Shocking news.
Many including myself felt Keiji would live forever.
One of Ellie Black’s coaches. A class gentleman beloved by all who worked with him. And one of my first mentor coaches.
Keiji will be missed.
Coach Keiji Yamanaka R.I.P.
Published by
Gymnastics Coaching.com 
The most humble man I’ve ever met! Disliked competitions but loved coaching training!! He will be missed!
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Link to Keiji’s Celebration of Life livestream. Tonight (April 12), starts 7 pm Atlantic time –
https://www.aotv.ca/en/c/celebration-of-life-keiji-yamanaka.1769
Password: Coach_Yamanaka
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I’m not sure why and after all these, almost fifty years, I remembered and searched the name Keiji Yamanaka and learned of his passing. Keiji was a co-renter in a basement of a house, in the late 1970ties. He used to coach gymnastics at the Memorial Centre, in Red Deer, Alberta, where I also trained. He surprised me, when first saw him smoking cigarettes. I couldn’t help but try to get him to kick the habit, since I had given up smoking a year earlier. Hopefully, he succeeded eventually. It didn’t seem to affect his gymnastic abilities noticeably. I can still see him in his room tying his own fly fishing flies. Everyone, kids, parents including myself held him in high regard. He knew how to coach and spot you to keep you from getting injured. Sometimes you meet someone and right away sense their humble, virtuous character, Keiji was such a man. The FB comments confirm, that he was loved by and inspired many. He obviously left an impression in my mind also. Unfortunately, my memory of him popped up too late, to try to say hello. Still glad it did, besides prayers have no boundaries.
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Thanks for your good memories. I was a gymnast at Altadore in those days. And recall well being coached by Keiji at camps. A great coach.
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