Matthew Cugola and Jan de Jong
Jan de Jong's History
1928 - Commenced training Tsutsumi Hozan ryu Ju Jutsu under S. Saito (8th Dan) in Semarang on the island of Java, Indonesia. Jan de Jong and his father, also a black belt in the system, were two of the very few non-Japanese to be taught by Saito.
1939 - Graded 3rd Dan, the highest technical grading in Tsutsumi Hozan ryu Ju Jutsu.
1940 - Travelled to the Netherlands to further his education. The outbreak of World War II interrupted these plans and cut off financial support from his family. In order to support himself he commenced teaching Ju Jutsu in Rotterdam. For the duration of the war he was a member of the Dutch resistance.
1946 - Returned to Indonesia and commenced working for the Royal Netherlands Indies Army and then the Indonesian army as a physiotherapist. Accepted into the aliran (Indonesian for system or style) to learn pencak silat from Soehadi
1951 - Graded 6th Degree Black Belt in pencak silat.
1952 - Emigrated to Perth, Western Australia.
1969 - Travelled to Japan and trained in many martial arts schools, including that of Minoru Mochizuki in Shizuoka near Mt Fuji, where he graded 1st Dan in Yoseikan aikido and Shotokan karate.
1978 - Accepted the position of Australasian representative for the World Ju Jutsu Federation.
1979 - Accepted the position of Chief Instructor and Adviser to the Australian Special Air Service Regiment (SAS).
1980 - Promoted to 4th Dan in Ju Jutsu.
1982 - Promoted to 6th Dan in Ju Jutsu. Conducted first teaching tour of Europe which subsequently evolved into an annual occurrence.
1985 - Accepted the position of Australian representative for the International Pencak Silat Federation.
1987 - Accepted the position of President and National Coach for the Australian Ju Jutsu Association.
1989 - Promoted to 8th Dan in Ju Jutsu.
1990 - Awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) by the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia for services to the martial arts.
1991 - Accepted the position of Vice President of the World Ju Jutsu Federation. Celebrated his fiftieth year anniversary of teaching Ju Jutsu professionally.
1996 - Promoted to 9th Dan in Ju Jutsu.
Jan de Jong Shihan continued to teach and also to refine and improve technical and teaching aspects of his martial arts up to the last three weeks of his life, which ended at the age of 82 in April 2003.
Jan de Jong's Self Defence School
Often the ties formed with Jan de Jong and his School are very strong and longlasting. Many people who have experienced Jan de Jong's martial arts encourage their children and grandchildren to do likewise. Some current students in Perth represent the third generation of families involved with the School. Whilst giving a seminar in Holland in 1994, Jan de Jong was approached by two gentlemen. He immediately recognised them as former students from his Rotterdam School. They confirmed this by proudly presenting their original membership cards which they had kept for over 50 years. Two years later he was again approached by two former members, one of whom was Piet Hesselink. They had lost contact when Jan de Jong emigrated to Indonesia in 1946. Piet Hesselink is still teaching Ju Jutsu in Holland.
History of Jan de Jong's Self Defence School
1941 - Jan de Jong opened his first School in Rotterdam, Holland.
1944 - The Rotterdam School closed due to the demands of World War II.
1945 - The Rotterdam School re-opened and was subsequently passed on to Piet Hesselink when Jan de Jong returned to Indonesia.
1946 - Jan de Jong taught in Jakarta and Semarang, Indonesia.
1952 - First School opened in Perth, Western Australia, located in Charles Street, North Perth. Later the same year the School relocated to Mint Street, Victoria Park.
1954 - School relocated to Jan de Jong's residence in Edgehill Street, Scarborough.
1955 - School relocated to the Swan River Rowing Club, Riverside Drive, Perth. Attending the first class were ten students interested in learning Ju Jutsu. Jan de Jong demonstrated a bridgefall and put both his feet through the floorboards into the river. The next lesson he had three students. One of these students suggested that using mats may encourage more people to take up Ju Jutsu, so they made some mats by hand as they couldn't be purchased at that time. The School was named "Ju Jutsu Kan Perth."
1960 - School relocated to 870 Hay Street, Perth – the first known full-time martial arts School in Australia.
1963 - School relocated to 996 Hay Street, Perth.
1965 - First branch opened in Kelmscott. Since then the School has operated many branches throughout the Perth metropolitan area and at times in some country locations.
1968 - Classes in Aikido and Pencak Silat were offered to the public for the first time. Phillipe Boiron, trained by Minoru Mochizuki, taught aikido. Jan de Jong had been teaching Pencak Silat to higher graded Ju Jutsu students since 1955.
1975 - The name of the School changed to "Jan de Jong's Self Defence School."
2002 - The School celebrated its 50th anniversary since opening in Perth in 1952. At the celebrations, Jan de Jong Shihan was pleased to present to the instructors and students the new name of the School, "Jan de Jong Martial Arts Fitness" and the new logo, which he felt represented the direction of the School.
2003 - In March Jan de Jong Shihan asked his daughter Maggie de Jong to take over the role of principal of the School.
In September the School relocated to more central and modern premises at 'the Atrium' 168 St George's Tce, in Perth.
Maggie de Jong Sensei and Paul Connolly Sensei, together with Margaret de Jong, continued the running of the School at the city location and at the Melville Branch, with Daryl Cook Sensei taking charge of Melville classes. The School's branches in the northern suburbs were handed over to Hans de Jong Sensei.
