T
he popularity of the exciting sports entertainment show
“American Ninja Warrior” is not lost on Pittsburgh
residents. In fact, current Bethel Park business owner
Alicia Tavani-Candela gave it her all in season 10 last
year, and did so well she was asked to participate again this
season. How she fared is still unknown, but how she got there has
been through pure passion, sheer will and constant dedication.
“I was born and raised in Erie and was a very hyper kid,” says
Tavani-Candela. “I was diagnosed with ADHD and like many
children, I had an abundance of energy moving around in my
body. My mom recognized early on I needed a way to focus and
use that energy properly, so she enrolled me in Tae Kwon Do at
age 5. I was hooked from the beginning.”
Over the years studying at Master Stitt’s Black Belt Academy
in Erie, she excelled quickly. She began competing at age 6
and teaching by 13. “This sport changed my life,” she explains.
“It helped me build confidence and focus, two characteristics
necessary in Tae Kwon Do. It also put me on the path to own my
own studio and teach the sport I love.”
Tavani-Candela taught Tae Kwon Do through her college
years, first at Gannon University as she earned her business
degree, and then at Point Park University, where she earned a
degree in education, along with a fourth-degree black belt under
the tutelage of Senior Master Kaminski at Kaminski’s Martial
Arts in the North Hills. She was also named ambassador of the
American Tae Kwon Do Association, the largest in the world.
“I have been so passionate about this sport for so long,” says
Tavani-Candela. “It literally has affected every part of my life in
a positive way and I’m so happy I’ve been able to help so many
people better their lives, too.”
After graduating from Point Park University in 2011, Tavani-
Candela accepted a position with Chief Master Sergio Von
Schmeling in Orlando, Florida, helping him manage one of
his almost 60 martial arts studios around that area.
“We met at the 2011 Fall National Tae Kwon Do
Championship where I was testing for my fifth-degree black
belt,” she recalls. “We met after the competition and he said, ‘You
are very good.’ I worked for him for six years as the Managing
Director of his Orlando studio. I learned so much from him,
and the students, and it provided me with valuable tools I’ve
used to open my own business in Bethel Park, No Limits ATA
Martial Arts.”
Between making the decision to leave the Florida studio and
open her own in Bethel Park, Tavani-Candela found the time to
try out for “American Ninja Warrior.”
“I’d seen the show,” she notes, “but it wasn’t until late 2017
I really had the opportunity to invest time in it. Seeing all the
different obstacles on the course looked fun and I’m always up
for a challenge. So I made a tape, sent it in, and was accepted. I
had four months to train, and I was able to do so at a Ninja Fit
Gym, which is specially designed for people who are competing
on the show.”
In April of 2018, Tavani-Candela went to Miami, Florida, for
the competition. “My husband, mom, friends and some students
were there to cheer me on,” she says. “I felt really prepared and
hung out with the other first-time competitors. We all compared
notes on training and talked about what it was like to be there,
which was really cool. The whole atmosphere of that show is
supportive, even though you’re competing against each other.
Although her first appearance on “American Ninja Warrior”
didn’t result in a win, the producers of the show liked what they
saw, her enthusiasm, and the way the crowd reacted to her, so
they asked her to try out again for Season 11, which is currently
airing on NBC.
“I can’t disclose how I did because my episode hasn’t aired
yet,” she notes, “but this time around was a little different in that
I filmed in Baltimore and had very little time to train because I
was moving back to Pittsburgh and opening my studio. But I’m
excited for everyone to watch the show.”
For Tavani-Candela, all of her education, training and business
experience has finally led her to exactly where she’s always
wanted to be—the master of her studio, teaching her students
the fine art of Tae Kwon Do and helping them live their best lives.
Since opening No Limits ATA Martial Arts in January near the
Cool Springs Complex, she’s already registered 120 students.
“It’s been a truly wonderful experience,” she says. “I’ve known
this was my destiny since I was 5 years old. In that time, I’ve
become a four-time World Champion and helped hundreds of
people achieve their goals. It’s the best feeling in the world.”
To learn more about Alicia Tavani-Candela, visit
nolimitspgh.com. ■
“I’ve been so passionate about this
sport for so long. It literally has
affected every part of my life in
a positive way and I’m so happy
I’ve been able to help so many
people better their lives, too.”
BETHEL PARK
❘
FALL 2019
15