Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
Racquet Fuel provides insights into the best practices and innovations of racquets industry business leaders.
Co-hosts Kim Bastable, Director of Professional Tennis Management at the University of Florida, and Simon Gale, Senior Director Racquet Sports Development at the USTA National Campus, help racquets leaders in your ability to grow the game and to improve the experiences you offer to both your staff and players by talking to industry leaders, including USTA executives, authors and innovators. If you are on a career path in racquet sports or already a racquets business leader and you want to stay up to date on ideas and innovations in racquets industry business and leadership, this podcast is for you.
Presented by the Athlete+ Podcast Network at the University of Florida Institute for Coaching Excellence.
Hi. This is Kim Bastable. And as Simon and I plan and record season four of Racquet Fuel, you will be enjoying replayed episodes from seasons one through three. There's incredible content from our previous episodes, and we want to inspire leaders and really help any tennis player or rackets player to consider a career path in the rackets profession. The content from our previous episodes should not sit on the shelf, so we're happy to provide it for you.
Kim Bastable:Please enjoy this episode recorded last year.
Episode Narration:Welcome to Racquet Fuel, where we launch into great conversations and share powerful tools to help you become a stronger rackets leader. Your hosts are Kim Bastable, a former all American tennis player and now the director of tennis management at the University of Florida, and Simon Gale, the USTA National Campus Director of Racquet Sports. In this episode, we continue with the unique story of the Gale brothers and their ascent to becoming leaders in the rackets industry. From grass courts and slice backhands in Perth to hundreds of courts under their leadership on US soil. How do they do it?
Episode Narration:And how do they continue to lead so well? Here's Kim and Simon.
Kim Bastable:Welcome to Racquet Fuel. We're back again with Kim Bastable and Simon Gale. The goal of each episode we have is to inspire and inform current and future Racquet's business leaders. We're excited to have you here to continue this conversation with Chris Gale, the director of Racquet Sports at River Oaks in Houston. We're gonna discuss with Simon and Chris some leadership highs and lows and a little bit about some of the mistakes they've made.
Kim Bastable:But let's start with some fast action questions. Here we go. What age did you learn tennis and who exposed you to the game? Simon?
Simon Gale:I was 10, it was a school, after schools program at the club that was literally across the road and that's what got it all started.
Chris Gale:Yeah. And, because it's a three year difference between my brother and I, I was same story, but, I was the younger version, I was seven.
Kim Bastable:All right, what rackets do you recall? At what age did you evolve from a wood racket or did you ever play with a wood racket?
Simon Gale:I have to admit that first session was a cheap wooden racket and then Pat Cash was using the Prince Woody and I stumbled across a Prince Woody at that time because he was using one and then moved into the composite or aluminum frame era.
Chris Gale:Yeah, started with an aluminum racket, couldn't wait to get a graphite racket. And once I got into those graphite rackets, it was all over, just upwards and onwards from there.
Kim Bastable:So I know that you started on grass courts. So when did you play on a surface other than grass?
Simon Gale:We were all grass courts initially at the club and then converted two of them into hard courts. So we started doing some hard court play and synthetic grass or turf also became part of the club as it evolved. So we played on all three but didn't play on clay, like a real clay court until I was about 20 when I came to The States.
Chris Gale:Yeah, it's about the same for me as well. I was 19 when I got on my first clay court.
Kim Bastable:So what's your preferred court surface?
Simon Gale:Grass, which I can't find anywhere here. We've got 98 courts but there's no grass court so I would play on a grass court seven days of the week.
Chris Gale:A 100%. At a whopping height of five foot seven Kim, I can hide that short factor on a grass court so much more than trying to grind it out on a clay court against these big six foot four guys.
Kim Bastable:Do you guys have one handed or two handed backhands?
Simon Gale:One, heavy heavy on the slice growing up because the ball didn't bounce above your knees but slice and topspin but but all one handed.
Chris Gale:Yeah. It's I was one I was I started off as a two converted to a one for a long time, moved to America and got on these clay courts and hard courts predominantly. Everything was above my shoulder so I went back to a two hander. And then when I stopped any level of competition and was primarily teaching, just always having three or four tennis balls in my hand and teaching was just went back to the one hander again.
