FIVB President Jizhong Wei said Yasutaka Matsudaira’s decoration as the FIVB 20th Century Men’s Best Coach Award winner was absolutely merited
Involved with volleyball for most of his life, Mr Matsudaira played for Japan from 1954 to 1960, helping them clinch gold at the 1958 Asian Games. After retiring he went on to coach, sealing bronze at the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games, silver at the 1968 Mexico Olympic Games before clinching gold at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. He later became head of the Japan Volleyball Association.
Japan Volleyball Association President Taizaburo Nakano related Matsudaira’s final words: “I am very happy that I lived for volleyball. I did everything that I wanted to do, and I have no regrets in my life.”
