Evan Dollard
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox mountaineer
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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1982|04|7}}
| birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
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Evan "The Rocket" Dollard{{cite news |url= http://www.gcdailyworld.com/story/2110330.html |title= Linton teacher aiming to fulfill a dream of competing on American Ninja Warrior |first= Grant|last= Karazsia |date= 17 August 2014 |publisher= Greene County Daily World }} (born April 7, 1982) is an American athlete and rock climber. He came to prominence during Season 1 of the rebooted American Gladiators, as the season 1 men's champion. He earned his nickname "Rocket" from his speed in Gladiator competition, taking it as his gladiator name, becoming a Gladiator for season 2 of the rebooted American Gladiators. He has since appeared prominently in the Ninja Warrior franchise; in American Ninja Warrior (and hence US TV specials for Sasuke called "Ninja Warrior") and the standalone American Ninja Warrior, also using his nickname. Dollard also hosts his own web series, "Ninja Quickies".{{cite web |url= https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaqKIVG_Cm8G8yel7UCMpIA |title= Evan Dollard |publisher= Youtube }}{{cite news |url= http://www.ibtimes.com/american-ninja-warrior-kacy-catanzaro-what-has-24-year-old-been-her-las-vegas-national-1679812 |title= 'American Ninja Warrior' Kacy Catanzaro: What Has The 24-Year-Old Been Up To Since Her Las Vegas National Finals Run? [VIDEOS] |first= Alex|last= Garofalo |date= 5 September 2014 |work= International Business Times }} He has also competed in local editions of Ninja Warrior.
Biography
Before coming to fame, Dollard worked as a youth instructor, and taught rock climbing.{{cite news |url= http://prev.dailyherald.com/story/?id=154496 |title= Grandma cheers 'Gladiator' grandson |date= 18 March 2008 |publisher= Daily Herald (Chicago) }}
Dollard was a childhood fan of the original American Gladiators (AG). He discovered that AG had been rebooted through his roommate finding the audition request on the internet.{{cite episode |url= http://podbay.fm/show/952870930/e/1444723200 |number= 58 |title= The Only Sure Way to Avoid Regret |series= Spartan Up |airdate= 13 October 2015 }} After discovering that AG was making a comeback, decided to try out for season 1 of the new show. He eventually became season 1 men's champion, and went on to be optioned for being a Gladiator for season 2, as "Rocket". Dollard discovered that AG had been canceled when an AG coworker mentioned that set equipment had been sold off, he had not been contacted by producers about the fate of season 3.
Dollard found out about American Ninja Warrior (ANW) through co-worker computer programmers, who showed him YouTube videos of SASUKE and American Ninja Challenge, and suggested he try. Dollard contacted G4 TV to apply for a spot on American Ninja Warrior, and submitted a tape of his performances on American Gladiators as his audition tape. He was selected, and on ANW season 2, made it through and obtained a trip to Japan to Mount Midoriyama.{{cite episode |url= http://obstacleracingmedia.com/podcast/episode-122-evan-rocket-dollard/ |number= 122 |title= Evan “Rocket” Dollard |series= Obstacle Racing Media |airdate= 19 March 2015 }}
Dollard was part of ANW for G4 in season 5 by being host of Well Trained Warrior web series web extras to ANW. The series interviewed ANW competitors at CrossFit Beach, and showed their training.{{cite episode |url= http://www.podcastchart.com/podcasts/open-sky-fitness-workout-program-fitness-tips-weight-loss-tips-healthy-lifestyle-lean-muscle-personal-trainer/episodes/osf052-interview-with-american-gladiator-and-ninja-warrior-evan-dollard |title= Interview with American Gladiator and Ninja Warrior Evan Dollard |series= Open Sky Fitness |number= 052 |date= 30 June 2015 |access-date= 5 August 2016 |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20170104063954/http://www.podcastchart.com/podcasts/open-sky-fitness-workout-program-fitness-tips-weight-loss-tips-healthy-lifestyle-lean-muscle-personal-trainer/episodes/osf052-interview-with-american-gladiator-and-ninja-warrior-evan-dollard |archivedate= 4 January 2017 |url-status= dead }}
Dollard became involved in A. Smith & Co.'s mid-2010s attempt to restart AG, which was not picked up by any network. With that show's failure to launch, Dollard started "Ninja Quickies" on YouTube. Ninja Quickies is and expansion on the premise of earlier series "Well Trained Warrior", interviewing ANW competitors on their own training grounds.
With Dollard's experiences on ANW and AG, he was asked to host BattleFrog for 2015, and be an analyst, analyzing the obstacles and strategies to overcome them.
