Shihan Rob Graham of Wolumla is a recipient of the Bega Valley Shire Community Service Medallion for 2015.
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He has dedicated a lifetime to karate and his students.
After losing a leg is a motorcycle accident at the age of 18 he refused to see his disability as a limiting factor in his life as he learnt, competed in, excelled at and then taught karate to beginners through to champions.
Mr Graham began teaching in 1996 and over the years his students have placed in the National All Styles, the Australian Karate Federation National and State competitions.
He has had two students in the NSW State teams and girls and boys train in the Nationals All Styles and become champions in that.
His family-friendly approach means that in many instances he has trained multiple members of one family.
As a founding member of Kokoro Kai Goju Australia, his style of karate teaches those with difficult circumstances, intellectual and physical disabilities as well as ethnic and indigenous backgrounds that “karate is not just a sport, it’s a way of life”.
In 2010, he formed KKGA with Shihans Allan Guymer and Peter Jackson, seeking to emphasise the human and moral as well as the physical side of karate, promoting fairness, openness and equality.
Kokora is Japanese for heart, soul and spirit.
In 2014, he completed his level two coaching course, already having held level one with the National Coaches Accreditation Scheme, including the study of sports science, physiology and advanced training concepts.
Shihan Rob has now been awarded the rank of 5th Dan, master instructor, which is equivalent to a Masters degree.