Kim Bastable:Yeah. That one hander for teaching.
Simon Gale:So he's still trying to work it out, Kim, is what he's telling me. He's not sure what backhand he's got.
Chris Gale:I'm very I'm very indecisive.
Kim Bastable:It might be a left handed forehand if he needs it.
Simon Gale:Could be.
Chris Gale:I might give that a shot.
Kim Bastable:At what age did you begin full time in tennis, like gave up the cricket?
Simon Gale:I know you said full time, but part time was 17 and through about '21, '22 and then full time from about 22 on.
Chris Gale:Playing, I gave up playing cricket early. I got hooked at seven in tennis. So I stopped playing cricket around about nine I think it was. Full time teaching was just before I turned 20.
Kim Bastable:So how do you feel about Ash Barty and her cricket? Is it just so similar? Did that surprise you that she had success in both knowing that you're cricket guys?
Simon Gale:I think if you go back to the first episode where we talked about growing up outdoors, you grew up playing those two sports. I think when we grew up though, women in cricket either didn't exist or it was more of a informal, it wasn't structured like it is now. So Ashbodhi probably played formal youth cricket. I'm not sure what her upbringing was in it but clearly she was very good at it, to be able to drop one and play the other. But you know, it's a team sport versus an individual sport, there's a lot to that as well.
Simon Gale:So it certainly didn't do her any harm. She certainly had a pretty good career after she came back to tennis again.
Chris Gale:I mean, she's such an athlete. She played cricket for Australia, was the number one player in the world in tennis, retired from tennis, and then I think the first semi professional golf tournament she ever played and she won it. Yeah. I mean, it's just she's just one of those freak athletes, you know?
Kim Bastable:Yeah. And she's from your country. You should be proud.
Chris Gale:So proud.
Kim Bastable:Alright. What year did you get your first director position and where was it?
Chris Gale:Do I really have to disclose the year? Because it's gonna it's gonna just tell everyone how old I am here, Kim. I got my first director position at 21 at a small private club called Palm Desert Tennis Club about three miles from where they hold the Masters event in Indian Wells in California.
Simon Gale:I was around 22, 23, something like that at a 10 court, I think it was 10 or eight grass courts and four hard court facility called Allen Park Tennis Club in Perth. It was right by the beach, it was a stunning part of the world. And this is that relationship piece we talked about earlier was the guy who was the director there was one of the pros who worked for our mentor. And when he was leaving, he and our mentor recommended me for the job and that's how I got that job and walked in bright eyed with no clue what I was really getting in for. But that was where it all started.
Kim Bastable:Alright, so we'll take that and we'll go to the idea of a little bit longer, but give yourself a grade for your first year on the job. And you know, why would why would you give that grade? What what what do you think of yourself back then?
Simon Gale:At the time, I probably thought I was doing an amazing job. But I look back now and say, from an on court aspect, I'd probably give most of my customers their money back because I think I tried to teach them the entire library of tennis in one hour and I'm sure they probably hit half a dozen balls in sixty minutes and walked away saying, I don't know if I got any better in that lesson or not. But it was, you know, you were so passionate and hopefully it was connecting with people is why they came back. But I think as a pro, you start to get it as you teach more and more and your lessons just get better. So on court, maybe a five And then I would say as as a business guy or a businessman off the court, maybe a five would see it out.
Simon Gale:Mean, you're making it up as you go along, you are learning on the fly and learning from your errors. So I wouldn't give myself a high grade, but I'd give myself a 10 for enthusiasm.
Chris Gale:Good. Yeah. Way to way to make that multifaceted. You've you've set the bar high here. So for me, on court, I'd give yeah.
Chris Gale:Same thing about a d, and and would definitely be more than willing to refund everyone their their money comparative to what I I I produce now on the court. But I think program wise, I'd give it a C. But I think that the thing that really shines the most, Kim, is the culture that I created, the energy, the positive environment and the reinvigoration of the program. I'll give it an A plus And that sounds very, very conceited. But thankfully, I think that innately I had and have that that ability and gift to be able to create that.
