“Missing my incredible coach and friend, Matsuda, who guided me since I was 18.” These were the heartfelt words of three-time Olympic medalist Randy Williams as he mourned the loss of his mentor and dear friend, the legendary coach Ken Matsuda. While the nation celebrated its triumphs on the world stage in Tokyo, Matsuda was quietly fighting his own battle with age behind closed doors. On September 15, at 90 years of age, he took his final breath, leaving memories and a legacy etched forever in the heart of athletics.

For nearly two decades, the Japanese-American was quite the heartbeat of USC track and field. Working alongside his head coach, the legendary Vern Wolfe, Matsuda stood out to everyone with his eye for detail and deep understanding of conditioning. It helped to push the Troj

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