In the heart of Toronto, a young martial artist in Grade 5 is making waves, driven by her passion and guided by one of Canada’s most respected martial arts masters. Olivia Cicciarella, alongside her mother Stephanie Cicciarella, and grandchild to Ed and Connie Ferguson of Green Bay Manitoulin represents the DeSantos Martial Arts school, led by the esteemed ‘Kwan Jan Nim’ (a Korean honourific term which means Master Instructor or Master of one’s house) Veronica DeSantos.
Olivia said of her teacher “We’re incredibly lucky to have Kwan Jan Nim DeSantos. She’s such an inspiration to everyone there. She’s also really good for young girls because of everything that she’s accomplished and the experience she brings to her students.” With a legacy of teaching that spans over three decades, Grandmaster DeSantos is a trailblazer in the martial arts community, having achieved numerous accolades, including being the first woman inducted into the North American Martial Arts Hall of Fame in 1999. Olivia added “I hope I can do as much to represent women in sport someday through my own achievements.”
Olivia, who was featured by the Expositor during last year’s Haweater Festival weekend, has continued to impress with her dedication and achievements. Despite being scheduled to test for her red belt, Olivia’s exceptional progress has led to an early opportunity to test for her black belt, a significant milestone that opens doors to competitions she wouldn’t otherwise have been eligible to participate in.
Reflecting on her journey, Olivia shared, “It has taken a lot of hard work and dedication to get here. There are some nights I have even had to sleep at the dojo for special camps and events. I have been doing a lot of community service and volunteer work on behalf of the dojo.”
Her mother, Mrs. Cicciarella, emphasized the importance of balancing academics with her daughter’s intense training schedule. “Olivia has had to maintain good grades at school, and she’s also done a lot to bring attention to the sport, encouraging other kids and girls to join and participate. The club and Kwan Jan Nim DeSantos make sure to run a holistic program that encourages excellence in all aspects of life.” Olivia added “I have been helping to teach classes to other kids, doing demonstrations, and even helping to teach self-defence classes.” Olivia added that she may have an opportunity in the near future to participate in martial arts demonstrations in Texas 2025.
Olivia’s hard work has paid off in regional tournaments, including the 2024 Southern Ontario Spring Martial Arts International (SOSMAI) in Cobourg, where she won an impressive four medals: two bronze for traditional open hand and weapons, a silver for musical open hand, and a gold for her standout musical weapons performance, showcasing her skills with nunchakus, a rarity compared to the more commonly used bo staff. “When I step out there with nunchakus, everyone gets excited because it’s exciting and it’s unique. It’s really fun and it’s exciting because they move so fast.” When asked the difference between traditional and musical Olivia explained. “The traditional means that it’s very serious and focused. Technique really matters. Musical is the same but it’s set to music and it’s more flashy and choreographed to the music. It can be a bit scary because you have to make sure to choose a unique song or music because you can’t use the same music as someone else or you can’t use it if they go before you.”
Looking ahead, Olivia is excited about participating in the upcoming 5KM Friendship Walk on Saturday, September 14, 2024, a fundraising event for the DeSantos Foundation. “The Friendship Walk is a fun 5 km event through Toronto. It’s a lot of fun,” Olivia said. Community involvement has always been an integral part of the DeSantos philosophy from the Principles of Black Belt and Student Pledge. The club believes in contributing positive, empowering programs and vital resources to those living in our community both locally and globally.
The non-profit DeSantos Foundation is a way for DeSantos Martial Arts students and families to give back. This is a monetary fund that supports socially disadvantaged individuals and families by providing increased resources to help them reach their highest potential. Olivia told the Expositor “Last year, we helped raise money for a school in Toronto that had never had a class trip. Not a single one! And we have also raised money for kids in Guiana and the Philippines too.” She went on to say how good it feels to be able to give back to the community or to give other children a chance to have resources they might not otherwise have if not for the efforts of the club.
“The 5 km walk will be a lot of fun, but the real challenge lies in the ‘Walk to the Falls’.” The event runs from September 19-22, 2024, and consists of a grueling 124 km journey from the CN Tower to Niagara Falls. “It’s a really hard walk, but I will be doing all four days,” Olivia shared, revealing her rigorous preparation of walking 6 kms every other day on top of her regular training. Taking part in the walk represents one of the many milestones required for her to get her black belt.
The funds raised from these events will help support Olivia’s participation in the 2024 World Association of Kickboxing Organizations (WAKO) World Juniors in Hungary. Mrs. Cicciarella said that they originally had a goal of raising $1000, but response and support has been overwhelming and they’ve already passed that initial goal. “The support has been really great and we’ve now increased our fundraising goal to $5000.” When asked about her future aspirations, Olivia beamed, “I would really like to be a part of the 2026 WAKO World Juniors again, as well as the 2024 Ontario Winter Games in Thunder Bay.” With the 2024 Summer Olympics capturing global attention, Olivia also dreams of one day representing Canada on the world stage, adding, “It’s tricky because the version of martial arts I do is a mixed martial arts style listed as Taekwondo, but is actually kickboxing. But you never know, that would be an amazing experience.”
Olivia’s story is one of perseverance, community spirit, and the unyielding support of her family and mentors. Those wishing to support Olivia’s journey, or wishing to participate in the fundraising events can visit www.desantos.ca, can donate by scanning the QR code provided.
