Lights, Camera, Racquets: The Art of Reinvention with Bryan Fox
Welcome to Racquet Fuel, where we launch into great conversations and share powerful tools to help you become a stronger Racquets leader. Your hosts are Kim Bastable, a former all American tennis player and now the director of professional rackets management at the University of Florida, and Simon Gale, the USTA senior director of Racquet Sports Development. Today on Racquet Fuel, fifteen years in Hollywood acting, directing, writing, and filmmaking, and hanging with stars didn't make Bryan that but it did prepare Bryan for the most fulfilling job of his life as a director of Racquet Sports. Here are Kim and Simon.
Kim Bastable:Welcome to Racquet Fuel. I'm Kim Bastable, and today, we have a really fun visitor. He's a seasoned director of Racquet Sports, but he started his career in Hollywood. Pretty unique, Simon.
Simon Gale:Yeah. I think this is a first for us, and I'm excited to have Bryan on this episode. I've seen Bryan speak before at the PTR conference last year, and he's built his career nicely over over the last decade or so. So he's got a lot to share with the audience today.
Kim Bastable:Yeah. It's that's what was caught me. He's a student in the UF director of Racquet Sports class, and that's how I've gotten to know Brian. And but his story of creativity and the reason that he's, you know, went to Hollywood and was a writer, a director, an editor, an actor, a producer of movies, which is just not something you say about most directors of Racquet Sports. Very unique, and the creativity is benefiting him in his position as director of Racquet Sports at Lakeshore Country Club.
Kim Bastable:So, Bryan, we welcome you to the podcast. Thank you for being here.
Bryan Fox:Thank you, guys. Good morning. Thanks for having me.
Kim Bastable:So before you became a director of Racquet Sports, you did your time in Hollywood. Can you just tell us about the dreams and passions that led you to pursue a career in the entertainment interest industry? What drew you from Iowa to Hollywood?
Bryan Fox:Yeah. I think that I always loved movies, and that sort of was built in when I was training as a junior tennis player in Florida at the ITA Academy in Delray Beach. And every Friday night, we would go to the movies. So it was what's the next one coming out, and we would talk about them, and it was exciting. So I think that built my love for Hollywood, the movie business, and intrigued me to one day want to travel down that path.
Kim Bastable:So how did that work after the academy? Where did you what what steps did you take? Tell us a little bit about the transition and and and a little about those Hollywood days.
Bryan Fox:Sure. When I started, I knew no one in LA. I drove into the Riviera Country Club. I got a position as a a teaching pro for a junior class, just on a whim. I I just put myself out there, and I I figured if I wanted to be involved, I needed to be there.
Bryan Fox:So first step was getting myself there, being able to get a job where I could pay some bills and and have some time and flexibility to pursue those ambitions. So I did that. And slowly but surely, if you put yourself in the right place and you work hard enough and you care about what you're doing, it will pay off.
Kim Bastable:So then you how'd you break into the the movie business?
Bryan Fox:Everyone starts at a very basic level, commercial auditions, student films, short films. Every opportunity that you can get to get in a room where eventually you meet a casting director that becomes a fan of yours that allows you to get to the next level. So you start off doing a commercial and a short film and then a costar on a TV show or a guest star on a TV show. And then you hope to get a series regular or you get a small part in a movie. And by no means was it all glamorous.
Bryan Fox:My first thing I ever did was landing in LA and dressing up in a pirate costume at 03:30 in the morning, standing in the cold waiting for the actors to come out, and it was Pirates of the Caribbean. But I it's this is a big production, but, you know, I'm an extra just standing there. But it was an a neat opportunity to learn, watch some real professionals doing what they were doing, and be a part of something pretty cool.
Kim Bastable:So then you developed then to your own like, you've actually had your own movie. You had some big roles. You met some pretty important, pretty well known people. Give us all a few snippets and of the of those pieces of information.
