Tucked away off Henry Street on Alberta Ave in Muskegon you are about to find one of the most unique and incredible facilities you may have not even known we had. The name Cassell might ring a bell with you as it did me when I first heard from owner Rob Essenberg, but past the very basic thought of "Hmmm...gymnastics?" I found something right here in Muskegon that you would only expect to find in a major city or maybe in Grand Rapids, but even in Grand Rapids, the setting and atmosphere would be hard to meet for this all encompassing facility that still has every necessary element needed for gymnastics, it's expanded to so much more and they are looking to grow even more!
Let's go back a moment. Rob is a 79 grad of Mona Shores and went on to MCC and then Central. He always has enjoyed physical activity and is a 3rd degree black belt in karate himself and as he found his way into the business world, he began learning vending and cafeteria operations of all things and grew from there. As those enterprises gathered steam, he was smart with investing and other business ventures and worked his way back to not only being able to return "home" to open a business in Muskegon, but as the old "American Dream" goes, he was able to build one focused on his passion and include the passions of others who need large spaces to begin, practice, and master what drives them. Cassell gymnastics was looking to transition to a new owner so with a little name adjustment and move to just off Henry Street in what once was a warehouse that Ramos Towing owned, came the birth of Cassell Training. 
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Today, not only is there an expansive and all inclusive world class gymnastics studio, there are a multitude of rooms dedicated to dance, aerobics, karate, yoga, hot yoga and more. They have on staff instructors and the really exciting thigs is that they are looking to expand what's offered inside this facility by inviting those who are incubating small business themselves to rent a little time and space from them to further fill the schedule up with eclectic offerings of any kind when it comes to health and fitness. Are you a yoga instructor that needs studio space? How about a dance group that needs a nice place to call "home". Are you a personal trainer and in need of space to host clients that already has plenty of amenities and is secure? Well, you're going to want to get a hold of Cassell.
Now, let's talk about some of what's there. Opportunities for kids to learn just about any kind of dance. Right there. Ninja training? YUP. How about this? Cheerleading! It's equally competitive as all the other school sports and the expert camps and classes are happening right here in Muskegon. No travelling to bigger cities or specialized super expensive camps. The Olympics are coming up. They are always a HUGE inspiration for young people and when they see some incredible things on the floor exercise or the uneven bars...drop the hint that you know where they can learn that. You could be setting the tone for a lifetime of dedication and discipline through athletics that might not be football or baseball when it comes to the "glory" sports, but these are the sports that require the internal flame and desire not only to compete against other, but yourself.
Rob is a pretty engaging guy. We had a chance to sit down and talk a little about his road in business that led right back to Muskegon where his "business" met up with his "dream" and I think that you'll agree, this is a very welcome home conversation. Take a listen.
What's amazing about all this? Rob took off to stake his claim and came home to re-invest in the community where it all began. He's back with the best of intentions of helping others grow their business by having an incubator facility where a budding health and fitness instructor can build drop in classes, young people can learn to fly like the gymnasts they see on tv or maybe it's that quiet spot toward the back of the place where a group can gather to find their center practicing the ancient art of yoga. This is truly a remarkable win for Muskegon and a great homecoming for Rob who's brought his time, treasure and talent home to invest in all of us. Take the time to visit Cassell Training and see for yourself. It's got grit. It's got drive and it's got a "hidden identity" that is very uniquely Muskegon and our future generations are lucky to have a facility like this, run by someone who's passion for home returned him right back where he began. You'll find the Cassell Training Center website linked below.
