Kelly Manjak - Olympic Gold Medalist Coach 2004
Kelly grew up in Cranbrook. Kelly coached Kyle Shewfelt to a storybook Olympic Gold Medal on Floor Exercise in Athens in 2004 and — just a week later — had a baby boy with his wife Susan, their first child. The happy parents, both coaches, had agreed that Kelly would stay in Athens through the Olympics even if the baby arrived early. Now that is dedication!
Kelly was recipient of the Jack Donohue “Coach of the Year” Award & honoured with the Petro-Canada Coaching Excellence Award. Kelly coached Kyle Shewfelt since the beginning (1988 or so). As Men’s Head Coach of the Altadore Gym Club, Kelly was a philosophical coach concerned more with the process of training than results in competition. He appreciates hard work. He enjoys watching kids make progress.
Kelly is a planner and a goal-setter. He seeks to provide a quality program for all levels of gymnasts. In this environment Kyle Shewfelt grew to become one of the best tumblers and vaulters in the world. Kelly Manjak was awarded the prestigious CAC (Coaching Association of Canada) Coaching Excellence Award in 2003. The only other gymnastics coach to have won this honour was Masaaki Naosaki in 1988. Nao was the coach of Curtis Hibbert.
This award recognizes coaches whose athletes have won medals at the World Championships, Special Olympics World Games, Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.