Kyo Sa Jan Correlje - Young At Heart
Photos and biographical
information provided
by Master John Correlje - 5th Dan
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Jan Correlje
in the ring |
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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.