By LINDA CHION KENNEY
The first day of school marked the first day of business for Sidekicks Family Martial Arts Center in Riverview, the second location for a family business that runs deep in the Cabrera heritage.
With his wife, the business is owned by CEO and chief instructor Manny Cabrera, a fifth-degree black belt, whose father is a grandmaster with a ninth-degree black belt in taekwondo. Adding to the family heritage is Cabrera’s mother, a third-degree black belt, who with her husband raised Manny and his brother, Ryan, a third-degree black built. Manny’s wife, Jessica, likewise is third-degree, and their son, Manny, earned his first-degree black belt in October. His 15-year-old twin, Jonas, is set to test in October; their 13-year-old brother, Gabriel, is on his way to a black belt; and their cousin Christian is in the program as well. Also taught is Krav Maga, a self-defense system developed by the Israeli military, which in combining martial arts elements, emphasizes instinctive movements, situational awareness and the ability to respond quickly to threats.
Connor Hendershott at Sidekicks summer camp, in an exercise with Bricks for Kids
Courtesy Sidekicks
From left, Jonas, Manny and Gabe Cabrera, with their parents, Manny and Jessica Cabrera, and grandparents, Manny and Amber Cabrera, posed together in October when Manny Cabrera IV earned his first-degree black belt.
For sure, one thing was certain at an early age and through college, and that was that Cabrera was destined and determined, like his parents before him, to own and operate a martial arts studio.
With “structured, fun and character-building” instruction and activities, Sidekicks in Riverview offers after-school programming and camps to cover spring, summer, winter and pre-Thanksgiving Day breaks. For students in kindergarten through grade 5, school day transportation from Dawson, Summerfield, Summerfield Crossings and Collins elementary schools is provided.
“We see ourselves as a learning and leadership program, which is a personal development program disguised, really, as a martial arts vehicle,” Cabrera said. With a “unique blend of martial arts, character development and leadership training,” the mission is critical, “to develop a child’s emotional intelligence, so that they have good emotional regulation skills,” Cabrera added. “We’re helping them to learn discipline and to develop coping skills so they can handle stressful situations.”
Recognizing the greater number of youth and adults today who have chronic anxiety, the aim, as always, Cabrera said, is to build humans who can “develop healthy relationships, overcome challenges in their lives and then, ultimately, not just survive childhood, but to thrive as well as an adult.”
Connor Hendershott at Sidekicks summer camp, in an exercise with Bricks for Kids
Sidekicks instructors Veronica Segale and Elizabeth Sugnole work with Penny and her kicking moves.
The first Sidekicks opened in 2003, in space afforded at St. Andrews United Methodist Church in Brandon, off Bloomingdale Avenue. That school today is in a storefront at the FishHawk Park Square in Lithia, at 16132 Churchview Drive, Suite 210.
In a similar vein, the Riverview location kicks off in space at a church, at South Shore United Methodist Church, 11525 Big Bend Road. The center offers transportation and after-school care for students from Dawson, Summerfield, Summerfield Crossing and Collins elementary schools, with more schools possible at a later date, Cabrera said.
As for running and expanding a small business through tumultuous times, steady is the course for the Cabreras, who have one overriding tip for fellow business owners. In both boom and lean times, from Great Recession to pandemic, through tariffs and inflation, the Cabreras adhere to an underlying principle that gets them through the challenges and uncertainties.
“It comes down to what is the next right decision, and a lot of times the answer is you just work harder,” Manny Cabrera said. “You make sure that you’re not causing your own problems, so that you can weather whatever other external challenges persist.”
It’s similar to the mission the Cabreras aim to achieve with their students as well, as evidenced by class descriptions and reviews.
“I credit this program and these amazing people with helping to build physical strength to combat the arthritis and more importantly to help give her confidence back,” said Nicole Adams, whose daughter has been diagnosed with juvenile arthritis and social anxiety.
Manny Cabrera knew since his youth that he would follow in the footsteps of his parents and own and operate a martial arts school.
“Sidekicks is such an amazing facility,” added parent Ben Golden, whose son after “just three short months” demonstrated “great change in his focus, not just in class but at home, too.” The instructors, Golden added, “are very skilled at addressing different issues for different kids.”
As for the five reasons “parents and kids can’t get enough of our classes,” the Cabreras said it comes down to creating strong confident leaders, with laser-like focus, who get fit from head to toe, have fun and believe that they belong at the center from the moment they walk in.
As Manny Cabrera put it, “our mission has always been to build strong kids, strong families and strong communities, one black belt in life at a time.”
Sidekicks Family Martial Arts Center is at the intersection of Big Bend Road and Clement Pride Boulvard. For more, visit www.ilovesidekicks.com or call 813-497-4443.