6th and last extract from the Great Interview granted to us by Emmanuel Planque, Fiona Ferro’s coach. We end with the job of trainer, what it involves, how we can train, and whether there is also a method for everyone …
If we asked you to define the Hideout method, what would you say?
Far be it from me to have this pretension! One method would be to say that there is a reproducible form of sports education or coaching. In fact, each time a new “construction” begins without the manual. It is up to the trainer to create this manual. So no, no method, but a work ethic. Each player has only one career and I am infinitely aware of that. My responsibility is to have a level of commitment at least equivalent to that of the athlete. I never lost that hyperconsciousness by becoming a national coach. The players I coach are never numbers, never.
The coach learns with his player. But how is it formed? Do you watch a lot of matches? Do you read tennis literature a lot? Do you interact a lot with the other coaches?
There are excellent theoretical training courses in France which constitute a base of knowledge necessary to start coaching. Then, to each trainer, according to his curiosity, his sensitivity, to go dig here and there to enrich himself. For my part, I spend my life watching tennis, past and contemporary. I have been writing down everything I do and everything I see for 25 years. I interact a lot with tennis coaches like Günter Bresnik, José Perlas or Severin Lüthi. In 2014, we were lucky, Lucas and I, to be invited by Roger Federer to Dubai for ten days of training before the tournament. In 2015, Lucas was also able to share Stanislas Wawrinka’s training for a period in Lausanne. Later, Lucas decided to move to Dubai and we had the chance to share three preseason with Roger. After Lucas, Corentin Moutet was in turn able to enjoy a training period with Roger. These experiences and the exchanges with Severin Lüthi and Pierre Paganini have helped to change my vision of training. In any case, they made me think a lot about my job.
If you hadn’t been a coach, what would you have done? And above all, where would you be right now?
Tennis is a big part of my life, even though I’m crazy about music… I don’t think I can separate my existence from this game, so I just think I would be a tennis instructor in a club, spending most of my time. my days playing kids of all conditions and all levels.
Posted on Sunday, December 27, 2020 at 11:09
