In this episode, Simon Gale and Kim Bastable recap highlights from the first two seasons of the Racquet Fuel podcast. They discuss the challenges of attracting young people to the racquets industry and the evolving  and quite complicated landscape of racquet sports. They also explore the importance of mentoring and growing others, as well as the need to delegate and empower team members. The conversation touches on the shift from play to programming in tennis and the influence of pickleball and Padel on tennis programming.

Stay tuned to the end to find out what to expect for Season 3 – with a new episode publishing each week in April and May.

Episode Highlights:

• The racquets industry needs to do a better job of attracting young people and promoting tennis and racquet sports coaching and leadership as a viable career option.
• The role of a Racquets Director is evolving, with a focus on leadership and managing multiple racquet sports.
• Mentoring and growing others is an important aspect of leadership in the tennis industry. People inside the industry are responsible for growing the next generation of coaches.
• Delegating and empowering team members is a skill that leaders need to develop and one that’s often hard for tennis players, especially, since it’s a very individual sport where players learn to rely only on themselves.
• There is a need for play-based pathways in tennis programming, with a focus on providing a positive experiences for players, even beginning players.

Looking to become a more confident, competent, and clear business leader with a lifelong career in the industry? Become a PTR- or USPTA-Certified Director of Racquet Sports. Visit our website to learn more!

In this episode of Racquet Fuel, hosts Kim Bastable and Simon Gale have a conversation with respected USTA Head Pro, Rita Gladstone, who shares about the challenges and joys of working in the racquets industry as a female AND a mom. Since only 20% of the professionals in racquet sports are female, the questions are WHY and WHAT can be done about it? Rita helps us highlight how females can balance a successful career and being a mother, and we discuss how leaders can positively inspire and manage females. 

If you're wanting to know how you can better empower females in the industry, or if you're struggling to balance work and life as a mother, you're going to want to tune in to this episode.

Highlights:

1:58- Gender balance in tennis coaching with a successful female coach

9:03 - Effective leadership and utilizing employees' strengths

10:55 - Leadership and identifying strengths in a tennis program

12:05 - Developing coaches 

14:32- Gender roles in coaching and industry growth
20:26 - Balancing work and family life as a tennis coach
21:57 - Career development for female professionals in the industry
23:47 - Gender disparity in tennis coaching and solutions to increase female representation

Looking to become a more confident, competent, and clear business leader with a lifelong career in the industry? Become a PTR- or USPTA-Certified Director of Racquet Sports. Visit our website to learn more!

In this episode of Racquet Fuel, hosts Kim Bastable and Simon Gale have a conversation about the energy behind padel with expert Marcos del Pilar. They discuss how this new racquet sport differs in the United States and Europe and his path for bringing it from Spain to the USTA National Campus where it's become immensely popular. 

If you're wanting to know how your racquets facility can build and monetize a new racquet sport, you're going to want to tune in to this episode.

Highlights:

1:44 - The impact of Padel in the US

7:28 - Challenges in growing pickleball 

12:09- Launching a new racquet sport program and business model 

17:06 - Customer experience and monetization strategies for racquet sports facilities

22:53- Crossover between tennis and pickleball
21:18- Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro
24:55 - Leadership, personal growth, and overcoming challenges
27:40 - Attracting new customers and optimizing existing programs at a tennis facility

Looking to become a more confident, competent, and clear business leader with a lifelong career in the industry? Become a PTR- or USPTA-Certified Director of Racquet Sports. Visit our website to learn more!

In this episode of Racquet Fuel, hosts Kim Bastable and Simon Gale have a conversation with Dr. Jack Groppel, a researcher, professor, and authority on the science of human performance. They address a number of topics around how we all need to manage our energy for top performance at work within the demanding industry of racquet sports. Jack is an expert on this challenge.

Jack, Kim, and Simon will also touch on the topics of how we, as leaders in racquet sports, can become better than we currently are, and how networking has the possibility to change your life and your career. 

1:46 - Becoming literate in life and personal growth

7:28 - Career path from tennis coach to corporate athlete

11:26 - Work demands and expectation in the tennis industry

15:22 - Leadership, funding, and growth in the fitness industry

17:20- Work-life balance, leadership, and personal growth
21:18- Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro
24:55 - Leadership, personal growth, and overcoming challenges

Looking to become a more confident, competent, and clear business leader with a lifelong career in the industry? Become a PTR- or USPTA-Certified Director of Racquet Sports. Visit our website to learn more!

In this episode of Racquet Fuel, hosts Kim Bastable and Simon Gale continue their conversation with Len Simard, Search and Consulting Executive with Kopplin, Kuebler, & Wallace. Len annually manages the searches for hundreds of leadership positions and clubs around the US, specializing in Directors of Racquet Sports searches, so he knows what it takes to succeed in the role. 

