KEVIN CASSIDY

KEVIN

NINJA NATION huntersville CASSIDY

Unlike the celebrated poet Robert Frost, Kevin Cassidy of Ninja Nation doesn’t give much thought to the road not taken.

That’s because instead of playing it safe, his life philosophy has been more along the lines of, “Go big or go home.”

That go-big attitude led to a varied and always fascinating career path for Kevin. Born in New York, Kevin’s family moved to Charlotte when he was just 10. He graduated from Providence Senior High and then played baseball while attending Lenoir Rhyne University in Hickory. After college, he enjoyed a stint as a minor league baseball player, followed by a move to Baltimore to teach middle school. While living in Maryland, Kevin went to a Slamball tryout in Philadelphia and that would lead to a move to Los Angeles to play what he refers to as “that crazy sport.”

But Kevin would do more than play Slamball in the City of Angels. Not only did he meet his lovely wife Megan while in California, but “go-big-orgo-home” Kevin branched out and learned how to drive fast cars, do fight scenes, ride horses, fall off buildings, and be lit on fire … “you know, normal Hollywood stuff,” Kevin quips. lkn MEN!

California dreamin’ brought Kevin a 17-year career as a Hollywood stuntman with a string of movie credits to his name including The Longest Yard, The Other Guys, SALT, Ant-Man, SpidermanHomecoming and Far From Home, Black Panther, and The Avengers, among many others.

“I’m so glad I didn’t listen to the many people in my life who told me to play it safe,” Kevin smiles. “I trusted my gut and knew that if the rubber ever hit the road (which it did more than a few times), that I had the capability to make it work one way or another. So far in my life I can’t think of something I regret not doing…a few things I regret doing but those are easily dismissed with where those mistakes ultimately led me to in life.” Kevin’s passion, though, has always revolved around helping children, and he knew when the Hollywood ride was over he would open his own business—one that was centered on building children up through sports.

“I was introduced to Ninja Nation,” Kevin says, “as I was planning my escape from Hollywood and writing business plans. There are three corporate-owned locations (two in Denver, Colorado, and one in Dallas, Texas) and two franchises: one outside of Dallas and mine in Huntersville. I decided to partner with this new and emerging brand instead of building a business from the ground up, and I am very happy I did.”

With three girls under the age of 4 (Victoria, Blake, and Rae), Kevin says he is in the “childcare trenches” right now but loves every second of it. After an esteemed and exciting career in Hollywood, Ninja Nation is the next chapter for Kevin as his life comes full-circle … he went big and came home! w