ARASHI

History

More than just sports

The founding

V.A.S. Arashi was founded on 23^rd of August 1964. At the time, the University of Twente was called Technische Hogeschool Twente (THT). All students were requested to come to the sports hall. The chief of Sport asked those who practiced football to raise their hand and they became the football association. Similarly, Arashi came into existence. First it was a Judo and Jiu-Jitsu association. Later the other sports joined as well. Together they became the “Vereniging Aziatische Sporten Arashi” or translated to English Asian Sports Association Arashi. Of course the association couldn’t survive without a board, so the first chair was Henk Schoenmaker. Later succeeded by Chris Vissers.

At the time, the sport center existed out of only one room, the current wooden room. Every training the mats had to be placed and removed using flat trolleys. This way other sports could also make use of the room.

Chris Vissers also trained with them, and because the then trainer, mr. Schoonderwille, went away, he went to give training himself. At that time there were 33 members, a large number out of a total of 210 students. Later Mr. Bouter from Almelo giving training at Arashi. In September 1968 Martin Splint joined Arashi, and he has remained and has provided a lot of stability within the association.

The dojo

The Dojo as we know it today is unprecedented luxury. The training location was initially in the wooden hall. After that, the location was at the then construction office on the Reelaan, where garages of employee housing are now located. This was a small narrow room and the mats were slanted against the heating, and it’s a miracle no people flew through the windows. However, they did go through the (rotten) floor. Then the construction shack was divided into two pieces and Arashi got one part of it. This shack stood where there are now parking spaces opposite the old staff pavilion. On the Horstlindelaan. In this shack the roof was rather low, but at least there was enough space in the other two dimensions. This same shack was adapted to our own insights and placed next to the road to the outdoor pool. The last move was to the Dojo as we know it today.

Below is a list of important events that have taken place in Arashi’s 56-year history. To compile this list, use was mainly made of annual reports, denshos and the digital archive of UT news. However, Arashi’s archive is far from complete. It is therefore inevitable that important events are missing from the overview below. We apologize for that. Additions can be reported to the editor.

23 September 1964

V.A.S. Arashi is founded

1968

Martin Splint will become a trainer at V.A.S. Arashi. However, he will only be officially employed by the Sports Center at the end of the season

1976-1982

In this period, John Verstrepen is a very meritorious competition judoka. He won these individual prizes among others :

1st prize East Netherlands 1983 to 85 kilo

1st prize North Holland 1976 to 93 kilo

1st prize NSK 1982

3rd prize NSK 1982 all categories

2nd prize NSK 1976

2nd prize NSK 1976 all categories

3rd prize East Netherlands 1980

John Verstrepen has also represented Arashi several times at the Dutch National Championships. He also managed to make it to the newspaper with other ‘achievements’.

John Verstrepen also obtained his teaching certificate in 1982. Judoka Wim van Ee won the championship in the East region at least once in the period 76 – 82 in the category up to 71 kg.

1987

The NSK Judo individual will be held on March 27 in Enschede. More judokas of Arashi took part in the competition than in other years, but that must be because they were home games. Unfortunately, a few of us didn’t show up in the end. The number of prizes that remained in Enschede was not that great. Wim van Ee managed to achieve a 3rd place, as did Freek Veenstra and Gert Katsburg became champion (the latter are HBO students from Enschede). This small number of places on the podium is partly caused by a number of injuries of some of our good judokas; Albert Haspers stretched out his arm, Edward v.d. Most had a dislocated finger and Marc de Ridder had an annoying shoulder injury. (Densho, June 1987)

1987/1988

The judo team wins the NSK for teams.

On June 4, Hans Tichelaar obtains his black belt JiuJitsu.

1988/1989

In connection with a possible departure of Rudolf, it is proposed to offer him honorary membership. No one objects to it and Rudolf accepts it. Under the motto “you have to do something for it”, Rudolf first has to break a board to receive his certificate of honorary membership. Of course this works and Fokkelien also hands Rudolf a bunch of flowers. Rudolf thanks everyone and tells about his early period at Arashi and about the board work. He promises to uphold the name of the association. (Annual Report 1988/1989)

Jeffrey Huber succeeds Rudolf Wilson as Taekwondo trainer.

1989

On October 21, a lustrum celebration will take place in honor of the 25th anniversary of V.A.S. Arashi. This consisted of a cold buffet, reception and party. The lustrum was also celebrated with a Judo tournament and a Taekwondo tournament. The members were very interested in the celebration of the lustrum. There has been a significant overrun of the budget, but the celebration of the lustrum has contributed to the creation of sociable life within Arashi.

1989/1990

The board proposes that E. van Steijn become an honorary member of the association, because of extraordinary services. For a long time he almost solely kept V.A.S. Arashi running. The proposal is therefore unanimously accepted. Henk congratulates Ed. Ed expresses his thanks and promises to be present at the opening of the anniversary tournament. He proposes that he make a cup available for the lustrum tournament. It is noted that there are already prizes. It is decided to make it a style prize. Henk thanks Ed for the prizes. (Annual Report 1989/1990)

The Densho is being re-established. Jeffrey Hubert and Benno Wolthuis join the team, both as Taekwondo trainers. Club championships are organized for the first time for Judo and Taekwondo.

1993

At the Taekwondo National Championships for teams on January 24, Peter Gröninger, Fokke Nooitgedagt and Vincent Motta take first place in the B-class. However, due to transfer of federation membership, these Arasikas won in name of Schuttersveld.

From January 27, Kung Fu Wushu is the fourth sport that can be practiced at Arashi. The training sessions are led by Fan Wei Kong and are initially attended by about 40 people. Fan Wei Kong is the first trainer to be employed by V.A.S. Arashi. This

means that his wages were paid in full by Arashi and not by the Physical Education and Sports Department.

