If the coach inspires trust and commands respect enough to raise a player’s game or take it to a plane even the player himself thinks he is not capable of reaching, he has done his job.
When I met Rod Laver many years ago, I was curious about (among other things) the legendary Davis Cup coach Harry Hopman. Australia won the title 15 times in the 1950s and 60s, with Hopman as coach. What made him special?
The two-time Grand Slam winner’s response has always stayed with me. “Hopman showed us how to be the fittest,” said Laver. “Fitness meant more than strategy in a tight match. That was his strength, ensuring we were physically at our peak. So when he sat courtside and kept saying ‘hit for the lines’, it seemed he was a genius.”
This story is from the January 26, 2019 edition of Sportstar.
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This story is from the January 26, 2019 edition of Sportstar.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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