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 racqu...
Oct 04, 2023•34 min•Season 2Ep. 4
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 expe...
Sep 27, 2023•39 min•Season 2Ep. 3
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...
Sep 20, 2023•31 min•Season 2Ep. 2
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 confiden...
Sep 13, 2023•32 min•Season 2Ep. 1
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 leade...
Jun 21, 2023•30 min•Season 1Ep. 8
In this episode of Racquet Fuel, 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...
Jun 14, 2023•35 min•Season 1Ep. 7
In this episode of Racquet Fuel, hosts Kim Bastable and Simon Gale continue their conversation with Dr. Tim Elmore; a thought leader, author, and researcher, founder of the non-profit Growing Leaders. Elmore shares about the social media battle between generations that brought him to write his newest book, “A New Kind of Diversity.” Simon and Kim provide Tim with some racquets-industry challenges regarding age diversity in the workplace, and Tim gives tangible tools and tactics we can all use to...
Jun 07, 2023•32 min•Season 1Ep. 6
In this episode of Racquet Fuel, hosts Kim Bastable and Simon Gale speak with Dr. Tim Elmore: a thought leader, author, and founder of the non-profit, Growing Leaders. Elmore shares about the social media battle between generations that brought him to write his newest book, “A New Kind of Diversity." He discusses the generational gap of “kids these days” and where it really started, and how we need to be working together to collaborate instead of collide. Further, Elmore gives advice on how we, ...
May 31, 2023•29 min•Season 1Ep. 5
In this episode of Racquet Fuel, Kim Bastable and Simon Gale welcome back Allistair McCaw, a renowned author and consultant in leadership and sports performance. They delve into the importance of experience, variety, and learning from different positions in one's journey to becoming a high performer. McCaw emphasizes the significance of defining and creating a culture of excellence, and shares insights on how to attract the right people who align with that culture. Kim and Simon also discuss wit...
May 24, 2023•32 min•Season 1Ep. 4
In this episode of Racquet Fuel, hosts Kim Bastable and Simon Gale speak with leadership and mindset coach, Allistair McCaw. McCaw shares his experiences working with Olympic Gold Medalists, Fortune 500 companies, and Formula One teams. Further, he discusses the importance of vision, purpose, trust, and culture in leadership. McCaw recounts his extensive experiences as a youth tennis player and his mindset change into professional coaching, teaching, and writing. The episode kicks off a two-part...
May 17, 2023•32 min•Season 1Ep. 3
In this episode of Racquet Fuel, hosts Kim Bastable and Simon Gale speak with Craig Morris, the USTA's Chief Executive for Community Tennis. Morris provides updates and insights into the USTA's plans and initiatives for addressing challenges in the recruitment and hiring of leaders in the racquets industry. He also shares his personal journey from tennis player to coach and leadership development and offers mentorship advice for aspiring industry leaders. Kim and Simon discuss Morris's strategie...
May 17, 2023•39 min•Season 1Ep. 2
In its inaugural episode, Kim Bastable and Simon Gale launch Racquet Fuel, which examines powerful topics relevant to leadership in the racquets industry. In this episode, Simon and Kim talk about the shift to healthier lifestyles for professionals in the racquet industry. Simon further shares his passion for developing coaches and details his journey to becoming Director of Racquet Sports at USTA National Campus. In becoming racquet leaders, Kim and Simon both address industry issues such as bu...
May 17, 2023•31 min•Season 1Ep. 1
