
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