Bryan Fox:Yeah. Like I said, if you start out in a big production, you are not going to be the the star. You know, I was on a movie set in New York for a film called nonstop with Liam Neeson and Julianne Moore and Lupita Nyong'o, and my my part was two lines in the movie. This is a big blockbuster film and pretty expensive production, but it takes time to get up to those those bigger roles and the more significant things. And, ultimately, you need permission from someone to get that job.
Bryan Fox:So later in my career, after I had some experience with different things, I I wanted to be able to fill in the gaps with things such as photography, making my own productions, whether it was a film or commercial, because I I wanted to take ownership and and be empowered myself. So I the last thing I did was a short film, which which was I wrote and directed it, and I starred in it. It was well received. We won 25 film festivals throughout the world, and I got to direct Henry Winkler and Lorraine Bracco and Kelly Preston. A really a great cast.
Bryan Fox:So that was very rewarding, especially coming from the from nothing. It was a concept that I just started writing on the computer and and trying to flush it out. And that seems very rewarding, but don't get me wrong, that that took years.
Simon Gale:So now you transitioned to a full time tennis career and I think there's a whole other episode about how you made the transit. It sounds like you're on a successful path and then you go full time with tennis. You've worked in multiple types of facilities. You've had a more revenue driven profit center type facility. You've worked in community oriented type facilities with say a rec commission.
Simon Gale:How have you kind of balanced these differing priorities and and what have you learned from those two experience that have helped you move to where you are these days?
Bryan Fox:I think the most important thing is human connection. And if you want to be an actor, for example, that I'm only funny, well, good luck. It's very one noted. There's not going to be a lot of work for you. Even Jim Carrey, who's the best of the best, is doing some drama.
Bryan Fox:You know? But the point is, no matter what it is you're doing, if as an actor, if you're doing a short film that's a drama or a feature film that's a romantic comedy or you're teaching tennis in a rec center or you are working on a paddle program at a country club, the essence of everything is human connection and people. And how do we form a strong human connection that is compelling, interesting, fulfilling, rewarding? And so you could put me in any of those different environments, and I will drive revenues by having great programming. I will, at a rec center, provide robust opportunities for underprivileged or those that may not otherwise have the opportunity because I'm listening to what people want and making it fun and keeping it human connected, driving from what we all want, which is no different than breaking down a scene as an actor.
Bryan Fox:Two actors start out in a rehearsal process with a script and they have to look at each other and find a commonality and a human connection. And that's what makes a great project work.
Simon Gale:And we often in our industry, you hear terms like or sayings like, we're in the people business or the connection business or the relationship business and tennis is just the vehicle. Right? So it feels like the things you've learned through your Hollywood experience and multiple Racquets experience have made this very clear to you. And I think if you apply that, you're gonna be successful no matter what the the type of venue is. So transitioning into into working in country clubs and that's been a big part of the the the latter part of your career here.
Simon Gale:And you were at Innersbrook, which is a huge operation and now at Lakeshore in Illinois, which must have been fun just recently with that cold spell that came through. But you've excelled in that area. What are the biggest adjustments you've made now being in that member service or or serve the member type mentality country club?
Bryan Fox:Well, I think, again, that it's the adjustment is the environment. So it it's getting to know the members and what is it that they want. We we want to add Padel. So that's gonna be something that I'm going to embrace and try to bring the fun just like I would any other tennis pickleball. So, again, the the human connection is what's important to me.
Bryan Fox:The things to to look out for are, am I doing this job for the paycheck? Does this look like something that is a higher salary and therefore, that's why I want to do this? No. If that's what you're aiming for, he's probably will not be happy and fulfilled long run. So it's doing things for the right reasons is as important as focusing on what it is you're setting out to do.
Simon Gale:So answer this for me because I think this is a question I get this a lot is you're at a successful club like Innersbrook, what's the motivation for making a change to say Lakeshore and where you're talking about it's not the paycheck? But quite often a change comes with a little bit bigger paycheck. But paycheck aside, what was the difference between those two clubs that was that drew you to this job?
