What’s Driving the Explosion of Pickleball and Padel?

In this episode of Racquet Fuel, hosts Kim Bastable and Simon Gale talk with industry pioneer David Johnson about the massive growth of pickleball and the rising momentum of padel in the United States. David shares his early journey co-founding Pickleball Central in 2006, what he’s learned watching the sport scale, and why participation curves are now shifting as the market matures.

The conversation breaks down the real data behind growth trends, why multi-sport facilities are becoming the new norm, and what operators need to know before adding padel. They dig into staffing needs, leadership skills, membership models, and how hospitality ultimately determines whether a facility thrives.

Hosts:
Kim Bastable - UF Director of Racquet Sports Education
Simon Gale - USTA Leader & Facility Executive

Guest:
David Johnson – Co-Founder of Pickleball Central, Pickleball Consultant

Learn More & Get Certified

Racquet Fuel is powered by the University of Florida’s Director of Racquet Sports Certificate Program, the industry’s leading education for current and aspiring racquet leaders. Explore our self-paced online courses — Personal Brand Management, Operations & Programming, and Leadership & Finance — and join the next generation of directors shaping the future of the game. 👉 Learn More & Enroll Here

What standards are necessary to build a successful club?

In this episode of Racquet Fuel, hosts Kim Bastable and Simon Gale talk with Consultants Doug Cash and Ajay Pant about the importance of standards in business, particularly in the context of tennis clubs. They explore how standards define a brand, the necessity of enforcing them, and the challenges of managing high performers who may resist compliance. The conversation also delves into the consequences of lacking standards, the process of building a new culture, and the role of leadership in maintaining quality control. Both Doug and Ajay emphasize the need for transparency, team involvement, and the evolution of standards over time to ensure a consistent and high-quality customer experience.

What You’ll Learn:

• Standards are essential for setting expectations before hiring.
• The bigger and more corporate the club, the more likely they have written standards.
• Enforcement of standards is often lacking due to confrontation skills.
• Standards should evolve as the business improves.
• Involve the team in developing and agreeing on standards.
• High performers can be the hardest to manage when they resist standards.
• Quality control is crucial for maintaining product consistency.
• Transparency with standards helps in building trust with employees.
• The culture of a business is reflected in what happens when no one is watching.
• Hiring for cultural fit is vital for maintaining standards.

Hosts:

Kim Bastable - UF Director of Racquet Sports Education
Simon Gale - USTA Leader & Facility Executive

Guest:

Ajay Pant - CEO & Owner of Karundy Consulting

Doug Cash - CEO & Owner of CashFlowTennis

Learn More & Get Certified

Racquet Fuel is powered by the University of Florida’s Director of Racquet Sports Certificate Program, the industry’s leading education for current and aspiring racquets leaders. Explore our self-paced online courses — Personal Brand Management, Operations & Programming, and Leadership & Finance — and join the next generation of directors shaping the future of the game. 👉 Learn More & Enroll Here

What does it take to launch a nationwide coaching initiative from the ground up, and make it thrive?

In this episode of Racquet Fuel, hosts Kim Bastable and Simon Gale talk with Megan Rose, Managing Director of USTA Coaching, about how she’s leading one of the most ambitious projects in U.S. tennis history. From crafting the strategy to grow coaching pathways to navigating the gray areas of leadership, Megan shares lessons on adaptability, inclusion, and redefining success when there’s no playbook to follow.

What You’ll Learn:

• How USTA Coaching fits into the “35 by 35” vision to reach 35 million players by 2035
• The three levers driving tennis growth—and why coaching is the most powerful one
• What it really takes to build a national initiative from scratch
• How to lead with bravery and make tough decisions without losing empathy
• The biggest leadership lesson Megan learned from taking things too personally
• Why engagement—not numbers—is the real measure of success
• How to attract and retain more diverse and balanced coaching teams across the U.S.

Hosts:

Kim Bastable - UF Director of Racquet Sports education
Simon Gale - USTA leader & facility executive

Guest:

Megan Rose - Managing Director and Head of Business Development and Operations (USTA Coaching)

Learn More & Get Certified

Racquet Fuel is powered by the University of Florida’s Director of Racquet Sports Certificate Program, the industry’s leading education for current and aspiring racquets leaders. Explore our self-paced online courses—Personal Brand Management, Operations & Programming, and Leadership & Finance—and join the next generation of directors shaping the future of the game. 👉 Learn More & Enroll Here