Dave Jonkers
Dave Jonkers, born 1955 in Holland and as a profession Gym owner and sports teacher.
Started at age of 12 with Judo and at the age of 14 with Kyokushin Karate in te city of Groningen in the Northern part of Holland. Later he was a student of Jon Bluming and followed a study on sport academy in Holland. Was from his 14th till his 24rd active in competition in both Budo disciplines and fought in Germany, Swiss, Algeria, Spain, Denmark. Worked as a partner of Isao Okano during several seminars in Europe.
Started his Gym at the age of 21 and from 1988 developed together with David Cook an karate style Ashihara International, an off shoot of Japanese Ashihara Karate.
Founded several international Budo organisations like Ashihara International and the International BudoKaikan together with Bluming and Cook.
Next to organizing these organisations he had a full job in teaching his students in Judo and Karate. Many champions has been delivered by Dave Jonkers Gym.
Beginning 1991 started with the young Sem Schilt the basic for success in Karate, MMA and Kickboxing.
Sem won in the middle of the 90Õs several karate tournaments and started with exposure to Japan with two world titles in DaiDoJuku (1997/1998).
From that moment more of Dave Jonkers his students where involved in karate MMA and kickboxing successes. Stephen Tapilatu is a sample of one of them. This former Taekwondo world champion started MMA and was successful in several championships and even was vice world champion heavyweight DaiDoJuku held in 2001.
Nowadays he is, next to managing his Gym, concentrating on Sem and his K1 carreer.
