What if your greatest coaching lesson came off the court?

In this episode of Racquet Fuel, Kim Bastable and Simon Gale sit down with Emma Doyle: tennis coach, keynote speaker, and expert in emotional intelligence, to explore what it really takes to coach with impact, whether you're leading athletes, employees, or entire teams.

Emma shares her remarkable journey from teenage coach in Australia to global thought leader and business coach. She opens up about the pivotal moments that shaped her career including burnout, reinvention, and finding her voice during COVID... and the frameworks she now uses to train leaders in Fortune 500 boardrooms and racquet clubs alike.

With humor, heart, and contagious energy, Emma shows us how coaching is a title AND a way of leading that centers on empathy, curiosity, and action.

Whether you’re a club director, department manager, or aspiring coach, her insights will challenge and inspire you to listen deeper, lead better, and unlock the potential in those around you.

By the end of this episode, you'll learn:
- How coaching cultures can elevate performance and reduce disengagement
- Why the best leaders ask better questions instead of giving all the answers
- How to empower others through curiosity, not control
- The mindset shift needed to lead people, not just programs
- Why the phrase “next time” might be your most powerful coaching tool

Whether you're building a business, managing a team, or coaching on court, this conversation will equip you with practical tools and perspective for becoming the kind of leader people want to follow.

🔗 Connect with Emma Doyle on LinkedIn or at CoachEM.cc
🔗 Watch her TEDx talk: "Unleashing Female Potential"
🔗 Explore her podcast: The Coaching Podcast

Looking to become a more confident, competent, and clear business leader with a lifelong career in the racquets industry? Become a Certified Director of Racquet Sports. Visit our website to learn more!

What happens when you bring together startup ambition, big-event expertise, and a deep commitment to human connection? You get RacquetX: an experience designed to connect every corner of the racquet sports industry.

In this episode of Racquet Fuel, Kim Bastable and Simon Gale talk with Robyn Duda, the founder and creative mind behind RacquetX. With a background in designing global corporate events, Robyn saw a gap in the racquet sports space: no centralized experience for connection, collaboration, and future-focused growth. So, she built it.

This conversation unpacks the real challenges and vision behind building an industry-first event from the ground up—complete with indoor courts, live programming, and an unshakable focus on belonging. Robyn shares what it’s like to lead with vulnerability, navigate the unknown, and reshape how racquet sports professionals come together to move the industry forward.

By the end of this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why the racquet sports industry needed something like RacquetX—and what makes it different
• The real challenges of launching a startup within a traditional industry
• What goes into creating meaningful experiences that connect diverse sectors
• How leadership, risk, and emotional honesty shape powerful innovation
• What clubs, coaches, and brands are craving when it comes to the future of community

Whether you're a club director, brand leader, coach, or entrepreneur, this episode will expand how you think about progress in racquet sports—and how bold ideas turn into movement.

Listen to hear how one person’s clarity of vision—and willingness to do the hard work—is reshaping how the racquet sports world shows up and connects.

Connect with Robyn Duda at TheRacquetX.com
Connect with Kim Bastable on LinkedIn
Connect with Simon Gale on LinkedIn

Looking to become a more confident, competent, and clear business leader with a lifelong career in the racquets industry? Visit our website to learn more!

What does it actually take to build a thriving racquet sports facility in today’s fast-moving market? And what’s just hype?

In this episode of Racquet Fuel, hosts Kim Bastable and Simon Gale are joined by Eric Loftus, an expert court builder and board member of the American Sports Builders Association. With more than 50 years in the tennis and racquet construction industry, Eric shares what he’s seeing on the ground—and where the court construction world is headed next.

They explore the real economics behind pickleball and padel, the growing pains of a booming market, and why many clubs are struggling to master the land, logistics, and legislation that come with trying to “add a few courts.” Whether you're a facility leader, investor, or simply trying to keep up with trends, this episode offers clarity in a rapidly evolving landscape.

By the end of this episode, you'll learn:

✅ Why post-COVID demand transformed racquet sports, and what that means for club infrastructure
✅ The real costs, challenges, and misconceptions around building courts for padel and pickleball
✅ Why “build it and they will come” doesn’t work without community and quality instruction
✅ How clubs can avoid the biggest mistakes in court planning, compliance, and construction
✅ What the rise of padel in Europe tells us about the future of U.S. racquet sports facilities

Whether you're managing a country club, building from scratch, or looking to future-proof your programs, this episode breaks down what’s really happening in racquet sports construction, and what comes next.

Connect with Eric Loftus on LinkedIn and at Northeast Padel
Connect with Kim Bastable on LinkedIn
Connect with Simon Gale on LinkedIn

Looking to become a more confident, competent, and clear business leader with a lifelong career in the racquets industry? Visit our website to learn more!