Will “Cartwill” Viola

Meet Will Viola – Pittsburgh Karate Kid.

William “Will” Viola IV is the son of Sensei Bill Viola Jr. and the grandson of Shihan Viola—affectionately known as Papa Sensei 😊. Following proudly in the Viola Karate family legacy, Will currently is ranked #1 in the United States under USA Kickboxing (recognized by the U.S. Olympic Committees) and is a member of Team Kumite. Known throughout the dojo as “Cartwill“ or “Willzi.” From an early age, Will showed a natural instinct for movement over mechanics. While many young athletes focus first on straight-line techniques, Will gravitated toward dynamic, acrobatic motion—cartwheels, spins, explosive entries—often blending play with purpose. Coaches quickly noticed that what looked like pure fun was actually developing exceptional balance, coordination, spatial awareness, and timing. The cartwheel kick became his breakthrough technique. That same “wild energy” he admires in football translates directly into his martial arts—controlled intensity, forward pressure, and no fear of going big when the moment calls for it.

Will has traveled extensively across North America and internationally to Ireland,  Hungary, Portugal, England, Wales, France, and the United Kingdom. He is currently a proud member of WAKO Team USA and is ranked #1 in his weight class and WKC Team USA. Will enjoys cheering on his teammates alongside his sister, Gabby. He is #1 in the state of Pennsylvania in sparring division by the PKRA (Pennsylvania Karate Rating Association).

Outside the dojo, Will enjoys playing football for the Norwin Knights and watching WWE wrestling. His favorite WWE superstar is the American Nightmare Cody Rhodes. His favorite football player is Cam Skattebo, and he loves Skattebo’s wild, high-energy playing style style.

Allegheny Shotokan has produced hundreds of regional, national, and international champions including titles from; Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), United States of America Karate Federation (USAKF), United States of American National Karate Federation (USANKF), National Black Belt League (NBL), Sport Karate International (SKI) North American Sport Karate Association (NASKA), and Police Athletic League (PAL) Pennsylvania Karate Rating Association (PKRA) World Karate Kickboxing Commission (WKC) and World Association of Kickboxing Organizations (WAKO).

In 2025 Will earned a spot on WAKO Team USA by winning the USA Kickboxing Team Trials in Columbus, Ohio and a spot on WKC TEAM USA in Detroit. Michigan. Later that  year he become our youngest World Champion by winning GOLD at the ICO Worlds in the United Kingdom.

Walking in Big Footsteps, Making His Own Path

When Will Viola first stepped onto the dojo floor, he didn’t just walk into a karate school — he walked into a legacy.

The walls of Allegheny Shotokan Karate tell stories. Trophies, photos, and banners trace decades of champions, built by generations of the Viola family. And among those stories, one name stood especially tall for Will: his older sister, Gabby Viola.

From the time Will was old enough to tie his belt, he watched Gabby train with intensity beyond her years. He saw early mornings, long nights, international flights, and podium moments. He watched her represent Team USA, stand atop world stages, and carry herself with confidence and humility. For Will, that wasn’t pressure — it was possibility.

Like Gabby, Will started young. Very young. Karate wasn’t something he tried — it was something he grew up inside. The dojo became his second home, a place where discipline was taught alongside joy, and effort mattered as much as outcome. While other kids were learning the basics of coordination, Will was already absorbing timing, distance, and focus simply by being there every day.

As he entered competition, something became clear early on: Will wasn’t just copying his sister. He had his own rhythm.

His movements were sharp but playful. His kata showed precision without stiffness. In sparring, he blended speed with surprising composure. Coaches noticed it. Teammates noticed it. And soon, so did the international stage.

At just seven years old, Will earned his first major world-level breakthrough at the ICO World Championships. Standing among athletes years older, he captured gold in traditional kata and silver in blitz sparring — becoming one of the youngest Team USA medalists at the event. It was a defining moment, not because of the medals, but because of how he handled it: calm, respectful, and already thinking about what came next.

Those closest to him saw the pattern clearly. Will was following in Gabby’s footsteps — training early, competing internationally, embracing both forms and fighting — but he wasn’t walking in her shadow. He was walking beside her legacy, adding his own chapter.

Back home at the dojo, Will became something else entirely: an example. Younger students watched him the same way he once watched Gabby. They saw that greatness wasn’t about age or size — it was about consistency, attitude, and heart.

Today, Will continues to train with the same quiet determination that has defined the Viola family for generations. His journey is still in its earliest chapters, but the direction is unmistakable. He carries the lessons of his sister, the guidance of his family, and the history of a dojo built on excellence.

He is proof that legacy isn’t inherited — it’s earned.

And just like his sister before him, Will Viola is earning his place one step, one bow, one cartwheel, one match at a time.