Branco Bratich Is the Chief Instructor for Yoseikan Ryu Karate Australia
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Branco Bratich has been His introduction to karate started had to make sure that his first two described as a controversial and in 1973 at Jujutsu Kan, Perth. black belts proved beyond any arrogant person, but also an It was more of a social interest doubt that they were worthy. In honest friend, brilliant motivator than any serious commitment to his mind the only way to do that and a dominant force within the the martial arts. His initial interest was to make his first Australian Australian Karate Federation. Love was karate closely followed by black belts better than the others. or hate the person we jujutsu. He found the training acknowledge the fact that he has enjoyable but not physically With this in mind Sensei Unno produced some outstanding demanding. In later years Branco graded Branco and Steven Weir karate-ka and he has built realised that the jujutsu training over a full week. It required Yoseikan-Ryu Karate into an made it easier for him to superb kata, perfect basics and too Australia wide organization. understand and appreciate the many fights to remember. Injury “bunkai” of kata. was not considered an excuse to Branco knew early in the history stop fighting. Branco of his organization that it is not After two years training, Jan de remembered getting his finger just enough to be a technically Jong, founder of Jujutsu Kan, dislocated twice in the same fight. good karate instructor. You must approached Branco about The fight was stopped just long also be a leader amongst others, a teaching karate and Branco enough to stick it back in the communicator and a friend and a accepted becoming increasingly socket. very efficient administrator. These aware of his great enjoyment of qualities engender respect in the teaching karate even though he Sensei Unno had also promised people whom you come into felt his knowledge was limited. all the students that he would contact with and form a solid basis present his personal black belt to for the future. Leadership does not In 1974 Jan de Jong invited the most deserving student. This come easy. Sensei Yoshiaki Unno to Perth goal more than any other drove from the Yoseikan-Budo Hombu Branco to train hard. It was not Branco did not start studying dojo in Japan. uncommon for Branco to do 1500 karate to learn self-defence or Thirty Jujutsu Kan instructors and kicks in a single training session. become tougher. His introduction senior students were invited to his Looking back we all realise that to martial arts was by accident. At first karate training session. At the quality rather than quantity is the 22 years of age a friend of end of six weeks only five key training issue. Branco’s wanted to study martial participants were left. Branco was arts. one of them. He easily adapted to The hard training was more about the repetitious hard training. mental strength. Branco Branco’s interest was casual only constantly drove himself to the he did not realise at the time how Many students quit finding that limit of his endurance, determined completely it would dominate his they were unable to meet the to prove to Unno Sensei that he life. training demands of deserved the coveted black belt. Sensei Unno. In particular he He must have impressed Unno stated that none of them could Sensei because he was presented punch properly, Sensei Unno with his black belt after his insisted that his students punch successful 1st Dan grading. until they got it right. A simple solution. It was in the latter part of 1976 that Sensei Unno opened his own Sensei Unno taught six days a Yoseikan Budo dojo in William week for Jan de Jong. Wherever St Perth. It was a small dojo. The Sensei Unno taught, Branco was training was still rigorous. It was there to assist and learn. It was surprising that any student would under Unno Sensei that Branco let them self be subjected to the first studied kobudo and aikido and brutal kumite training that was dabbled in judo. done in those days. However they did! Tony Smith survived the Branco passed his 1st Dan in tough training and is currently a karate March 1976. Sensei 5th Dan with Yoseikan-Ryu Karate. Unno felt that to gain credibility Perhaps Yoseikan students were for the newly introduced style he not technically the best in those days. They did have courage and National Championship. There was Instructor of Shobukan. To this perseverance. only one division, the open day Branco rates this as the most division. In those days the coaches violent tournament he has ever Branco taught and trained at the could dispute every decision the entered. Competitors were not new dojo six days a week from referee made and they often did. safety conscious in those days. 1975 to 1978. He also held a full It was a spectator’s nightmare. It Generally mouth guards were time job. On reflection it is was surprising that this did not put considered a sign of weakness. amazing that Branco’s wife, Nives, Branco off tournaments for life. Losing teeth was not uncommon. stayed with him. Competitors lost teeth, were In 1977 when he was twenty- knocked unconscious or ended up It was also in 1975 when he went eight years old Branco entered his needing stitches. It was also in as a spectator to his first first tournament at the invitation of 1977 that Branco was graded to Australian Karate Federation Sensei Kyoshin Kayo, Chief 2nd Dan. In May 1978 Branco opened his Branco’s first nights training at students liked and respected the first dojo in Girrawheen a state Girrawheen attracted two adults teacher they would try much housing suburb in Perth. Many and six children and the club harder and they would therefore families in this area had only one remained small for several years. enjoy coming to karate. Each parent. It was at this time that It was during this period that training session should be a Branco decided that he would Branco discovered he had a flare positive experience. After all, how develop Yoseikan-Ryu Karate for teaching children. In fact even many adults would continue doing into an organization based on to this day it is obvious to all that karate if they didn’t enjoy it? Time loyalty, respect and trust. He also Branco enjoys teaching kids has proven that Branco’s realised that if he was going to probably as much as the kids teaching philosophy is correct. achieve what he wanted he would enjoy Branco’s teaching. In have to lead by example. He those day’s karate was supposed It was 1978 when Unno Sensei believed that respect has to be to be very strict in line with affiliated Yoseikan Budo to the earned and felt that some of the Japanese culture. Branco AKF. Shortly after Branco schools of the time appeared to however, never really adapted to became involved in the be caught up in the prestige of this type of training and administration of the WA AKF the instructor rather than showing consciously decided to develop his when he was elected the State genuine concern for the welfare of own style of teaching. He did not Secretary. A position he held for the student. That or just making like the concept of everyone being eleven years. He was elected Vice money! The student was expected regimented. He asked himself President in 1989 when Eric Ho to respect the instructor even if “How can the student learn how was elected president and still they did not deserve it. What he to relax if they are trained to be holds this position today. 1978 had read in karate books about rigid?” was also the year that Adam the philosophy of karate was not Camuglia and Tony Smith always practised in real life. In his “dojo” Branco motivated joined. Adam has risen to the children by fusing enjoyment and rank of 3rd Dan. He also is a discipline. He believed that if the State Kumite Coach for the WA AKF. Tony Smith is Yoseikan- to give up easily Branco won 3rd Ryu’s most experienced instructor Branco’s own luck changed in place in the open. It was also at and Branco’s second in charge. 1982 when he won the state and this tournament that Heather He is currently a 5th Dan and a national heavyweight divisions, his Healy (Cumming), who is still World Karate Federation first significant first step in his training with Branco today, won Referee. personal development. This win the middleweight division. This typified Branco’s belief that you was Australia’s first female Branco’s “dojo” grew steadily have to believe in yourself before Asian Pacific Championship. and by the early eighties the could you can inspire other people Branco recognised in Heather Girrawheen club had five to do the same. the indomitable quality of a simultaneous classes with over warrior. She was losing 4-1 in the 150 students. Branco’s view of competition was final against a Japanese at variance with many others. opponent. She came back to win. However, Branco’s personal Most traditionalists only viewed competitive career did not appear tournaments on a superficial level It was also in 1983 that Branco to be going anywhere. Each and did not see the more subtle made his first visit to the tournament he entered he lost the benefits. “Tournaments can be Yoseikan-Budo Hombu dojo in first fight. In those days used to develop good character Japan.