Tennis Coach 192#: Serve, Grow, Repeat with Simon Gale on Coaching and Retaining Talent
In this inspiring episode on The Coaching Podcast, we dive into the mind of Simon Gale — a leader who has dedicated his career to developing people, building culture, and transforming racquet sports programs from the inside out. As Senior Director of Racquet Sports at the USTA National Campus, Simon shares the secrets behind leading a massive team, creating athlete-centered environments, and asking the kind of questions that unlock true growth. We explore what makes people come back to the court, why hiring for mindset matters more than résumé, and the powerful link between coaching, curiosity, and retention. Get ready for a masterclass in purposeful leadership and practical coaching wisdom.
About Simon Gale
Simon Gale, originally from Perth, Australia, is the Senior Director of Racquet Sports Development at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Florida. In this role, he oversees a team of 35+ teaching professionals, including five head professionals, and manages 100 courts across the campus. The campus welcomes over 400,000 visitors annually, offering 125+ programs that engage more than 2,000 players weekly, and hosts 350+ events each year. Before joining the USTA, Simon served as the Managing Partner and Director of Racquets at Taconic Sport & Racquet Club in Hopewell Junction, NY. Prior to that, he spent 12 years at Yonkers Tennis Center in Yonkers, NY, where he held multiple leadership roles, including Director of Tennis and General Manager. Simon has been featured in prominent industry publications such as PTR Pro Magazine, USPTA Addvantage Magazine, Tennis Industry Magazine and the USTA's Business of 10&U Infomercial. His accolades include: - Tennis Australia Top Operators Tour” presenter - 2024 Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) “Pro of the Year” - 2024 Professional Tennis Registry Women (PTRW) “Allyship Award” - Tennis Industry Association “National Youth Provider of the Year” - USPTA Eastern “Facility Manager of the Year” - Published in ITF Coaching and Sport Science Review: Growing and maintaining a successful tennis business backed by a sound framework - USTA Tennis Market Initiative (TMI) provider In addition to his role at the USTA, Simon founded SG Tennis Consulting, where he works with clubs and facilities to optimize operations and enhance racquet sports programming profitability. His certifications include PTR, USPTA, USTA High Performance, Tennis Coaches Association Australia, IPTPA (Pickleball), USPTA Padel, and the UF Director of Racquet Sports certificate. Simon also co-hosts the Racquet Fuel Podcast, which provides insights into leadership development within the racquet sports industry.
Connect with Simon
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simongaletennis/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simongale1972/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simon.gale.39