Bryan Fox:I wish people talked more about the totality of what you bring to the table and not just how to run a pickleball program. Because for me personally, I really gave it a shot in Florida, and I I was thriving in my job. But it could be as simple as I struggle with migraines in the heat, and it was very difficult for me. It was hard, hard work, and also just not feeling well. I didn't feel connected as I didn't have a community there of friends and family.
Bryan Fox:So it was it was a great opportunity, and I'm very grateful for how much I learned. And I could still continue to learn there, but I also knew that it wasn't going to be a forever place for me. And I do feel that now with Lakeshore. It took time. It took a lot of trial and error.
Bryan Fox:It took making some turns down the road that I thought were incorrect, but ultimately winds up serving you in the end.
Kim Bastable:Yeah. You told me once that you felt, you know, did Hollywood, and I think a lot of people look at Hollywood as the quite glamorous be all end all, but you were not fully fulfilled there, and you feel much more fulfilled in in the world of Racquet Sports. I don't know if that had to do with your decision to go to Lakeshore because you were already in Racquet Sports, but can you unpack that a little bit?
Bryan Fox:It's a great question. Thank you. Because I think art is more important than people give it credit for. And, again, we talk about creativity and innovation and all that's important, but how do you just go do that? So I learned a lot in my endeavors.
Bryan Fox:But through the years, discovered that I did not enjoy the feeling of me, me, me, you kind of need that bug to keep going. And over the course of my time, especially after COVID, that that was a good time to reflect and have time to think about where can I go next and at at what stage of my life am I so that I can make the best decisions moving forward? Where do I wanna be? Who what's the long term plan and the goal? And it's that intrinsic versus extrinsic.
Bryan Fox:The rewards for a lot of Hollywood endeavors felt unsatisfying eventually, and I kind of felt like this is great. This is hard work. It's it's honorable. But I I feel like I can impact others in another way that would be more more gratifying long term success. And the reward that you get from giving to others through Racquet Sports, I think is is so great and I love it.
Simon Gale:Well, it feels like you've learned a lot of lessons through your your Hollywood experience and you've applied those to your tennis career. And I think if you've only ever been in tennis, you only know one thing, but it feels like you've bought a lot of adaptability, creativity, and I think of words like perseverance, determined. Like, you've you've overcome obstacles and made things happen and, you know, hats off to you for for the lessons learned and how you're applying them. With the evolution of even, as we say, director of Racquets is your position now, that didn't exist ten years ago. How have you innovated and adapted to to all this change in the Racquets industry?
Simon Gale:You talk about Paddell coming to your club or planning around bringing in Paddell. How have you found that? And is it something you've embraced? And how have you adapted to to this evolution?
Bryan Fox:Well, I think Racquet Sports in general are just fun, all of them. And as we get a little bit older, the the thing that got us started perhaps being a competitive tennis player where the ultimate goal is to maybe play college or professional tennis. At a certain point, reality hits in and you say, okay. Now I'm a 45 year old man, and that that is not something that I am, you know, aiming to do. But I got in it because I love it.
Bryan Fox:So how can I enjoy Racquet Sports differently than when I was playing a number one position at a division one college program? I can't do that now. So it is a way of adapting and still finding joy in it. So to me, Padel, pickleball, paddle, pop tennis, all of these things are are fun. And if our membership is exposed to things that they want to try, I wanna try it as well because of the joy that we'll have together playing these sports.
Bryan Fox:And I've embraced it because I think even five years ago, pickleball was like, do we do we really have to do this? It's kind of the thought people had. And I think it's sort of a narrow minded view. So to answer your question, how do we how do we adapt and and keep innovating? I think just being open minded and and going forward, And, boy, am I grateful for those that created these positions, director of Racquet Sports where they didn't exist years ago, because a lot of hard work went into that, I know.
Bryan Fox:And to be at the table feeling like an equal to the golf or recreation or whatever it is is not something that was just plopped in our laps without a lot of work from previous leaders.
