Macon football coach gets a shot at becoming America's next 'Ninja Warrior'

Westside High football head coach Sheddrick "Spoon" Risper heads to Florida next month to compete in the regional qualifying and taping of "American Ninja Warrior."

The popular TV show follows competitors through a series of daunting obstacle courses.

"I’ve been wanting to do that like forever because I’ve always liked the show, and all the sudden, I just got an urge to be serious about it about two years ago," said Risper, who's known on and off the field as "Coach Spoon."

"But I didn’t get chosen. So, I thought I would try again this year."

Risper posted his acceptance as a Miami Ninja for Season 10 from a producer for the show on Facebook, which gives him a chance of appearing on the show. Not all that's filmed makes the final cut.

If Risper successfully completes the regional qualifying course April 13 at Bay Front Park in Miami, he'll compete in that region's final the next day.

All those who successfully complete in regional finals across the country move on to the national finals round.

The winner takes home a grand prize of $1 million.

Risper, who is also the school's athletic director, has been training at Ninja Quest Fitness in Marietta that has the type of obstacles he will face.

"Scaling a wall with your fingers, holding onto pegs with your fingers, that’s tough," he said.

The gym is owned by "American Ninja Warrior" competitor Glenn Davis, 55, who motivates by example the 43-year-old Risper.

"43 is not 23 — definitely," Risper said. "But I think that I’ve gotten my body into shape. Honestly, I feel 27, 28.

"I’ve never drank alcohol my whole life. Never tasted it. Never smoked a cigarette a day in my life, so I haven’t put a lot of toxins into my body over the years," Risper said.

Risper, who's 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighs about 167 pounds, lost 20 pounds preparing for the competition. His school-teacher wife, Demetria, "really pushed me to the next level" of training.

She'll join him, along with their four children, his mother and brother in Miami. They'll be moving below him along a walkway cheering him on as he goes through the course.

"And my Dad, he would he would have been so proud," Risper said.

His father, Billy Risper, encouraged him before he died in September, that he was going to get into the Thomaston-Upson Sports Hall of Fame, which happened last month, and that he was going to make it to "American Ninja Warriors."

"I want to make Macon and Thomaston very proud," said Risper , who's been coaching at Westside for almost 20 years. "Westside means a lot to me, and the city of Macon means a lot to me, and of course, my hometown, noting but love for Thomaston Georgia."

Westside High School Principal Julia Daniely expressed excitement for Risper and for the school.

“This is something that he has been wanting to do and to see the commitment and dedication to reaching the pinnacle of what you decide you want to do in a lifetime is just rewarding and it warms my heart," Daniely said.

This story was originally published March 16, 2018 at 5:03 PM with the headline "Macon football coach gets a shot at becoming America's next 'Ninja Warrior'."