Racquet Fuel – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode of Racquet Fuel, which originally aired July 14th, 2023, hosts Kim Bastable speaks with brothers Simon and Chris Gale. Originally from Perth, Australia they both have a unique pathway to becoming a Director of Racquet Sports: Chris at the River Oaks Country Club and Simon at the USTA National Campus. They share their “sliding door moment” that introduced them to having a career in tennis, the changes they’ve seen in the industry, and the power of mentorship. The episode kicks off a two-part series on developing leaders in the racquets industry and offers insights for directors and managers seeking to find a pathway to their career.

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!

(Original air date: July 14th, 2023)

In this episode, Kim Bastable re-interviews Alejandra Suarez, one of the owners of North Texas Racquet Club, to discuss the leadership successes and challenges they have faced in their first summer of operation. They cover topics such as guided open play, organizing events, dealing with weather challenges, and staffing issues. Alejandra shares insights on how they have adapted and learned from these experiences, emphasizing the importance of research, teamwork, and member engagement. The conversation provides valuable lessons for entrepreneurs in the racquet sports industry.

Episode Highlights:

• What guided open play has done to provide a fun and competitive experience for players of all levels.
• Why researching local events and networking with other businesses in the area can help attract more customers 
• How to be proactive when dealing with weather challenges 
• What to do about finding and retaining front desk administrative staff when turnover is high - everywhere
• Why growth and success in the racquet sports industry requires ongoing adaptation, teamwork, and a focus on member satisfaction

Learn more about North Texas Racquet Club: A Triple Play Club (Tennis, Pickleball, Padel)

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, Three and Jackie Carpenter discuss their book 'People First' and the importance of prioritizing employees and creating a positive work culture. They emphasize the need for leaders to define the mission, vision, and purpose of their organizations and to invest in their employees' growth and development. The conversation also touches on the challenges of hiring and retention, the shift from individualistic to collaborative leadership in the tennis industry, and the impact of loneliness on employees. The key takeaway is that leaders need to be brave, disrupt the status quo, and genuinely care about their employees.

Episode Highlights

• The importance of prioritizing employees and creating a positive work culture.
• What it means to have a mission, vision, and purpose of your organization - which many clubs don't have.
• Ways you can invest in your employees' growth and development so they don't want to leave.
• Just because that's how it's been done, doesn't mean it's how it should be done: Advice about being brave, disrupting the status quo, and genuinely caring about your employees.

Buy their book! https://threeandjackie.com/book/people-first/
Find them on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/three-jackie/
Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/threeandjackie/

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!

Omar Trevino and Alejandra Suarez share their journey of opening a new club, built from the ground up: North Texas Racquet Club. They discuss the facility's overview, challenges faced during the building process, and Omar and Alejandra’s transition from the corporate and education worlds, respectively, to club ownership.

Emphasizing the importance of taking risks, surrounding yourself with the right people, and staying positive, the conversation highlights the fulfillment of pursuing dreams and the gratitude for the opportunities provided by the American dream. 

https://northtexasracquetclub.com/

Episode Highlights:

• How to take risks and pursue your dreams, as no one will give it to you
• What happens when you surround yourself with the right people who share your vision and values
• When times get challenging, the need to stay positive and believe in your goals
• The value of reflecting along the journey, even amid the chaos and challenge of getting the doors open

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, 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!