Matthew Cugola and Jan de Jong
Jan de Jong's History
1928 - Commenced training Tsutsumi Hozan ryu Ju Jutsu under S. Saito (8th Dan) in Semarang on the island of Java, Indonesia. Jan de Jong and his father, also a black belt in the system, were two of the very few non-Japanese to be taught by Saito.
1939 - Graded 3rd Dan, the highest technical grading in Tsutsumi Hozan ryu Ju Jutsu.
1940 - Travelled to the Netherlands to further his education. The outbreak of World War II interrupted these plans and cut off financial support from his family. In order to support himself he commenced teaching Ju Jutsu in Rotterdam. For the duration of the war he was a member of the Dutch resistance.
1946 - Returned to Indonesia and commenced working for the Royal Netherlands Indies Army and then the Indonesian army as a physiotherapist. Accepted into the aliran (Indonesian for system or style) to learn pencak silat from Soehadi
1951 - Graded 6th Degree Black Belt in pencak silat.
1952 - Emigrated to Perth, Western Australia.
1969 - Travelled to Japan and trained in many martial arts schools, including that of Minoru Mochizuki in Shizuoka near Mt Fuji, where he graded 1st Dan in Yoseikan aikido and Shotokan karate.
1978 - Accepted the position of Australasian representative for the World Ju Jutsu Federation.
1979 - Accepted the position of Chief Instructor and Adviser to the Australian Special Air Service Regiment (SAS).
1980 - Promoted to 4th Dan in Ju Jutsu.
1982 - Promoted to 6th Dan in Ju Jutsu. Conducted first teaching tour of Europe which subsequently evolved into an annual occurrence.
1985 - Accepted the position of Australian representative for the International Pencak Silat Federation.
1987 - Accepted the position of President and National Coach for the Australian Ju Jutsu Association.
1989 - Promoted to 8th Dan in Ju Jutsu.
1990 - Awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) by the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia for services to the martial arts.
1991 - Accepted the position of Vice President of the World Ju Jutsu Federation. Celebrated his fiftieth year anniversary of teaching Ju Jutsu professionally.
1996 - Promoted to 9th Dan in Ju Jutsu.
Jan de Jong Shihan continued to teach and also to refine and improve technical and teaching aspects of his martial arts up to the last three weeks of his life, which ended at the age of 82 in April 2003.
Jan de Jong's Self Defence School
Often the ties formed with Jan de Jong and his School are very strong and longlasting. Many people who have experienced Jan de Jong's martial arts encourage their children and grandchildren to do likewise. Some current students in Perth represent the third generation of families involved with the School. Whilst giving a seminar in Holland in 1994, Jan de Jong was approached by two gentlemen. He immediately recognised them as former students from his Rotterdam School. They confirmed this by proudly presenting their original membership cards which they had kept for over 50 years. Two years later he was again approached by two former members, one of whom was Piet Hesselink. They had lost contact when Jan de Jong emigrated to Indonesia in 1946. Piet Hesselink is still teaching Ju Jutsu in Holland.
History of Jan de Jong's Self Defence School
1941 - Jan de Jong opened his first School in Rotterdam, Holland.
1944 - The Rotterdam School closed due to the demands of World War II.
1945 - The Rotterdam School re-opened and was subsequently passed on to Piet Hesselink when Jan de Jong returned to Indonesia.
1946 - Jan de Jong taught in Jakarta and Semarang, Indonesia.
1952 - First School opened in Perth, Western Australia, located in Charles Street, North Perth. Later the same year the School relocated to Mint Street, Victoria Park.
1954 - School relocated to Jan de Jong's residence in Edgehill Street, Scarborough.
1955 - School relocated to the Swan River Rowing Club, Riverside Drive, Perth. Attending the first class were ten students interested in learning Ju Jutsu. Jan de Jong demonstrated a bridgefall and put both his feet through the floorboards into the river. The next lesson he had three students. One of these students suggested that using mats may encourage more people to take up Ju Jutsu, so they made some mats by hand as they couldn't be purchased at that time. The School was named "Ju Jutsu Kan Perth."
1960 - School relocated to 870 Hay Street, Perth – the first known full-time martial arts School in Australia.
1963 - School relocated to 996 Hay Street, Perth.
1965 - First branch opened in Kelmscott. Since then the School has operated many branches throughout the Perth metropolitan area and at times in some country locations.
1968 - Classes in Aikido and Pencak Silat were offered to the public for the first time. Phillipe Boiron, trained by Minoru Mochizuki, taught aikido. Jan de Jong had been teaching Pencak Silat to higher graded Ju Jutsu students since 1955.
1975 - The name of the School changed to "Jan de Jong's Self Defence School."
2002 - The School celebrated its 50th anniversary since opening in Perth in 1952. At the celebrations, Jan de Jong Shihan was pleased to present to the instructors and students the new name of the School, "Jan de Jong Martial Arts Fitness" and the new logo, which he felt represented the direction of the School.
2003 - In March Jan de Jong Shihan asked his daughter Maggie de Jong to take over the role of principal of the School.
In September the School relocated to more central and modern premises at 'the Atrium' 168 St George's Tce, in Perth.
Maggie de Jong Sensei and Paul Connolly Sensei, together with Margaret de Jong, continued the running of the School at the city location and at the Melville Branch, with Daryl Cook Sensei taking charge of Melville classes. The School's branches in the northern suburbs were handed over to Hans de Jong Sensei.