On 5 September, India celebrates Teacher's Day, commemorating the birth of philosopher, scholar, teacher, and politician Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan who had done a lot of ground-breaking work in the field of Education. He also served as the 2nd President of India from 1962 to 1967 and the 1st Vice President of India from 1952 to 1962.
Everyone needs a teacher in any aspect of life and sport is no different. Over the years, we have been witnesses to some of the best Coach-Athlete pairings that have managed to have a deeper impact on the sport. These pairs have broken records and revolutionized the landscape of a sport through their ability. So SportsTiger brings a list of some of the greatest Coach-Athlete pairings from around the world.
Ramakant Achrekar – Sachin Tendulkar
The man who gave us the ‘God’ of cricket. Ramakant Achrekar was the coach who spotted Sachin Tendulkar’s talent. The duo would train for hours and coach Achrekar would take Sachin to various maidans in Mumbai. There is also an anecdote where Achrekar sir would place a coin on the stumps. If a bowler got Sachin out he got the coin, if not Sachin take it home. To date, Sachin still has the 13 coins that he has collected over the years. Along with Sachin, Ramakant Achrekar also trained Vinod Kambli, Ajit Agarkar, Pravin Amre, and Sanjay Bangar.
Michael Jordan - Phil Jackson
Before playing for Phil Jackson, Michael Jordan hadn’t tasted success on the NBA level with early playoff round eliminations. But after one only year working together, Michael Jordan and Phil Jackson, won the elusive NBA Championship in 1991. This victory sparked a three-peat of titles twice over the next decade as Jordan’s name along with Jackson was immortalised in basketball history.
Vijay Sharma - Indian Weightlifting contingent
Coach Vijay Sharma has been the mastermind behind the historic success achieved by the Indian Weightlifters over the last few years. Under his tutelage, Chanu Saikhom Mirabai won the silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the Women's 49 kg category. In the recently concluded Commonwealth Games, the Indian Weightlifting contingent took the Games by storm, winning 10 medals, including three gold to top the standings for the event.
Serena and Venus Williams - Richard Williams
The father of Serena and Venus Williams, Richard Williams III was the duo’s first coach who pushed them to achieve their dreams in a place like Compton. Richard Williams created a 78-page plan for Venus and Serena to get out of their rough environment where they were growing up in a room with three half-sisters and bunk beds. From those humble beginnings, the Williams sisters have combined for an astonishing total of 44 Grand Slams in singles and doubles events.
Sir Alex Fergusson - Cristiano Ronaldo
Legendary Scottish manager Sir Alex Fergusson built one of the greatest dynasties in world football, where Manchester United went on to win 13 Premier Leagues and emerged as one of the biggest clubs in the world. In this process, Fergusson brought one of the greatest footballers in the history of the sport -Cristiano Ronaldo. Spotted at the age of 18, CR7 was signed by the Red Devils in 2003 and soon, he grew into one of the most complete attacking talents in world football. The duo together won multiple Premier League titles and a Champions League trophy.