Simon Gale:You know, I think you reach a point in your career and and just listening to your answers, it's it's obvious to me that at some point, whether it's 30, 40, 45, whatever whatever age you are now, you start looking at you start reflecting and understanding the why of tennis and and what it did for you versus you're a competitor and all you were focused on is results, rankings, and and going to college, that sort of thing. As a leader, as soon as you understand exactly why you do what you do, I think that's when you start to have a real impact with your members and your players and so on. So when you try and work with a team, right, you know, you wake up every day now, your job's to worry about your team and it's less about yourself. How do you instill that in your team and and and foster kind of that collaboration and creativity at Lakeshore?
Bryan Fox:I think our staff are a group of unique individuals. One person that worked at our pro shop was also an artist. Another tennis pro is a musician and a composer. And everybody has an interesting story. Everybody has something to share and to give.
Bryan Fox:And if we as leaders can allow them to be seen and be interested and keep the dialogue open, there are endless possibilities.
Kim Bastable:So let's talk about some examples of how you've used. That sounds awesome. You've you've got the staff. Maybe there's a band gonna be formed out of this lakeshore. Do you play music too, Bryan?
Bryan Fox:I I do not. I I have a guitar, but I I can't touch it.
Kim Bastable:Oh, come on. I editor, writer, producer, actor, whatever, whatever, whatever, I think, you know, band leader is is on there too. But okay. So let's just talk about some examples. How have you created some fun, maybe unique experiences from your creative brain that have translated into programs or activities or parties at one of your facilities, maybe Lakeshore?
Bryan Fox:We are having a paddle event coming up. And instead of just doing paddle, we're doing eighties pop trivia while we have some pops and paddle. And, you know, it's it's just about finding we happen to have a group of people that are about my age that grew up in the eighties and nineties, and they are excited to to do the pop trivia. There's a picture of on the flyer from High Fidelity, and someone said, oh, I saw that picture, and I was in immediately. So I think it's knowing what they want to do, what would be, in this case, the most fun event.
Bryan Fox:On another note, I think if it's like a junior program, and I was the director of the Palisades Tennis Center, and we had a, we had a 100 kids out for junior camp, and that was a challenge in and of itself. One of the things that we did, we had a theme for for the week. So let's say the theme was spin. And what we did was we had a little letter. You can get them at any little craft store, painted them, put some glitter on it, and we hid them every day.
Bryan Fox:So a different letter, SPIN, and then maybe we had, like, another wild card one in there for the fifth day. And it was the secret hidden letter. I'm not kidding you. Kids would show up at lunch that weren't playing tennis even, or they were they were trying to, like, go to the bathroom early so that they could get up there to find the secret hidden letter. So I will do anything to try to invoke curiosity in kids.
Bryan Fox:Everyone loves an Easter egg hunt. It's kind of that concept. Finding what what makes them want to be there, what will keep them engaged. Now I've got an ear. I can instill some sort of wisdom, some instruction, and they'll remember that forever.
Bryan Fox:That was that was a very successful thing that we did, and others should steal that one because it it's gonna work. And then speaking of stealing, I I always love to quote Michael Caine, who's a great actor, and he said, if you see someone that did something great, steal it because they did too. So you might be able to to take that and run with it and do your own thing. I did the the green ball twelve u tour, which was based on Mike Barrel's idea to follow the pro circuit for junior players and have a tournament at your club that is the Italian Open and have Italian food. Have breakfast at Wimbledon and do a Wimbledon tournament.
Bryan Fox:So this this is still going on at Hempfield Rec Center in Pennsylvania years after I've been gone because it's it's bigger than any of us. It's it's an exciting thing to take. But what we did there is we we spun it a little bit for us to make it work. Wilson Pipkin is a great director of Racquets there, and he has a a $100,000 pro circuit USGA event. We had the ball kids, who are also in the twelve u tour, play on center court under the lights with a chair umpire calling the score, fans in the stands so that these kids could feel what it was like to play a professional tennis tournament.
