SIDEKICKS ACADEMY INC.
Meet Grandmaster Freddie R. McNeil
Grandmaster Freddie R. McNeil is a native of Durham, North Carolina and a proud product of Durham Public Schools. He is a graduate of North Carolina Central University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Pre-Law and a Master's Degree in Education.
After 33 years of service in public education, Mr. McNeil retired from Durham Public Schools on October 1, 2019, as the Senior Executive Director of Employee Relations in the Office of Human Resource Services.
His life work reflects a deep commitment to education, youth development, mentorship, faith, discipline, and community transformation. He currently serves as Associate Pastor at Kyle's Temple AME Zion Church in Durham, where he founded Men of Integrity and Sons for Christ, two ministry-based initiatives focused on molding men and youth into strong leaders, fathers, and pillars of the community.
Grandmaster McNeil is also a highly respected martial arts leader who holds a 9th degree black belt in Taekwondo and Japanese Go-Ju-Ryu. As CEO and Grandmaster of SIDEKICKS Academy Incorporated, he combines his experience as an educator, mentor, pastor, martial artist, and licensed mental health therapist to reach youth and adults through a powerful model of discipline, healing, leadership, and personal growth.
His mission is to empower, encourage, and inspire today's youth to become successful individuals who make a positive impact on their communities.
About SIDEKICKS Academy Incorporated
SIDEKICKS Academy Incorporated is a Durham-rooted youth and community development organization that uses Taekwondo, mentorship, character education, leadership development, and social-emotional support to help students, families, and community members grow stronger from the inside out.
Founded under the leadership of Grandmaster Freddie R. McNeil, SIDEKICKS is more than a martial arts program. It is a movement designed to build discipline, confidence, respect, self-control, resilience, emotional wellness, and leadership among youth and adults from all backgrounds.
SIDEKICKS serves students from Title I schools, diverse ethnic and cultural communities, public school settings, evening programs, and broader community spaces. The organization also recognizes that youth development does not happen in isolation. Strong youth need strong families, caring adults, healthy mentors, and supportive communities.
SIDEKICKS Academy is a licenced 501c3 owned and operated organization.
SIDEKICKS stands for: Students Involved in Discipline Education, Keyed Into Claiming Knowledge and Success.
Mission Statement
SIDEKICKS Academy empowers youth, families, and community members through Taekwondo-based character development, mentorship, leadership training, academic encouragement, and social-emotional support. Led by Grandmaster Freddie McNeil, a respected martial arts leader, retired public educator, associate pastor, and licensed mental health therapist, SIDEKICKS uses discipline, education, and therapeutic mentorship to help participants build confidence, resilience, respect, focus, self-control, and the life skills needed to succeed in school, work, family, and community.
Vision Statement
SIDEKICKS Academy envisions stronger communities where youth and adults from every background recognize their value, develop their gifts, embrace discipline, and become confident leaders, responsible citizens, and positive forces for change.