Chris Gale:And that's not through self self analysis with with that club. It's it's what what was eloquented to me by the membership, you know, just so it was really, really flattering and it was really good to know, hey, this is a strength of mine moving forward and I'm going to really continue to utilize this strength as my foundation as a director.
Simon Gale:So Chris, we talk lot about leadership in this podcast and we've already touched on it and in the previous episode talked a lot about mentors and the leaders who helped us. My question to you is how do you define leadership and how do you kind of view that and your responsibility as a leader?
Chris Gale:Yeah, man, that's a question that I'm so passionate about. For me, I think I would start with leadership having a priority of the team that you manage. First and foremost, that's my number one priority in the staff that I inherited and who subsequently come on board since my start here at River Oaks Country Club, the staff are first and foremost. So I want the staff to be happy, motivated, invigorated, energized and wanting to continue to grow and develop themselves. So I really look after them.
Chris Gale:I have a conversation with them. I do an annual performance review with them every year and outside of that I meet with them on an individual basis twice a year on top of that just to see how they're doing. Are you happy? You know, the first question I ask them is, How's it going here? Are you happy?
Chris Gale:Are you still What can we do? So I really look at the staff here and I don't think of a work life balance. I just think of life. And within life, there's work. And that aspect of life, I can be a controlling factor as to whether it's a positive part of your life or not.
Chris Gale:So creating an opportunity for our staff to really enjoy life with River Oaks Country Club being part of it. Every one of them has a mandatory five day work week with back to back days off, one of them being a weekend day. That was instigated by me upon my arrival here. No more than forty hours on the court. If I want them teaching their fortieth hour just as well as their first hour.
Chris Gale:Continuing to invest in them personally and then from outside sources to grow professionally, to meet their goals. You know, in the last episode we spoke about, well, it's my job to make sure that if these staff here has goals that I help them achieve them. And it's the three C's that I talk about chemistry, cohesiveness and culture. I want to create the ultimate of those three C's for the staff. Because once the staff is like that, once the staff has that, it really permeates into your programming and your membership.
Simon Gale:So there's a saying and I don't know who said it but I've seen it plenty of times that as a leader you're not in charge of people but you're developing and influencing people. And there's lots of sayings around that concept And you talked about building a team and your three C's and clearly caring and empathetic and working towards giving them a work life balance that enables them to stay in the industry and be great to your members as employees. What would you, how would you define kind of the difference between being that forty hour a week pro and being a leader? You talked about caring about others and that's how I tend to define it is, when I'm a pro, I'm worried about me and my paycheck and my customer and where my next hour is coming from. As a leader, I need to care about people who work for me and I need to make sure they're taken care of first.
Simon Gale:How do you kind of define that or what do you think of that statement?
Chris Gale:Yeah, I mean it's a 100%. We discussed this a little bit in the previous episode about, if your staff is happy, if your staff is content, if your staff feels like they're getting looked after, they're going to produce a product to the membership second to none that will exceed expectations. So I think that the genuine care of the staff, the genuine, not just like, are you doing your job? It's more than that. It's are you happy with the chemistry and the culture of the staff around you?
Chris Gale:Are you happy with the diversity of lessons that you have? Do you feel like you're challenged? Do you feel like I am fulfilling my promises of continuing to develop you and grow you? And if not, what would you like? Can I help you meet your expectations?
Chris Gale:Can I help you reach your professional goals? But then there's life as well. It's like how is everything outside of here? If you've moved to Houston to become part of this stuff, how's your transition in life It's it's I I don't I'm not a believer that you come into River Race Country Club and you leave everything outside of of the professional side of things at the gate. You can come to me and talk to me about anything.