Bryan Fox:And so that was just something that was available to us there that was Wilson Pipkin's hard work. It was Mike Barrow's great idea, but I will be the fuel to get that across the finish line to try to get something that will help kids play tennis and be inspired and go on to maybe they'll play college one day. Maybe they'll just be in a league. Doesn't matter.
Kim Bastable:That's great. Those are some great ideas. I would love to ask the question. Think I sometimes pros are maybe fearful of trying new ideas or putting themselves out there in something, you know, some unique way. Have you had any flops?
Kim Bastable:Have you had something you tried that was, oops, that didn't go that well?
Bryan Fox:For sure. And I think part of the humility of all of this is and you might have a great idea that just the people you're working with think it's not a great idea. You have to be willing to lay out 99 ideas that are horrible to expose the one that works. And if you are not willing to start spitting ideas, you're going nowhere. So you have to keep going and trying them.
Bryan Fox:And if it doesn't work, it doesn't work. Move on. That's okay too.
Simon Gale:Sounds like a life lesson, Bryan. Right? I mean, when you when you think about the things we're talking about and you look at our at at your career path, it's amazing how, you know, I I I'm listening to your story and I'm thinking about, you know, I did those world tour events as well at my club and nobody remembered the forehands and backhands. They remembered the Italian food or, you know, the the lengths I went to to have Vegemite sandwiches and Australian meat pies at an event in Upstate New York. I mean, the expense to find those and then set it all up and for people remember that, not who won the tournament or what the experience was.
Simon Gale:So it brought people together and that's what you're remembered for. So cheers to you for for your creativity and I think that's a rare breed and and unfortunately, I think a lot of our events in the industry are a little traditional at times. And I think if you look at what coming with and is here with Padel and Pickle and the creativity and social aspects, we've been talking a lot about how we need to reignite that in some of our tennis events and find new ways to engage. And and it sounds like you're doing a great job. So this sounds like a presentation at a conference to me, Kim.
Simon Gale:It sounds Bryan should present these concepts and inspire a room. Yeah. I'll be lobbying for that in your future. But if you look back at your at your journey, and one of the goals with with Racquet Fuel is to be able to inspire the next generation of leaders or help current leaders, what advice would you give to those aspiring pros who are looking to be the next great leader or do something different?
Bryan Fox:Number one, take the opportunities that are there. These opportunities that you're speaking of, going to conferences, connecting. I know KK and W who placed me at Lakeshore offer a free session with prospective clients, and it's available. Take advantage. I grew up a little bit in a time where it it wasn't so easy to find any little advantage.
Bryan Fox:They're there. So be savvy. Expose yourself to opportunities. Work hard. Anything is possible, but you gotta be good.
Bryan Fox:And, yeah, just just keep going. And there are legitimate careers. That's what's the most exciting. I think a lot of people think that tennis is a great way to make some side cash or helping out in a paddle program. And we are looking for people that are interested in their being their career path.
Bryan Fox:So don't discount Racquet Sports. And, again, thank you to everyone who got us there because they move the needle enough to where it's a reality. So go for it.
Simon Gale:It also feels like you're pretty pretty appreciative of the people that have helped you along the way. Did you can just tell in some of your comments? And I assume you would be the type of guy who will give back to if somebody asked you for some advice or emailed you, called you and said, could you give me half an hour of your time? You're the sort of guy who would pick up the phone and say yes. And I think that's really important part of being in in a leadership role is that you give back and and help these young pros understand exactly what you said.
Simon Gale:There is a career path and what does it look like and here's how I got there. And everybody doesn't have to have the same path, but there's lots of opportunities for you if you're willing to commit to it and willing to put in the the time and sacrifice. So would you would you agree with that?
