Early Years
Cassel was born in Northridge, Los Angeles, California. When Cassel was 11 years old, his family home was at the epicenter of the 1994 Northridge earthquake, which at one point trapped his father Greg under a marble column and led water from their swimming pool to flood their house. Their home was eventually condemned as a result, forcing the Cassel family to move.
Cassel was the starting first baseman on the Northridge baseball team that reached the finals of the 1994 Little League World Series.
Cassel attended Chatsworth High School and was a letterman, an all-city selection, and a standout in both football and baseball. As a senior, he was ranked as the number eight quarterback and number 53 overall of the top high school players in the nation according to ESPN's Tom Lemming's Top 100. Lemming called Cassel a "pro-style pocket passer with a very strong, accurate delivery." In addition to playing quarterback, Cassel was also Chatsworth's punter.
Cassel committed to play at USC before starting his senior year in high school.
Cassel also had an appearance in the HBO Family program Freshman Year, a reality show in which his younger brother was one of the featured students.
Read more about this topic: Matt Cassel
Famous quotes related to early years:
“I believe that if we are to survive as a planet, we must teach this next generation to handle their own conflicts assertively and nonviolently. If in their early years our children learn to listen to all sides of the story, use their heads and then their mouths, and come up with a plan and share, then, when they become our leaders, and some of them will, they will have the tools to handle global problems and conflict.”
—Barbara Coloroso (20th century)