Personal coach

The good coach

Good coaching requires one or both parents to have some table tennis expertise or dedicated trainers/personal coaches with the right qualities, knowledge and skills. We believe that a coach who meets the requirements of the 7-Factor Coach Profile explained below, will be an excellent coach. Knowledge of table tennis alone is not enough. Our vision of competence is to focus on a holistic and future-oriented coaching style, characterised by persistence and transparent communication.

One “secret” of success is to do the right thing, at the right time, with the right people, from the very beginning. As a rule, however, the optimal environment for further development does not come to the player on its own, which is why it’s crucial for the player in the ages of 13 – 15 to proactively seek and build the right environment together with their personal coach.

Evelyn Simon

Expert Coach

Evelyn Simon

Expert Coach

Oliver Alke

Expert Coach

Oliver Alke

Expert Coach

For compass coach Evelyn Simon, the key to development does not come solely from table tennis terminology: “Only when there is a trusting player-coach relationship can a player reach her/his full potential.”

For compass coach Oliver Alke, competence also means more than experience: “The most important thing is always people and pedagogy, how to reach each other, how to connect deeper. If you build a good relationship together, incredible things can be created.”

For compass coach Evelyn Simon, the key to development does not come from table tennis terminology: “Only when there is a trusting player-coach relationship can a player reach her/his full potential.”

For compass coach Oliver Alke, competence also means more than experience: “The most important thing is always people and pedagogy, how to reach each other, how to connect deeper. If you build a good relationship together, incredible things can be created.”

The 7-Factor Coach Profile

Due to the ever increasing international level of table tennis, a young player cannot afford to make many mistakes during their career if they want to reach the absolute international top. Competent coaches who understand not only table tennis specific skills, attributes and development opportunities, but also what is going on in the other areas of a young person’s life are therefore becoming increasingly important in a player’s development.

Compass believes that a coach who meets the requirements of the 7 factors described below to a high degree will be an excellent trainer and coach.

1. TT knowledge

a) A coach must be up-to-date in TT, constantly following the technical, tactical, physical development of the best players in the world. But it is equally important to be informed about the level of the world’s best students and youngsters.

b) They must have a clear idea of the optimal individual TT technique for each player and how to move effectively at the table.

c) They must analyse their player, involve them in considerations regarding the development process and have knowledge of how to reach the next development goal and discuss these with the player.

2. Coaching – communication – trust

The coach must:

be competent in communication, interaction and conflict resolution
master the individual, age-related, emotional and social behaviour, which is a particular challenge
contribute to the player’s personality development and help them develop a positive self-image and learn to assess their own abilities.

Trust is the decisive means of positively influencing a player. A mutual relationship of trust is essential for development.

3. Recognizing the actual-target difference

A coach must recognise in players who are still young which technical, tactical and physical characteristics and skills the player should work on in order to improve, as well as which weaknesses may prevent the player from developing further and should therefore be eradicated. The difference between target goals and actual achievement must be mindfully addressed.

4. Persistence – self-reliance – cooperation

In order to reduce the actual-target difference, the coach must give younger players many hints that serve the development of their game. They must work persistently with the player on deviations that would later stand in the way of the player’s development. It is not enough to remind the player of a work task in passing, the coach must ‘keep at it’ and not stop working on the detail to be developed.

At the same time, the trainer must ask the player to think and contribute early on. The older the player gets, the more they should be contributing to their own development processes, learn to organise their daily life and become independent and take responsibility for their growth. They must identify with the improvement and development goals of the set plan, which was worked out collaboratively with their coach.

5. Holistic care

A coach must have empathy and be willing to serve as a parental substitute to some extent. They must know the player well in the areas of table tennis and beyond, in the players’ school and social life and provide advice and support.

6. Enthusiasm

Just as a highly ambitious player should be a 24-hour athlete who plans and organises their daily life with the goal of getting to the top, the personal coach should also have this enthusiasm and willingness to be a 24-hour coach. They should be dedicated to helping the player achieve their goals in the best possible way.

7. Future oriented

A good coach must possess organisational qualities as long, medium and short term planning of training and competitions are essential, as well as the actual execution of plans. The ability to collaborate and obtain top expertise in various fields are also essential, since coaches need to be innovative and ahead of the curve rather than behind it.

1. TT knowledge

a) A coach must be up-to-date in TT, constantly following the technical, tactical, and physical development of the best players in the world. It is equally important to be informed about the level of the world’s best students and youngsters.

b) They must have a clear idea of the optimal individual TT technique for each player and how to move effectively at the table.

c) They must analyse their player, involve them in considerations regarding the development process and have knowledge of how to reach the next development goal and discuss these with the player.

2. Coaching – communication – trust

The coach must:

be competent in communication, interaction and conflict resolution
master the individual, age-related, emotional and social behaviour, which is a particular challenge
contribute to the player’s personality development and help them develop a positive self-image and learn to assess their own abilities.