Chris Gale:You know, if you're struggling with integrating into the community here or if struggling with where you want to be living in Houston, whatever it is, it's a complete package. And I think that once the difference between a pro that's teaching forty hours a week is, and this is not a negative or a criticism about that, is they're kind of about themselves. It's like, okay, I want to make sure my lesson book is filling. I want to make sure that I'm maintaining that and retaining that. For a leader, it's how how well are the people that are underneath my umbrella, how they enjoying their day to day experience primarily at River Oaks Country Club, in life in general.
Kim Bastable:Yeah. I think it just sounds to me it's like I would argue that some people listening to this podcast could say, well, but, yeah, that's River Oaks. That's USTA National Campus. Of course, big staffs. People wanna go work there.
Kim Bastable:How do I, small guy running a small program at a small club, you know, I only have maybe one assistant, a head pro and one assistant, etcetera. How do I retain and attract and manage? And my answer is just the same. Right? I mean, that that doesn't big, small, whatever.
Kim Bastable:You're just caring about people. And if somebody feels they're being cared about, whether there's three on staff or there's 30 on staff, is there any difference?
Simon Gale:I think if you can, as long as you're competitive from a compensation point of view, if you have that attitude towards leadership, you will attract people. And if you can't pay them enough and you can't compete with the club down the road, you've got another problem there. But sometimes you can attract people who will take a little bit less money because they want to work for you. I've managed a club where I couldn't afford benefits and things like that, but the attraction was I will invest in you and you will leave here a better pro and go on and make better money at your next job. And for the right person that's appealing and that's just part of your hiring process.
Chris Gale:You hit the nail on the head, Kim. It's no different and is it easier? No, because you're still investing your time and your heart into someone that's working with you but it's just less organization and administration to find the time. If it's one or two people, I mean, you know, but I don't just stop at the Racquet's professionals. We have a merchandiser here.
Chris Gale:I make sure that she is being fulfilled in her life goals and her drives and ambitions. I have a five person court maintenance team ensuring that they're doing, they're moving in the direction that they want. So I think that, I don't think it is any different and I don't think it should be really any different at any facility, private club or public. So let me
Kim Bastable:ask to throw something out. Okay. Everybody in your positions probably got to eventually let someone go that maybe doesn't have the chemistry, maybe hasn't worked the cohesion, isn't right. Well, I'm sure there's tips that you could provide. What have you learned over the years?
Kim Bastable:Either one of you.
Simon Gale:I think personally that nobody likes confrontation in general. Nobody wants to have to let go of somebody. That's the last thing we want to do. You try and find out what the issue is. Is there something in my communication that's not allowing you to do the job the way I've asked you to.
Simon Gale:How do we work through this? Do we go through a series of sit downs? Maybe I've got to write you up at some point to make it serious that I'm looking at where you're headed next. But the last thing I want to do is let you go unless it's something that's just at a level where you have to. I think you're trying to invest in that person to say, maybe we can turn this around and what a great accomplishment that'll be for you.
Simon Gale:But I think I would let people go earlier in my career, maybe a little quick. And I've learned how to say, well, maybe it's something I'm doing or maybe they're having trouble or maybe there's something going on in their personal life and we need to get through this phase and maybe they'll be the most loyal person I have on my team if we can get through this. If not, we need to go our separate ways but I think you learn that skill over time as you hire and fire, you start to learn and see things in advance and maybe get ahead of them before they become a problem.
Chris Gale:Yeah, a 100%. I mean to me having to terminate someone's work status at your club is the ultimate, ultimate last resort unless it's a major, major protocol infraction or something along those lines. But no, I agree with Simon 100%. I want to invest as much as I can into this professional who this is clearly the pathway that they want professionally to see if we can turn the corner and bring them to where they need to be, where we have a great common goal and they're on board and they remain an integral part of your staff.
Simon Gale:Chris, let's go on to a slightly different subject, but one that's evolved quickly over the last ten years and that's the prevalence of Racquet Sports. They've really become a big part of our industry and if you look at when we started as directors, it was director of tennis and that was it. And over time, you started to see in the Northeast the evolution of paddle programs. But they were really just courts that sat there in the winter and a few people played and then it became a year round director of tennis and paddle and you started to see this year round director and now, you look for a job and every job is pretty much a director of Racquet Sports position and you've got multiple sports and new sports in the industry as well. So how have you seen that evolve and what does it mean to you and especially for your staff getting into the industry, what does it mean for them?
