PERRY’S APPROACH THE SAME

Table tennis are set to benefit from the UK Sport Elite Coach Programme

PERRY’S APPROACH THE SAME

Alex Perry is approaching his coaching career in Table Tennis with exactly the same mentality that served him well during a distinguished playing career after being named on the UK Sport Elite Coach programme.

“I always wanted to be the very best I could be as a player and now I want exactly the same as a coach” the four time commonwealth gold medalist told eis2win.co.uk.

Perry, an English Table Tennis Association (ETTA) level 3 coach who can add a degree in Management Studies to his impressive CV, has embarked on the three year programme run by UK Sport designed to accelerate the development of the nation’s most exciting coaching prospects after being put forward by his sport.

“The ETTA were able to put one name forward and they were good enough to nominate me” says Perry, who is already coaching full time with the national squad.

After making the short list he was invited to an assessment day at Lords Cricket Ground in London.

“It was a pretty intense day” he recalls. “We were given a number of challenges and decision making exercises and were involved in various meetings which tested our communication, media, conflict resolution and management skills amongst other things” he says.

The performance of each candidate was observed throughout by independent consultants as part of a rigorous and objective selection process by UK Sport.

“We started at 8am and didn’t finish until about 7pm so it was an exhausting day” he says.

But, as it turns out, a very productive one as Perry was selected along with six other coaches to join the programme, which is now in its fourth year.

The elite coaches will spend three years following a tailored individual programme which will include four residential courses a year, mentoring support and the chance to observe and learn from some of the best practitioners in the world.

“It’s a cutting edge programme that can really help my development to become one of the top coaches in the sport, which is what I want to be” says Perry.

Table Tennis has access to a number of services from the English Institute of Sport (EIS), support which Perry values highly.

“Given the tiny margins involved at the highest level in Table Tennis, the expert support that the EIS give our programmes through tailored Strength and Conditioning, Performance Analysis and Physiotherapy input is crucial” he says.

by James Skitt

02.01.08

Photography © Getty Images