In 2017, Dollard joined the WolfPack Ninja Tour, a touring exhibition show of NinjaWarrior/Sasuke-style obstacles.{{cite web |url= https://www.mudrunguide.com/2017/04/evan-dollard-joins-wolfpack-ninja-tour/ |title= Evan Dollard Joins WolfPack Ninja Tour |author= Margaret Schlachter |date= 12 April 2017 |publisher= Mud Run Guide }}
In the 2020s, Dollard has been an iFit fitness trainer for NordicTrack.{{cite web |url= https://www.nordictrack.co.uk/learn/new-ifit-personal-trainers-nordictrack/ |title= Meet iFit Personal Trainers With NordicTrack |date= 21 September 2021 |publisher= NordicTrack UK }}
Competitions
- 2008 American Gladiators season 1 - competitor - men's champion {{cite news |url= http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/evan-dollard-and-monica-carlson-claim-american-gladiators-title-6559.php |title= Evan Dollard and Monica Carlson claim 'American Gladiators' title |first= Christopher|last= Rocchio |date= 18 February 2008 |publisher= Reality TV World }}
- 2008 American Gladiators season 2 - Gladiator "Rocket" {{cite news |url= http://www.realitywanted.com/newsitem/1110-interview-with-evan-dollard-aka-rocket-from-nbcs-american-gladiators |title= Interview With Evan Dollard aka Rocket from NBC's American Gladiators |date= 12 May 2008 |publisher= Reality Wanted }}
- 2010 American Ninja Warrior season 2{{cite news |url= http://www.normantranscript.com/news/american-ninja-warrior-films-first-episode-of-its-kind-in/article_f1eff238-1b72-11e6-9291-3f53e1e1e811.html |title= American Ninja Warrior films first episode of its kind in Oklahoma City |first= Jacob|last= McGuire |date= 16 May 2016 |publisher= The Norman Transcript }}
- 2010 Sasuke season 26 {{cite web |url= http://www.geocities.jp/r_0308_xyz/s.26.1.html |script-title=ja:第26回大会 |publisher= SASUKE データサイト |quote= エヴァン・ドラード |language=ja}}
- 2011 American Ninja Warrior season 3
- 2012 American Ninja Warrior season 4
- 2012 Southwest Regional American Ninja Warrior - regional champion{{cite web |url= http://www.gladiatorstv.com/international/america/gladiators/rocket.php |title= Rocket |publisher= Gladiators TV }}
- 2014 American Ninja Warrior season 6{{cite web |url= http://www.celebdirtylaundry.com/2014/american-ninja-warrior-recap-52614-season-6-premiere-venice-beach-qualifying/ |title= American Ninja Warrior Premiere RECAP 5/26/14: Season 6 "Venice Beach Qualifying" |date= 26 May 2014 |publisher= Celeb Dirty Laundry }}
- 2015 American Ninja Warrior season 7{{cite web |url= http://www.celebdirtylaundry.com/2015/american-ninja-warrior-recap-72715-season-7-episode-9-houston-finals/ |title= American Ninja Warrior Recap 7/27/15: Season 7 Episode 9 "Houston Finals" |date= 27 July 2015 |publisher= Celeb Dirty Laundry }}
- 2015 Rockford Ninja Warrior{{cite news |url= http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2015/07/rockford_ninja_warrior_returns.html |title= Rockford Ninja Warrior returns with new course, more 'American Ninja Warriors' |first= Todd|last= Chance |date= 14 July 2015 |publisher= MLive }}
- 2015 X Warrior ({{zh|c=极限勇士|p=Jíxiàn Yǒngshì}}; lit. Ultimate Warrior) China vs USA all-star game (Jiangsu TV; 江苏卫视) {{cite web |url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=606SUUhDxR4 |script-title=zh:极限勇士 2015收官战中美勇士顶级对决 五国勇士决战紫金之巅 151103 |author= 江苏卫视官方频道 China JiangsuTV Official Channel |website=YouTube |date= 3 November 2015 |language=zh}}
- 2016 Team Ninja Warrior season 1 - member of Brent Steffensen's Team Alpha{{cite news |url= http://www.ibtimes.com/everything-you-need-know-about-team-ninja-warrior-future-american-ninja-warrior-2262004 |title= Everything You Need To Know About 'Team Ninja Warrior', 'The Future Of American Ninja Warrior' |first= Alex|last= Garofalo |date= 12 January 2016 |work= International Business Times }}
- 2016 American Ninja Warrior season 8
Filmography
- 2008 American Gladiators season 2 - Gladiator "The Rocket"{{cite news |url= http://ca.ign.com/articles/2008/05/09/american-gladiators-runs-wild-again |title= American Gladiators Run Wild Again |date= 9 May 2008 |first= Eric|last= Goldman |publisher= IGN }}
- 2013 Well-Trained Warrior host{{cite web |url= http://www.nbc.com/spartan-ultimate-team-challenge/credits/host/evan-dollard |work= Spartan Ultimate Team Challenge |title= Host Bios - Evan Dollard |publisher= NBC |accessdate= 4 July 2016 }}
- 2014-onwards Ninja Quickies host {{cite web |url= https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqDiR4raSJqzcM3_mhcsy-PYAMk1Ek0hk |title= Ninja Quickie |first= Evan|last= Dollard |website= YouTube }}
- 2015 BattleFrog College Championship season 1 - co-host {{cite news |url= http://obstacleracingmedia.com/ocr-news/battle-frog-college-championship-season-2-preview/ |title= BattleFrog College Championship Season 2 Preview |date= 11 March 2016 |author= Matt B. Davis |publisher= Obstacle Racing Media }}
- 2016 Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge season 1 - trackside reporter {{cite news |url= https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/2016/03/10/exclusive-nfl-mls-vets-host-nbc-spartan-challenge/81587360/ |title= Exclusive: NFL, MLS vets to host NBC 'Spartan' challenge |first= Bill|last= Keveney |date= 10 March 2016 |publisher= USA Today }}
- 2016- Spartan Strong host {{cite web |url= https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZKI-V4L4XF6FHAiuIhczF4ecq5gggD0i |title= Spartan Strong with Evan Dollard |author= Spartan Race |website= YouTube }}
References
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External links
- {{official website|http://evandollard.com}} ({{webarchive |url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181103075545/http://evandollard.com/ |date= 3 November 2018 }})
- {{IMDb name|1782520}}
{{authority control}}
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Category:Sportspeople from Chicago
Category:American rock climbers
Category:American game show hosts
Category:American television sports announcers