Chief Instructor / President

JKA the Netherlands

 

Shihan Jan G. Knobel

8.Dan WJKA

President / Co-Founder  WJKA

     Amongst countless students sensei Knobel educated numerous well known Dutch instructors

     such as:

     * Jan Knobel jr. - Karate dojo Umo Jan Knobel

     * Gerrie van Tilburg - Karate do Ac. Itosu

     * Otto & Coen Bakker & Eugene van Meel - Karate dojo Tamashii

     * Richard Pluijgers & Ad Filius - Karate dojo JKA Zeeland

     * Robin Huijer & Parastu Zahib - Karate dojo Archida

     * Conny Voermans, Kees Langenberg, Martin Michels & Ed Koevoets - Karate dojo San

     * Murat Atesyurek - Karate dojo Atesyurek

Autobiography Sensei Jan Knobel - 8th dan

     Born May 30th 1950, married and father of 3 sons. Went working on a cruise ship when he was 18 and visited

     many times the USA, what he still finds his favorite country. This resulted in a 3-week motorcycle trip at the

     West coast during his 25th wedding anniversary.

     After his sailing period and after getting married to his wife Hanny, he went searching for something to do

     during the evening times. After seeing him play soccer, his father, former soccer coach of Ajax Amsterdam 

     and the Dutch National Soccer team, advised him to hang his shoes to the tree because to his opinion: "He

     could not crash an egg with his feet". So he did and he went to practice karate.
     His first foreign teacher was sensei Miyazaki and his assistant Sawada. They made such a big impression on

     him that Jan committed himself fully to Karate. It started for him as a hobby and became a lifestyle and his

     living. After a period of teaching karate at a local sports school, Jan started his own dojo in 1983. The dojo was

     and still is called UMO, meaning feather.

     This crest was a description of Jan's character and lifestyle, done by his former Japanese teacher sensei

     Miyazaki, who has passed away. He thought the feather in the air is swift and uncontrolled, attached to an

     arrow the feather directs and controls the arrow. This he thought Jan's character was, happy and fun but

     straight to the point and honest. Jan himself thought this a great honor sensei Miyazaki described him this

     way.
     Jan practiced karate in those early days with sensei’s as Nakayama, Kase, Enoeda, Shirai, Ochi, Asai, Yahara,

     Abe.  Sensei Abe he met in 1985 during his first visit to Japan. He practiced with sensei Abe during the Gaijin

     class for several weeks. At that time entering the JKA instructors class or training with the JKA Instructors

     class was impossible.
     In the early days Jan had a lot of success during competitions. Several times Dutch champion, individual and

     team. Especially in his specialty Kata . In 1993 he transferred from the National Organization to his old love

     the JKA. He was sick and tired of politics and only wanted to practice and enjoy karate his way. Also the

     national organization was an all style organization and being so left a little room for traditional Karate. So he

     went to the JKA Asai fraction and stayed there until the last split. During his stay with sensei Asai he met

     sensei Amos and since then always stayed in contact with him. Jan developed his Karate under Asai sensei

     and became more exited. He still wanted to compete and he became European champion, 2nd in

     Johannesburg during the World Championships 1993 and World champion in Greece 1996. This, in his eyes

     completed his Karate and he devoted himself to coaching his sons and the rest of his team. Until now the

     successes are hardly to count, several European champions, high scores during World championships, several

     1st - 2nd and 3rd places. Being independent, after the Asai split, Jan and his team competed with all kinds of

     organizations. He thought of himself as a Ronin, a samurai without a master. He kept contact with all those

     organizations and finally founded the WJKA, a traditional organization which was and still is in Jan’s blood.

 

     Nowadays Jan shares his time between his dojo and courses he is giving throughout Europe.

     He is a well seen instructor in the Balkan countries and due to his efforts these Karateka’s are now able to

     travel throughout Europe to compete in several competitions.

     Although he is a very busy man Jan still finds some time for his hobbies: speed cycling with his 86 year old

     father who still has a perfect condition. During these daily trips they share their knowledge about their sport

     and Jan uses this knowledge to develop his Karate. Jan likes to workout alone in his dojo and likes driving

     through the country on his motorbike with his wife Hanny.
     At the moment Jan is training for his 9th dan. He is president of JKA the Netherlands, president/ co-founder of

     the WJKA, general secretary / technical committee of the SKDUN, technical director of the Balkan countries

     and technical advisor of the WTKO.

     It is possible to invite our Chief Instructor sensei Jan Knobel for giving a course in your club,

     dojo or country.

     For invitations in your country please contact 

     * JKA the Netherlands - admin@jkanl.com

     *  WJKA H.Q.  -  admin@wjkahq.com

 

 

Int. Courses with Sensei Jan Knobel 

      2011   

          Course in Halsteren, Netherlands

Course in Nijmegen, Netherlands

Course in Remscheid, Germany

Course in Halsteren, Netherlands

Course in Sandersdorf, Germany

          Course in Apeldoorn, Netherlands

 

       2010    

          Course in Nijmegen, Netherlands

Course in Taranto, Italy.

Course in Halsteren, Netherlands

Course in Obertshausen, Germany

Course in Remscheid, Germany

Course in Jelgava, Latvia

Course in Hagen, Germany

Course in Sandersdorf, Germany

          Course in Eerbeek, Netherlands

 

       2009    

          Course in Taranto, Italy

Course in Nijmegen, Netherlands

Course in Halsteren, Netherlands

Course in Kriel, South Africa

Course in Scottsburg, South Africa

Course in Durban, South Africa

Course in Obertsdorf, Germany

Course in Bad Oldesloe, Germany

          Course in Apeldoorn, Netherlands

Course in Hilden, Germany

       2008

          Course in Sandersdorf, Germany

          Course in Romania

          Course in Scottsburg, South Africa

          Course in Jelgava, Latvia

          Course in Bucharest, Romania

 

       2007

          Course in Hilden, Germany

          Course in Bucharest, Romania

 

       2006

          Course in Jelgava, Latvia

          Course in Switzerland

          Sensei Knobel visits Romania

 

       2005

          Course in Secunda, South Africa

          Kata Marathon in Hagen, Germany