Simon Gale:What does the future look like with this director of Racquet Sports?
Chris Gale:Well, it's here to stay, isn't it? That's one thing for sure. And the evolvement of it has been, for me personally in the private club sector was, well, why would you need to leave this beautiful club in the winter to to go pursue Racquet's opportunities when you've got these beautiful platform tennis courts here? Let's let's let's have a program. Let's have year round, you know, Racquet's offerings in a dynamic fashion from a staff that you're obviously really comfortable with and enjoy.
Chris Gale:So for me, that was how I see it evolved in the Northeast. I really think the Northeast blazed the director of Racquet's positions more than more than anywhere else. And, with the with the advent of pickleball and and how much that's grown, to me, if you're not offering it, you're really limiting the recreational opportunities for your membership. And I'm sure that you see that at the campus as well, that that pickleball is really well utilized. So what I always try and tell people who are not really on board with it is what once it started, just imagine what it would have been like if you had never offered this to your members, you know.
Chris Gale:So we have about 80% crossover rate between tennis and pickleball, which I love because, there's never any hostility or frustration about the noise of pickleball or, you know, with clubs that have take away a tennis court to put four pickleball courts in. It's like, well, no. There's a big crossover and everyone's enjoying it. But, you know, I think that my opening statement is is so true. It is here to stay.
Chris Gale:If you're if you're thinking I'm gonna get a a job as director of tennis somewhere, then you're limiting yourself. Diversify, get your certification in platform tennis if you're in an area or if you want to be in an area that has platform tennis. Pickleball, Padel is emerging in a major way. Think that you will be a step ahead of others in the industry if you have a full Racquet's education and acumen.
Simon Gale:Yeah and we've talked about that there's a director of tennis which really is kind of a specialty position where you're focused on one sport and now the future pros need to be obviously teaching multiple sports but you're a general coach, you're teaching tennis, then you're going to potentially a pickleball or platform or you're doing pedele and they're all similar and then very different. And so there's nuances you have to pick up and the customer might be a little different. We're seeing a completely different customer come for Padel to pickleball and tennis and so we're attracting the community and introducing them to Racquet Sports and at the end of the day, we're in the health and wellness industry and these are our three vehicles. And so we're introducing people to the facility and hopefully, they'll pick up a tennis racket or their kids will and there'll be spin offs for all three sports by bringing them together. So yeah, I agree 100% and I think it's an exciting opportunity for the next generation of leaders to have this diverse revenue source as well as have some variety in what they teach.
Chris Gale:And the variety has so created for me personally, a greater excitement for teaching. When I teach pickleball, teach with nuances that I'm like, wow, I'm going put this into my tennis teaching. And when I was teaching platform tennis, it's like, my gosh, I need to incorporate this into tennis. And you know, it's just with a long career in this industry, you continue to inspire yourself. I mean, and how great is that?
Chris Gale:You know, just by simply diversifying what you're teaching.
Kim Bastable:That's excellent. And I think, like you said, it's going to make the industry more interesting. It's going to broaden the market. Different people might crossover, but then there might be different people isolated to to different areas. So that's just more, for for the business, but it makes it a bigger job.
Kim Bastable:You know, your jobs are more complex. You have to manage staff and manage facilities, manage equipment. And, you know, there's just obviously, it adds to complexity. So let's try to summarize here. So, you know, as you're thinking about the person listening to this podcast that is is either younger in the industry, before you, not as mature, maybe not yet in a director role, or someone who's, you know, 18 to 20 or heck in your age, maybe fourth grade, who decides they want to, become have a career in the racket sports.
Kim Bastable:What's the secret sauce? What got you to where you are? Do they need to know? What can you share that's important that you think they know to be equipped?