The NSK Judo will take place on May 1 in Enschede. Patrick Ros will succeed Jeffrey Huber as Taekwondo trainer as of September 1. A Densho Committee is established to support the editor. This results in a completely renewed Densho as of November.

The ARASHI-UT open taekwondo tournament takes place.

1994

The combined Arashi/Schuttersveld teams achieve during the NK Taekwondo in the A and B class a 3rd place.

On March 19 there will be the Martin Splint Judo Tournament in honor of the fact that Martin Splint has been a trainer at Arashi for 25 years.

Arashi member Diederik Metz takes first place in the class up to 86 kg.

To celebrate the lustrum, five martial arts internships have been organized. These were Tai Jitsu, Shaolin Kenpo, Nunchadu do, Kicboxing and Pentchak Silat. There was also a game afternoon. This was followed by sumo wrestling and a rice relay. Dragon fighting, which in concrete terms means climbing around a table without touching the ground, was also on

the program. After this, Korean and Japanese food was served in the derrick while enjoying beer and music. All members present were given a Chinese bowl as a souvenir.

Taekwondo trainer Benno Wolthuis says goodbye to Arashi and is succeeded by brothers Roy and Freddy Lufting. However, Roy withdrew from training Arashi after not too long, but Freddy still trains Arashika’s.

1994/1995

Fokke Nooitgedagt achieves the black belt in Taekwondo, Fokke Nooitgedagt ensures Arashi’s name recognition by placing a bet in the Staatsloterij show and winning it. “What is your previous record for kicking planks?” Marc Klein Essink asked Fokke and the answer to that was about 20 (where Fokke got this answer from, nobody knows, but that aside). The bet was to break this record. Fokke managed to kick through 24 (!) roof tiles within a minute. (Annual Report 1994/1995) while starting the white belt with Arashi. This makes Fokke the first Taekwondoka to have achieved this with Arashi.

Kitty Cost wins every Taekwondo competition she enters this year. This was very remarkable as, when she still had the yellow-green belt, she performed to win against people who participate in the Dutch championships. At the G.N.S.K. Arashi’s Judo delegation, consisting of Bart Schuringa, Matthijs Klinker, Gijs Hagen, Remco Sprenkelink and Marjo Lubbers, achieved second place.

After Arashi member Michael de Louwere has provided Kung Fu training for a long time, Guus Krans is hired as Kung Fu trainer.

1995/1996

A promotion committee is set up. The Arashi cup is set up at the initiative of Patrick Ros to encourage Taekwondoka’s to participate in tournaments. Patrick Ros himself becomes the first winner.

Matthijs Klinkert obtains the black belt Judo.

1996

On May 14, Martin Splint is appointed as an honorary member of V.A.S. Arashi. The reason for this is that he has been associated with the association as a trainer for 25 years.

Marc Regelink obtains the black belt Jiu-Jitsu on June 1. He was the first black belt to have fully trained by Martin Splint.

Roy Lufting succeeds Patrick Ros as Taekwondo trainer.

In the fall Freddy Lufting obtains the 4th Dan Taekwondo.

On November 3, Bart Schuringa will participate in the NK Judo in Breda. Schuringa won at the district championships in the class up to 65 kg. a final place.

On December 14, Bas de Kruif is the second black belt Jiu Jitsu, delivered by Martin Splint.

1997

The NSK Judo is organized by Arashi. Within Arashi two judokas manage to win prizes: Nanin Sajogo with the ladies 61- and Gerco te Velde with the men 71-.

1998/1999

The NSK Taekwondo is organized by members of Arashi. First there was the plan to also organize an NSK JiuJitsu, but there were too few registrations for this. Pascal te Morsche and Steven Leussink secure that two gold medals from the B-category remain in Enschede.

Ruben Sharpe takes 4th place at the NK Jiu Jitsu.

1999

The Lustrum party started on Friday 24-9 with an workshops of Nin Jitsu, Bu Jitsu and European martial art. Afterwards there was Chinese food and drinks. Saturday 25-9 a survival tour was organized with a barbecue and a closing party afterwards. Afterwards everyone could get a real Arashi mug.

In December Bouke Lases succeeds for his 1st dan Taekwondo.

2000

Steven
Leussink 2nd then becomes third in the B-category during the NK Taekwondo style. Bouke Lases 1st dan is second in this championship.

Pascal te Morsche gets his 1st Dan Taekwondo. On the same day in June, Peter Oude Veldhuis obtained his 2nd Dan, also in the sport Taekwondo. These Taekwondokas, together with Bouke Lases, form the first batch of black belts from Freddy Lufting at Arashi.

In December, Steven Leussink also passed his 1st Dan Taekwondo.

On December 16, Ruben Sharpe won the 1st Dan Jiu Jitsu.

2002

Taekwondo trainer Freddy Lufting passes his 5th Dan exam. In October.

Judoka Andries Aarden takes first place in the district championships in the category up to 90 kg. This allows him to participate in the National Championships. His wish to compete in this tournament against Sydney Olympic Champion Mark Huizinga has not come true.

Steven Leussink passes his second Dan Taekwondo.

2003

The NSK Judo and Taekwondo are held on June 7 in Enschede.

Judoka Reinier van der Weij passes his second Dan exam on February 1 in Zaandam. From the UT news of 6-2-2003: “He occupies an exceptional position, Reinier van der Weij: after all, there are very few judokas to be found studying in the Netherlands.

7-11-2021

First Taekwondo Style competition after the Covid outbreak. Several arashika’s participated in the competition in Nijverdal. We are proud to let you know that Shamim and Jelmer both secured first place!