Trust is the decisive means of positively influencing a player. A mutual relationship of trust is essential for development.

3. Recognizing the actual-target difference

A coach must recognise in players who are still young which technical, tactical and physical characteristics and skills the player should work on in order to improve, as well as which weaknesses may prevent the player from developing further and should therefore be eradicated. The difference between target goals and actual achievement must be mindfully addressed.

4. Persistence – self-reliance – cooperation

In order to reduce the actual-target difference, the coach must give younger players many hints that serve the development of their game. They must work persistently with the player on deviations that would later stand in the way of the player’s development. It is not enough to remind the player of a work task in passing, the coach must ‘keep at it’ and not stop working on the detail to be developed.

At the same time, the trainer must ask the player to think and contribute early on. The older the player gets, the more they should be contributing to their own development processes, learn to organise their daily life and become independent and take responsibility for their growth. They must identify with the improvement and development goals of the set plan, which was worked out collaboratively with their coach.

5. Holistic care

A coach must have empathy and be willing to serve as a parental substitute to some extent. They must know the player well in the areas of table tennis and beyond, in the players’ school and social life and provide advice and support.

6. Enthusiasm

Just as a highly ambitious player should be a 24-hour athlete who plans and organises their daily life with the goal of getting to the top, the personal coach should also have this enthusiasm and willingness to be a 24-hour coach. They should be dedicated to helping the player achieve their goals in the best possible way.

7. Future oriented

A good coach must possess organisational qualities as long, medium and short term planning of training and competitions are essential, as well as the actual execution of plans. The ability to collaborate and obtain top expertise in various fields are also essential, since coaches need to be innovative and ahead of the curve rather than behind it.

1. TT knowledge

a) A coach must be up-to-date in TT, constantly following the technical, tactical, physical development of the best players in the world. But it is equally important to be informed about the level of the world’s best students and youngsters.

b) They must have a clear idea of the optimal individual TT technique for each player and how to move effectively at the table.

c) They must analyse their player, involve them in considerations regarding the development process and have knowledge of how to reach the next development goal and discuss these with the player.

2. Coaching – communication – trust

The coach must:

be competent in communication, interaction and conflict resolution
master the individual, age-related, emotional and social behaviour, which is a particular challenge
contribute to the player’s personality development and help them develop a positive self-image and learn to assess their own abilities.

Trust is the decisive means of positively influencing a player. A mutual relationship of trust is essential for development.

3. Recognizing the actual-target difference

A coach must recognise in players who are still young which technical, tactical and physical characteristics and skills the player should work on in order to improve, as well as which weaknesses may prevent the player from developing further and should therefore be eradicated. The difference between target goals and actual achievement must be mindfully addressed.

4. Persistence – self-reliance – cooperation

In order to reduce the actual-target difference, the coach must give younger players many hints that serve the development of their game. They must work persistently with the player on deviations that would later stand in the way of the player’s development. It is not enough to remind the player of a work task in passing, the coach must ‘keep at it’ and not stop working on the detail to be developed.

At the same time, the trainer must ask the player to think and contribute early on. The older the player gets, the more they should be contributing to their own development processes, learn to organise their daily life and become independent and take responsibility for their growth. They must identify with the improvement and development goals of the set plan, which was worked out collaboratively with their coach.

5. Holistic care

A coach must have empathy and be willing to serve as a parental substitute to some extent. They must know the player well in the areas of table tennis and beyond, in the players’ school and social life and provide advice and support.

6. Enthusiasm

Just as a highly ambitious player should be a 24-hour athlete who plans and organises their daily life with the goal of getting to the top, the personal coach should also have this enthusiasm and willingness to be a 24-hour coach. They should be dedicated to helping the player achieve their goals in the best possible way.

7. Future oriented

A good coach must possess organisational qualities as long, medium and short term planning of training and competitions are essential, as well as the actual execution of plans. The ability to collaborate and obtain top expertise in various fields are also essential, since coaches need to be innovative and ahead of the curve rather than behind it.

Personal Coach

Personal Coach

The good coach

The good coach

Evelyn Simon

Expert Coach

Evelyn Simon

Expert Coach

Oliver Alke

Expert Coach

Oliver Alke

Expert Coach

The 7-Factor Coach Profile

The 7-Factor Coach Profile

1. TT knowledge

2. Coaching – communication – trust

3. Recognizing the actual-target difference

4. Persistence – self-reliance – cooperation

5. Holistic care

6. Enthusiasm

7. Future oriented

1. TT knowledge

2. Coaching – communication – trust

3. Recognizing the actual-target difference

4. Persistence – self-reliance – cooperation

5. Holistic care

6. Enthusiasm

7. Future oriented

1. TT knowledge

2. Coaching – communication – trust

3. Recognizing the actual-target difference

4. Persistence – self-reliance – cooperation

5. Holistic care

6. Enthusiasm

7. Future oriented

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