For many coaches, the opportunity to coach a player to a grand slam title would be a dream. Jose Perlas has realized that dream twice as coach of Carlos Moya (1998 French Open) and Alberto Costa (2002 French Open). In addition, he led Spain to winning the Davis Cup twice (2000, 2004). On top of all that Perlas has coached a stable of players with very strong alpha personalities. How has he managed to get the best from each? Psychologists call it, EI or emotional intelligence. Each week for the next four weeks, ELITE will publish a Q & A with one of the most successful coaches of our time.
ELITE: If you had to set up a basic curriculum for a young aspiring tennis coach, where would you start?
Perlas: One of the objectives I want to teach the younger coaches who come to me is that we work with human material. And then I try to teach them how to detect the level of the player we are working with. Their strengths and weaknesses. And to know what are the next steps. Try to not break the chain of development, depending on the players age or level. And this would be the main thing.
