{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Racquet Fuel","title":"A Look Back: Building a Sustainable Tennis Business - Lessons from Australia’s Victorian Tennis Academy","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":1999,"description":"What does it take to build a tennis academy where both players and coaches have room to grow?\nWe’re taking a look back at this Racquet Fuel conversation with Tina Keown and Jack Glennane, directors of the Victorian Tennis Academy, to revisit the leadership choices behind a thriving, people-first tennis business. Joining hosts Kim Bastable and Simon Gale, Tina and Jack share how they manage four venues and 24 courts just minutes from the Australian Open grounds. Their approach has helped VTA become one of Australia’s leading tennis organizations and earn multiple Tennis Australia awards, while creating meaningful opportunities for the people who make its success possible. The conversation explores VTA’s seven-tier career pathway for coaches, its shift toward more sustainable employment models, and the role of culture and long-term planning in retaining talented staff and delivering exceptional player experiences. Tina and Jack also reflect on their progression from casual coaches to directors, sharing lessons from balancing daily operations with the demands of leadership and growth.\nWhether you manage one facility, oversee several locations, or lead a racquet sports department, this episode offers practical insight into developing strong teams, empowering coaches, and creating a sustainable workforce. Take another listen and explore what it means to move from working in your business to leading its future.\nWhat You’ll Learn:\nWhy hiring for values first helps build stronger coaching teams\nHow creating a clear career pathway can turn coaching jobs into long-term professions\nWhy the tennis industry often loses coaches to other industries—not competing clubs\nHow owner-operators can balance day-to-day operations with long-term leadership\nThe importance of empowering staff with ownership and leadership opportunities\nWhy investing in professional development and education helps retain great coaches\nHow diverse programming—from court hire to adult leagues—creates a more...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/StOyLHxRkk1NLWb3MSXOJmJmVSBzb89zIuOk_jvxTZ4/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9zaG93/LzQxNTA5LzE2OTYw/MDYyOTAtYXJ0d29y/ay5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}