Kyo Sa Jan Correlje - Young At Heart

Photos and biographical information provided
by Master John Correlje - 5th Dan
 

Kyo Sa Jan Correlje was born in 1935 in Malang, the Dutch Indies (Indonesia). At the age of 11, after many years of war, he and his family migrated to Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Throughout his life, Jan has always been involved with sports, having started with football (soccer) when he was in Holland.

At age 14 he took up boxing under "van Ieperen" in Rotterdam, "Joost van der Tak" in Gouda and later with Herman van 't Hof, also in Rotterdam. He boxed for 15 years. During that time he also trained in Judo and Jiu Jitsu. While in the army he and a couple of other guys started the Judo Club there so they could train together.

After leaving military service he and his family moved to Cooksville, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. He continued training in Judo and Jiu Jitsu at the Hatashita Judo Club, Oakville, for two years. Two and a half years later he and his family left Canada to return to Holland. Not one to stay idle he started playing football again.

In 1974, his son John began training in Tae Kwon Do Moo Duk Kwan and received his Black Belt after 4 1/2 years. This inspired Jan to also start training in Tae Kwon Do. This lasted about six months because the organization decided to return to their roots in Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan. His teacher at that time was Kyo Sa Nim Karel Melger, a student of Kwan Jang Nim Theo Salm.

Around 1978, Sa Bum Nim Peter Salm, Kwan Jang Nim Salm's son, was teaching Tang Soo Do in Schoonhoven, and Jan, 43 at the time, began training again. In 2004, at the age 70 he was awarded his 3rd Dan. His son John, now the Head Instructor at Do Jang Chon Kyong since 1984, is a 5th Dan.

In March of this year (2012) and at the respectable age of 76 1/2, Jan will be training in Tang Soo Do for 33 years. During that time he has not lost his passion for the Art and continues to teach three days a week, just as he was taught 33 years ago. He enjoys sharing his Martial Arts experience with the youth of all ages. As he says, "Training in Tang Soo Do keeps you young at heart and keeps you lean even when you get older."

Kyo Sa Correlje continues to surprise and inspire students with his fitness and self-defense skills.

 

 

Kyo Sa Correlje is affiliated with the All Tangsoodo Organization, The Netherlands and the United Tang Soo Do Congress under Kwan Jang Nim Richard Byrne, U.S.