Chris Gale:One thing that I really believe in is that when you get your first assistant director of position, that's not it. Continue to grow as much as you can in that position and then what's next? And I think that once you get your first director of Racquet's position, you've reached a pinnacle but there's greater pinnacles to be reached and can I fulfill what it is that I'm currently in and what is going to be bigger and stronger and the next step for me? And it never ends Kim. I think that River Oaks Country Club is the number 11 platinum country club in the nation, but that doesn't mean that my growth and development stops.
Chris Gale:And I think that mindset needs to be present until the day you stop. And there's so many different nuances and facets that you can grow and develop in or pass it on. And so I think that that would be the thought process and advice I would give anyone that's looking to really establish themselves in the managerial side or director or leader side of this industry.
Simon Gale:I would add on to that, just agree a 100%, but I would add on to it, really look for opportunities and embrace them to try new things. Put yourself in an uncomfortable position and learn to fail a little bit and there's that saying of failing forward, right? So just look at it as an opportunity to grow and you take all those experiences with you into leadership roles and then as a leader, learning to delegate, empower and develop and influence people and that's a different hat you're wearing, but also, it's something I work on every day, think, is trying to listen more. Really listen to your people, listen to what's going on around you and use that to help drive some of your decisions versus I'm the leader, I know where we should be headed and I'll make the next decision. I think that's a learned skill over time and part of just getting older, think.
Simon Gale:But if you can do it younger, you'll be successful quicker.
Kim Bastable:Yeah. Very good. I mean, that's the three things I took away. You're listen, gotta keep learning, and not be afraid to make mistakes. And I think that's the go out there and try some things that may not work well and, you know, convincing your members that you might want another Racquet Sport or some other programming or might not go well the first time.
Kim Bastable:There might need to be a second time around or a a patience in that. So but to keep it going. So that's awesome. We've had a great chat. I'm I'm very thankful for both of your leadership and your time.
Kim Bastable:I'm curious, and maybe some of the others on the podcast, how much of this do you talk about over the holiday dinner meal or when you guys get together? How much is business in your personal life conversations?
Chris Gale:Well, I'm going to jump in on that one, Kim, very quickly. So Simon and his family came and visited us last Easter twenty twenty two. We hadn't seen each other for about two years and I was just loving seeing my niece and my sister-in-law and Simon. But before they came, I said, you got two hours. He's like, for what?
Chris Gale:And I said, to talk business, that's it. Know, and because we can really get going and quite often we do. But I'm glad I said that parameter actually because it was a well filled two hours, that's one thing for sure.
Simon Gale:Yeah and Chris is very good at leaving work at the front doorstep and shutting it down. I'm not as good at that, I'm still working on it, which my wife can attest to. She knows way too much about the tennis industry and what goes on at the campus, way more than she needs to. But you know, we're both very passionate so it's very easy for us to break out into something and see something and say, oh, would be a good idea for the campus or the club and talk about our industry issues and what a unique resource to have a brother who's in a leadership role in the same industry and be able to bounce ideas off someone totally uninhibited and he'll tell me how it is and and make fun of a thought I have or something like that, but it's not it's never personal because it's your brother. So I think it's an amazing amazing resource for both of us.
Kim Bastable:Well, you may not have a brother across the holiday table, but you do have the resource of this podcast, Racquet Fuel. We hope you'll listen now to all the episodes of season one. If you haven't heard them all yet, go back and listen again, And just realize that this is the final episode of season one, but we are already planning for season two. We will be working on getting that launched in August. We look forward to seeing you then.
Kim Bastable:That's all for now on Racquet Fuel.
Episode Narration:That's all for today, but we're not out of fuel. You can find more information and resources in our show notes and by visiting racquetfuelpodcast.com. If you liked what you just heard, please subscribe. And also leave a review, which helps other people join the mission to become stronger Racquet's leaders.
Conclusion:This podcast is a production of Athlete Plus, the people, stories, science behind elite athletes and teams. Athlete Plus is the official podcast network of the Institute for Coaching Excellence, a research, education, and outreach center in the College of Health and Human Performance at the University of Florida. The Institute for Coaching Excellence offers various online certificate programs and degrees in partnership with the Department of Sport Management. Learn more today at coaching.hhp.ufl.edu.