Learning life lessons in North Kern exercise class

July 10, 2025

When Coach Sasso began working at North Kern State Prison, he saw a need to offer a different kind of physical education exercise class.

Coach who created a strength training exercise program at North Kern State Prison. — Coach Sasso

“When I came here to North Kern in 2007, there was program happening, but there (were) really no classes. I saw guys working out in the yard and I thought, you know, I need to come up with something, help these guys out. So, I decided to offer a class to teach these guys different exercises, exercises that they can do in their cell,” he said.

Sasso is the physical education teacher in charge of recreation who created a strength conditioning class at North Kern.

To his students, he’s simply known as “The Coach.”

Becoming a mentor in North Kern class

Crayon reading a book in his cell at North Kern State Prison. — Duane Crayon

Duane Crayon has served 25 years of a 30-year-to-life sentence for robbery with assault with a deadly weapon.

Sasso recalls when Crayon began taking his class.

“I want to say he came through my class about seven or eight years ago. He was a little unsure of the class,” he explained. “After about five weeks in the class, he was just getting after it.”

Crayon had some hiccups, as he put in, and was sent to Centinela State Prison on a level four yard. When he worked back down to level three, he requested to be returned to North Kern.

“(Centinela) did have the program so North Kern (is) the only prison (with) the type of self-help strength and conditioning class,” Crayon said. “I asked to come back here.”

When he received permission to rejoin Sasso’s class, Crayon began mentoring other students.

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“When he came back to the class, he got right back in. He kind of took a leadership role himself in the class as far as helping guys out,” Sasso explained. “It’s been really good having him back.”

Another student, David Cummings, was given the nickname “Anti-Tank” by Coash Sasso.

“I have many names. You know: Extra Credit, 50 Cal, but eventually it went to Anti-Tank Gun,” Cummings said. “I just kept on hard inside the class.”

He’s served 21 years and began at Pelican Bay State Prison in Crescent City.

“Through this journey to now, I’ve matured,” he said. “I started participating in a lot of these self-help classes.”

Class looks to future, not past

Sasso explained he takes the first 17 to sign up for the voluntary class. They are required to provide their information.

“I then put them on a list and we’re working out for 60 days, five days a week. At the end of the 12 weeks, they (earn) a certificate of completion,” he said. “It’s an accomplishment (because) it is hard work. Not everybody makes it.”

According to Sasso, his class isn’t about his students’ past, but rather their future. Each one begins with a clean slate when they walk into his class.

“I don’t want to know what my students have done on the streets or in their past. When they come in, eventually I’ll get to know them (and) try to remember all their names,” he said.

Camaraderie through workouts

North Kern State Prison David Cummings doing push-ups as part of an exercise class. — David Cummings

Cummings said the class is important to a lot of people.

“It’s like therapy to me,” he explained. “It’s like our medicine. We got to have it.”

Cummings and Crayon say they’ve seen a lot of changes over the last two decades.

“Back then, there were the programs,” Crayon said. “Now you can’t say you’ve got life and can’t get out. It’s all up to you if you want to put the work in and get out. Because now, it’s rehabilitation where you can go to all these programs and it’s good. (These) programs teach you how to be a human being and teach you things your parents didn’t teach you.”

Two incarcerated people who are mentors in the exercise class at North Kern State Prison. — Crayon, left, and Cummings.

Through rehabilitative programs, Crayon said he’s a much different person today than he was even a decade ago.

“It gave me an insight into things now I want out of life,” he said. “Like basic freedom. A lot of people don’t understand what freedom means. Freedom is special because once you get it taken, you don’t understand that. But once you get out, you will understand, freedom is really what it means: freedom”

Video by Logan Williams, North Kern TV Specialist
Story by Don Chaddock, Inside CDCR editor