Nicholas Raymond Cerio
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Nicholas Raymond Cerio was born in Boston, Massachusetts on July 9, 1936 and died on October 7, 1998. He was involved with the martial arts for over forty years and was instrumental in popularizing and spreading kenpo, initially in Rhode Island and other locations in New England and later to other locations around the United States. He founded a branch of Kenpo Karate known as Nick Cerio’s Kenpo.
Cerio grew up in the Federal Hill District of Providence, Rhode Island and would become interested in boxing as a teenager at the Federal Hill House. He often got into fights growing up in the area. Later he would box in the Air Force and was successful in the Light Weight division.
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[edit] Martial Arts Training and Lineage
[edit] Early Training
Cerio began his martial arts training under George McCabe in Judo after being exposed to Judo in the Air Force. Following this in 1961 Cerio would begin working with Ted Olson in Tae Kwon Do. Cerio spoke highly of Olson and was sorry when he stopped teaching for personal reasons[1]. He then moved on to study Karazenpo Go Shinjutsu under George Pesare and would receive his first black belt from him in 1966. After this Cerio opened his first martial arts school, Cerio’s Academy of Martial Arts. During this time period he was very active in karate tournaments and through these came into contact with Edmund Parker. Parker and Cerio became friends and it was through Parker that Cerio requested to study under Professor William Kwai Sun Chow of Hawaii.
[edit] William Kwai Sun Chow
Prior to being allowed to study under William K.S. Chow, Cerio was required to spend a year studying under William Chun, Sr., Chow’s senior student at that time. After this year, Cerio was granted permission to study with Chow. This would prove to be a very significant relationship, and Cerio often commented on it and its influence upon him and his style. Cerio would return to Hawaii on several occasions to live and study with Professor Chow. Chow would eventually award Cerio with a 5th degree black belt in 1970 (Godan).
[edit] Edmund Parker
Cerio considered Ed Parker his senior, mentor, and coach but would not actually enter into training under him:
“Ed Parker was never my instructor, but more like my coach. He was my senior because we came from the same kenpo family. I used a lot of Ed Parker’s ideas in my system.”(Liedke, Inside Kung-Fu)
Cerio never learned all of the curricula of Parker’s American Kenpo, however he was awarded a 3rd degree black belt (Sandan) by Parker recognized under the IKKA and AKA. Parker would eventually award Cerio a 9th degree black belt (Kodan) in their common style of Kenpo Karate in 1983.
[edit] Hakkoryu Jiujutsu
During the late 1960s Cerio would also study Hakkoryu Jiujutsu, first receiving his brown belt in 1968 from James Benko and later receiving his 1st black belt (Shodan) from Larry Garron.[2]
[edit] Tadashi Yamashita
Cerio then began to study Okinawan weapons and self-defense under Tadashi Yamashita[3] who would award him a 4th black belt (Yondan) in 1970 and a 5th black belt (Godan) in 1973 sanctioned by the Midwest Karate Association.
[edit] Gan Fong Chin
Cerio would also study Sil Lum Kung Fu under Gan Fong Chin during the early 1970s and Chin would award him an 8th black belt (Hachidan) and title of Sifu in August 1973.
[edit] Nick Cerio’s Kenpo
At Chow’s urging, Cerio would return to the United States and create “Nick Cerio’s Kenpo”. Chow felt that Cerio would be able to bring his style of martial arts to an American audience successfully. (Leidke, Inside Kung Fu) Cerio would enhance and modify what he had learned from Chow and also add many things from the other styles he studied along the way such as Judo, Jiujutsu, American Boxing, and Kung Fu. He would also add many katas to the system, both open-hand and weapon. Cerio would incorporate Shotokan and Kyokushinkai forms into his kenpo. He felt their strong stances and transitions were missing from the existing kenpo forms, most of which were developed by Edmund Parker.(Breen)
[edit] Influence
Cerio can be credited with both expanding and helping to popularize kenpo in the United States, most specifically on the east coast. His focus on the art rather than capitalizing on the commercial opportunities was in keeping with Chow’s attitude. Cerio once stated that “I shall close my doors rather than sell my soul.” (Leidke, TaeKwonDo Times).
[edit] Awards and Honors
• Awarded “Above Ranking Status” or “Kaichi Yudansha Shihan” on April 22, 1989 by the Kokonryu Bujutsu Renmei Association and Professor Thomas Burdine
• Awarded the title “Professor” on April 23, 1989, by Professor Thomas Burdine representing the World Soke Council
• Awarded a 9th black belt in Kenpo Karate in March, 1983 by Ed Parker
• Inside Kung Fu Reader’s Award, 1983
• Voted into Hall of Fame, 1983
• Featured in Who’s Who in Karate, 1982
• Man of the Year Award, Oriental World of Self-Defense, Madison Square Garden, New York, 1980
• Instructor of the Year Award, Oriental World of Self-Defense, New York, 1977
• Award for Outstanding Demonstration, Boston, 1975
• Awarded Life Membership and Award of Merit in Federation of Karate, Quebec, Canada, 1974
• Award from Cystic Fibrosis for fund raising efforts, 1974
• Letter of Appreciation from U.S. Senator Claiborne Pell for assistance to Warwick, RI, PD, 1971
• Citation from American Federation of Police, 1971
• Certificate of Appreciation, Warwick Police, for his assistance in their fight against crime, 1971
[edit] References
John Corcoran, Emil Farkas, Martial Arts Traditions, History, People, W.H. Smith, 1981. LCC 82-11940
Nick Cerio, Nancy Cerio. Nick Cerio's Kenpo, Library of Congress catalog card no. TX 1-401-371, 1984, second printing 1998
Klouvatos, George. "Nick Cerio's Kenpo The Man and His Style" Oriental Fighting Arts, April 1975: 24-31
Breen, Andrew. "Professor Nick Cerio, Evolution Of A Kenpo Master" Inside Kung Fu, July 1997: 40-45, 102-103
Liedke, Bob. "Nick Cerio, Kenpo's Forgotten Leader" Inside Kung Fu, October 1989: 43-46
Liedke, Bob. "Portrait of a Kenpo Master Instructor Profile Interview" TaeKwonDo Times, November 1987: 54-57
