Jason Gardner’s journey began on the field—but it was forged through pain.

As a standout middle school wrestler and high school football player, Jason showed early signs of greatness. But everything changed the night he suffered a devastating knee injury during a game—his kneecap violently dislocated, and what followed was more than just physical trauma. Jason’s body stopped listening to itself. It was the beginning of a long battle that would reshape his body—and his life.

Despite multiple injuries, and surgeries to left knee and right shoulders, Jason refused to let go of his dream. He earned a walk-on spot at the University of Utah’s D1 football team, impressing coaches with his heart and drive. By his sophomore year, Jason’s right knee collapsed due to the strain from years of overcompensating. He required yet another knee surgery. This ended his D1 football career with Utah.  

After stepping away from football for a year and moving in with his grandparents in Reno, Jason hit a dark chapter. He turned to drugs to cope with the pain and identity crisis of a life without sport. But he never stopped dreaming. He overcame painkillers and worked his way back to the field at a lower division school, determined to finish what he started.

At a football demo day, he performed drills with walking pneumonia, only to be told he was “worthless.” That moment could have broken most people—but Jason used it as fuel. He chose to bet on himself, rejecting the notion that his worth depended on someone else's approval.

Eventually, scholarship offers came in, including one from Saint Francis. Despite a higher offer from another school, Jason followed his intuition and accepted. Jason gave the game everything his first two years there were successful until one day in practice when he left a “crunch” in his left knee. MRI results showed critical extensive damage and his doctor told him he’ll never play again. Jason wrote letters to his wife thanking her while she helped him through his third major knee surgery (the second one on his left knee). Six months post-operation, Jason was power cleaning 375 lbs and back on the football team for his final season. One day on the practice field, Jason’s right knee cap was ripped off, his knee gave out again. That day, Jason walked away from the sport he loved—betrayed, but not broken. 

The years that followed brought reflection and rebirth.

Jason realized his true purpose wasn’t tied to a scoreboard—it was in healing others. He took his pain, his struggles, his deep understanding of movement and recovery, and created Kinetic Performance Academy in 2015. A place where elite performers—athletes, warriors, and anyone who refuses to settle—come to rebuild what was once broken.

Since founding KPA, Jason has:

• Worked with post-surgery clients to implement the methods that fast tracked his recovery

• Trained over 2,000 individuals, including top athletes and professionals.

• Earned contracts to train Marshall and SWAT teams, helping them shoot faster and move more efficiently.
  
  

Jason’s story isn’t just about setbacks—it’s about reclaiming power when others say you’re done. It’s about choosing purpose over pain, and service over ego. And it’s why Kinetic Performance Academy isn’t just another gym.

It’s a movement.
It’s a mission.
And for Jason—it’s personal.