William A. (Bill) Schettino was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. As a result of his particular circumstances, he found himself receiving a street education at an early age, which would remain his foundation and reference point for everything he did in the future. In 1968, at the age of sixteen, he started to investigate boxing through observation, conversation, and trial and error. Bill would move around with anyone he could, regardless of size, and each encounter would be his lesson. He didn't have a formal teacher, so this "process" became his teacher. This "process" would stay with him in the future as his skills developed and new "arts were examined.
In 1977 Bill moved to San Diego, CA and the second phase of his "education" began. It was here that Bill was exposed to kickboxing and fencing, once again using his "process" to learn from these arts. For the next eight years in San Diego, Bill worked in clubs, taught privately, taught women's self defense, and did some body-guarding. As part of his "process" Bill also fought for money in a few "no rules" pick-up fights in Tijuana, Mexico.
Then in 1987, Bill became exposed to the formal "martial arts" in the person of Dr. Vince Black, who taught him, among other things, the internal art of Hsing-I and the art of Kajukenbo. Living with Dr. Black at this time was Sijo Adriano Emperado, a founder of Kajukenbo and a legendary martial artist in his own right. Bill was fortunate to be able to study with both Dr. Black, one of Sijo Emperado's most senior students, and Sijo himself at the same time. In addition, one of Dr. Black's students in the Internal Arts and Chinese medicine was Tom Bisio, an accomplished martial artist known for his expertise in Arnis. It was in this environment, surrounded and encouraged by men with similar attitudes about "fighting", yet vastly different skills and experiences than his own, that Bill's "process" led him to what is now known as Estacada. It was during a conversation in 1993 with Dr. Black that it was suggested to Bill that he systemize and organize his art.
In 1994, Bill moved back to New York City and, with the support of Tom Bisio, formed and started teaching classes in Estacada. In addition, Bill teaches Estacada Kajukenbo "Emperado Method" utilizing the principles and mechanics of Estacada.
