Bratich karate clan welcome third generation

Karate master Branco Bratich had no trouble coaching his daughter Jessica Bratich Johnson to international success but it’s a very different story with his three-year-old granddaughter Rubika.

“She has far too much control over me,” he joked to AAA Weekend.

Johnsons welcome new baby

“I brought up my kids the right way but as granddad I don’t have to be the fun sheriff any more. I’m just the nice guy.”

Branco, 65, will realise a lifelong dream when he officially opens the permanent home for his karate school "dojo", Yoseikan-Ryu Karate in Malaga tonight.

“Jessie says she’s proud of me and my wife (Nives Bratich) says I’m nuts,” he laughed.

“I‘ve got students who have been with me for 35 years and more. They put a lot of pressure on me, because I was umming and ahhing over whether to stay comfortable, or do this.

"Nives asks ‘Aren’t you ready to wind down’ and I say ‘Do I look like I’m ready to wind down?’”

Karate champion-turned-handbag-designer Bratich Johnson, who is married to cricketer Mitchell Johnson, said it was “incredibly special” that three generations of her family shared a love for karate.

“I didn’t expect it but I was a bit emotional when Rubika put on her gi (uniform) for the tiny tots class,” she admitted.

“She gets her competitive side from both Mitch and I, but she definitely has my full-on, active personality — which is kind of scary.

“As a woman, karate makes me feel strong. I want her to have that confidence and feel she can stand up for herself.”

Bratich said his close bond with Rubika and four-month-old grandson Leo brought him “complete joy”.

“When I first held her I felt complete. It was like a big circle for me,” he said.

“I can’t explain to people how much I love that child. She is right under my skin, completely.”

The dojo is decorated with framed photos of past students, including Bratich’s daughter, and posters from trips he took with national teams over the years.

“That’s my life hanging on these walls,” he said.

“I like things that last. That’s why I’ve been with the same woman for 45 years.

"The most important thing to me as a coach is giving people faith. People are looking for consistency, someone to look up to and someone to respect.”