Len, Kim, and Simon discuss the evolution of the role of Director of Racquet Sports, how you can engage members in racquet sports at country clubs, and the impact tennis professionals have on the lives of the people they interact with every day. The episode ends in conversation about the impact of tennis pros on young people and the industry.

1:11 - Evolving role of Director of Racquet Sports

5:25 - Engaging members in racquet sports at Country Clubs

11:00 - Attracting Next Gen to tennis industry despite potential loss of veteran pros

15:51 - The impact of tennis professionals on members' lives and the importance of a work-life balance.

21:49 The impact of tennis pros on young people in the industry

Looking to become a more confident, competent, and clear business leader with a lifelong career in the industry? Become a PTR- or USPTA-Certified Director of Racquet Sports. Visit our website to learn more!

In this 2 part episode of Racquet Fuel, hosts Kim Bastable and Simon Gale speak with Len Simard, Search and Consulting Executive with Kopplin, Kuebler, and Wallace. Len annually manages the searches for hundreds of leadership positions and clubs around the US, specializing in Directors of Racquet Sports searches, so he knows what it takes to succeed in the role. 

He shares information about the evolution of search firms in the country club industry, some secrets to hiring and consulting for racquet sports departments, and leadership and staffing, and more.

00:16 - The evolution of search firms in the country club industry

2:42 - Hiring and consulting for racquet sports departments

5:18 - Racquet sports club director roles and responsibilities

10:02- Becoming a Director of Racquets at a private member equity club

12:41 - Leadership development and staffing for country clubs

14:44 - Transitioning to a Director of Racquets role

20:48: Leadership and skills for club managers

Looking to become a more confident, competent, and clear business leader with a lifelong career in the industry? Become a PTR- or USPTA-Certified Director of Racquet Sports. Visit our website to learn more!

In this episode of Racquet Fuel, hosts Kim Bastable and Simon Gale speak with respected industry consultant and UF-DORS adjunct professor Doug Cash about compensation. This is a vital topic for employees and employers, as Compensation packages dictate employee behavior, and payroll is the largest cost on most club budgets. This includes discussion around Pro pay, pricing strategies, health insurance, and what it means to be a full-time professional. 

00:19 - Tennis industry compensation with expert insights

13:35 - Instructor compensation and pricing strategies

18:11 - Tennis Pro Pay and experience requirements

19:35 - Tennis industry compensation and benefits

27:08 - Health insurance options for small businesses in the tennis industry

28:48 - Tennis teaching hours, pickleball growth, and club needs

32:39: Tennis industry trends and pro pay

36:43 - Tennis interest and participation the US

Looking to become a more confident, competent, and clear business leader with a lifelong career in the industry? Become a PTR- or USPTA-Certified Director of Racquet Sports. Visit our website to learn more!

In this episode of Racquet Fuel, hosts Kim Bastable and Simon Gale speak with Ajay Pant, Vice President of Racquet Sports for Life Time. Using data to support the decision to make a major move into pickleball, Ajay speaks about the strategy behind how they became the industries largest indoor provider of tennis AND pickleball by a factor of 10 and it and it’s worked out of them. He also discusses his take on tennis, and what his predictions are for the future of clubs across the country. 

Looking to become a more confident, competent, and clear business leader with a lifelong career in the industry? Become a PTR- or USPTA-Certified Director of Racquet Sports. Visit our website to learn more!

In this episode of Racquet Fuel, hosts Kim Bastable and Simon Gale speak with Joe Curto, the owner of Yonkers Tennis Center in Westchester County, New York. Curto speaks about the highs and lows of of the last 37 years of Club ownership, providing insights into the past and present journey into the role, transitioning from the day-to-day to delegation, what it takes to be a good leader, the people who make the difference, and the importance of continuous growth. 

Looking to become a more confident, competent, and clear business leader with a lifelong career in the industry? Become a PTR- or USPTA-Certified Director of Racquet Sports. Visit our website to learn more!

In the final episode of Racquet Fuel Season 1, hosts Kim Bastable and Simon Gale continue the conversation with Chris Gale for the second part of the Gale brothers story. They discuss various broad topics such Prince Woodie, Ash Barty's cricket game and first jobs. They delve into the definition of leadership and the responsibilities that come with it, highlighting the importance of work-life balance. The conversation explores the differences between being a professional player and being a leader, strategies for attracting and retaining top talent, and the future of racquet sports and the role of a Director of Racquets. The secret sauce to success is revealed, and the episode concludes with a reflection on the blending of business and personal life in the tennis world.

Looking to become a more confident, competent, and clear business leader with a lifelong career in the industry? Become a Certified Director of Racquet Sports. Visit our website to learn more!