Bryan Fox:Absolutely. I know I spoke to Kim about this a little bit. One of the beautiful things at Lakeshore is that we have opportunities for interns in the summer. We have a hotel in the club where people can come and be an apprentice and learn and and stay there and get some really good food. But, yes, I would always pick up the phone for anyone that wanted to reach out, even just to talk things out.
Bryan Fox:And sometimes people get to the answer on their own without needing answers, but they just need to be able to have someone to pick up the phone and call. So I would be more than happy to to be that person for anyone because someone did it for me. And when you're not maybe the most talented actor or I wasn't the most talented tennis player, I grew up in a really tough era of really amazing superstar pros. You learn really quickly that being kind and polite, appreciative, and working hard and enduring can really pay off as well.
Kim Bastable:Yeah. That that's what inspired me with your story, Bryan, is that I saw that you'd been in Hollywood and, you know, you were a great tennis player as a junior, and then you kinda went off on this dream, fought really hard in Hollywood to to make a place, which you did while you taught tennis on the side and, I think you said some private courts and different facilities there. And now on the side, we our hearts go out to the people of Southern California who have dealt with the fires, and, we know that's affected many Racquets professionals, and we're very sorry for that. It's a tragic time, and Bryan has mentioned that at some of his places that he was a player at or pro at, you know, are now struggling, if not destroyed. But we we know that your path took you through Hollywood, and at some point, you said to yourself, I'm done here.
Kim Bastable:There's a job for me in tennis. Was that a running away from Hollywood or running to tennis? I'm just kind of curious.
Bryan Fox:I would say both. I think that if you look in the news of certain things like the way Hollywood runs to a certain extent, it it didn't align with my core values. I think that something that I want to do for a long time and have some sort of certainty was available through Racquet Sports. Again, the reason I started doing photography or being a writer director was because I wanted to take the the ownership to be able to do my own thing and not need permission from others. So it just felt like the right time.
Bryan Fox:So I think it's listening to what's out there, where are you at, and then making the best decision to move forward. It doesn't mean that I don't have great respect for artists or actors, directors. I do. But I'm going to be the most fulfilled doing what I'm doing now. And I feel that I said to my best friend the other day, I'm building in.
Bryan Fox:I am feeling so fulfilled and rewarded by rather than seeking attention or this was a great project, what's the next thing gonna be? Trying to climb the ladder, so to speak. I am now building a life inward that allows me to have fuel to be more successful, to give back to the the world that we are now engaged in. And I feel more more successful than all of the Hollywood glamour, to tell you the truth.
Kim Bastable:It's it says something good for tennis. I think it's it's what we all sort of know deep down how how great a sport it is. It it just drives us every day, not necessarily by the paycheck. It's really the people, as you said, the connection, the the meaning, the greatness of the sport. So, yeah, I've I actually have quite a few people that come to the University of Florida's director of Racquet Sports program because they came through another career, and they've realized they really wanna go back to what they loved as a junior tennis player, and they wanna be a leader.
Kim Bastable:And they bring a lot of transferable skills, and I love that. I think that's such a fun thing to get to receive those phone calls. I love the people that come up and stay in tennis all the time because they're the diehards, but anybody wants to come back, I love it too, and it's it's what we need. We need good, strong people. So we really appreciate your time.
Kim Bastable:Any final thoughts, Simon?
Simon Gale:Look. It's a great story. I'm glad you got to tell it, and and I hope a lot of people get to hear it. Keep telling it because it's inspiring, and I think people need to hear these stories, and and that inspiration fuels people to to follow this career path. It is incredibly rewarding.
Simon Gale:It can be very financially rewarding, and I think if you can get both, it's an amazing, career opportunity. So thanks for sharing, Bryan. It's been fun.
Bryan Fox:Thanks, guys. Thanks for having me. I enjoyed my time with you.
Kim Bastable:That's all we have for you today on Racquet Fuel. We'll speak to you next time.
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 like what you just heard, please subscribe. And also leave a review, which helps other people join the mission to become stronger Racquets leaders.
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