About William R. Ambrosia
Bill Ambrosia-Cerio started training in the martial arts in March of 1973 with Nick Cerio and Nancy Cerio at the Cerio’s Academy of Martial Arts in Warwick, RI. Nancy and Nick are his mom and step-dad respectively.
Through the years, Bill competed actively in tournaments up and down the east coast, amassing quite a few trophies. As a youngster, the U.F.M.A recognized him as a Junior Forms and Sparring Champion. He was awarded the title of the 1976 Champion in each of these divisions.
In 1978, Nick and Nancy Cerio formulated the RI Amateur Kickboxing Union. This organization concentrated on promoting kick boxing matches in the New England area. Bill began his kickboxing training at age 12. He worked in a group of kickboxers aged 18 to 26 years of age, and held his own. During 1978 through 1980, Bill participated in exhibition bouts at some kickboxing events. The Kickboxing Union ran events on Friday evenings and called them “Friday night at the Fights”, a take-up on the ones that were broadcasted during the 1950s.
In 1983, Bill tested and passed his Shodan test. He was 17 years old at the time. Normally, the lowest age limit was 16. But because he was Nick Cerio & Nancy Cerio’s son, he was kept
back so that no one would say that he was “given” his belt because he was their son. It was July 29th, it was 95/outdoor, and we had no air conditioners at that time. Needless to say, it was an endurance struggle, and not one complaint from those testing that day.
Bill continued training and competing until he was involved in a serious auto accident (hit head-on by a drunk driver). The doctors said he would never be able to do martial arts again, as his right knee was shattered. After recuperation from the preliminary surgeries, he began working out and training harder, roping 1, 2 and 3 minute rounds on only one leg. After approximately 7 surgeries and extensive physical therapy, Bill recovered and proved the doctors wrong. Doctors rarely, if ever, seem to take into consideration the human factor!
Also, an IT specialist, Bill opened his own business, as well as worked for numerous well-known computer firms. In addition, he married in 1997 and began raising a family. He has 3 children, Hannah, Nick and Julia. Currently, Bill free-lances as an IT specialist and teaches martial arts at the Cerio Ambrosia Martial Arts Center in No. Kingstown, R.I., as well as traveling and teaching seminars.
About Bill Ambrosia | North Kingstown, RI | 401-295-1220
