Racket Business

Building in Public: What I Got Wrong About Clubs Before I Started Talking to Operators

David Pyrzenski — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 09:40:12 +0000

Once I started actually talking to club directors and operators, a few things became very clear, very quickly. The first thing I got wrong was how much of the experience is held together manually. I assumed most clubs had complete systems that handled everything seemlessly and staff just managed exceptions. In reality, a lot of the experience depends on people behind the scenes constantly adjusting things. They’re moving players around, balancing levels, filling empty spots last minute, coming up with programming, managing events, and dealing with no-shows. There’s a lot of invisible work that members never see, and if that work stops, things break down fast.

The second thing I got wrong was how little time directors actually have to plan long term strategy or leverage data to spot trends. I thought the challenge was “how do we improve the member experience?” but most of the time the real challenge is “how do we get through today without something falling apart?” They’re dealing with staffing issues, scheduling conflicts, member complaints, and program logistics. It’s constant. Even if they want to improve things, they don’t always have the time or space to step back and rethink how things are structured. Layer on top of that challenges like "the club uses X system, and even if we wanted to use Y system, we wouldn't be allowed."

The third thing I got wrong was how complex member expectations really are. I thought it was mostly about skill level and availability. That’s part of it, but it’s not the full picture. There’s also confidence levels, social preferences, competitiveness versus casual play, and existing relationships inside the club. Two players can be the same skill level and still be a terrible match. When matches aren’t right, people don’t come back as often.

The biggest shift for me was this: clubs aren’t just managing courts and schedules, they’re managing people and experiences at a really granular level, and most of the tools they have weren’t designed for that. They were designed to organize operations, not to optimize engagement. That realization changed how I think about what we’re building. It’s not about adding more features, it’s about reducing the amount of friction required to create great experiences. I’m still working through what that actually looks like in practice, and I’m curious, for those running clubs, what’s something about your day-to-day that most people on the outside would never expect?

About the Founder

David Pyrzenski is the founder of CourtMatch.ai and a lifelong racquet sports enthusiast turned technology entrepreneur.

With deep roots in the racket sports community from competitive play in his youth to coaching juniors and remaining an active club member, David experienced firsthand the operational challenges that many clubs face. Marrying that passion with a professional background in software development and customer experience, he set out to build a platform that unifies court reservations, leagues, lessons, memberships, communication, and analytics into one intelligent system designed to boost engagement and streamline club operations.

His mission with CourtMatch is simple: to help clubs spend less time on fragmented systems and more time connecting players and growing vibrant communities.

Connect with CourtMatch on LinkedIn

Learn more about CourtMatch.ai and benefit from a lifetime discount

Read our Q&A with David

April 2026 issue

Rich Neher — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 20:07:45 +0000

Hello dear readers, friends, and racket sports enthusiasts.

April brings a powerful mix of momentum, reflection, and forward thinking across the racquet sports industry, and this issue of Racket Business captures it all.

We begin with a clear look at the big-picture forces shaping the game. From the debate sparked in Stadiums Over Courts, questioning where investment is really going, to the rapid evolution of private coaching models in Disrupting the Country Club, this issue challenges long-held assumptions about how and where our sports grow. At the same time, emerging voices and initiatives like SETS is Making Waves and our new Building in Public series highlight a shared commitment to transparency, innovation, and putting professionals first.

This month Rich’s publisher’s note take a critical look at the USTA’s direction, suggesting that mounting financial pressure and declining membership have pushed the organisation into increasingly aggressive—and perhaps uneasy—efforts to drive growth through initiatives like pickleball expansion and rebranding. Rich argues that behind the scenes, confidence in traditional tennis pathways is weakening, with leadership appearing more focused on revenue and survival than on meaningful engagement or innovation for players and coaches.

Gary Horvath explores how tennis participation varies significantly across USTA sections, highlighting that growth is uneven and heavily influenced by local factors such as culture, facilities, and programme quality rather than simply population size. While overall participation numbers remain strong, his piece suggests that these regional disparities reveal deeper challenges for the sport—particularly around engagement, retention, and converting casual players into regular participants.

April also brings insights from across the global stage. Our RacquetX 2026 Wrap-up reflects on one of the industry’s most important gatherings, while dedicated coverage of racquetball, padel, and international coaching perspectives, from Europe to the Middle East, illustrates how interconnected and fast-moving this ecosystem has become. The rise of padel, in particular, continues to reshape the conversation around tennis, not as a replacement, but as a catalyst for reinvention.

In our ‘Knowledge is Power’ section, we dive deeper into the ideas shaping the future of coaching and leadership. From the role of AI in redefining—not replacing—coaches, to the risks of diluted standards in coaching education, to breakthroughs in accessibility and training systems, the message is clear: progress depends on both innovation and accountability. Add to that perspectives on technology, continuous learning, and the realities faced “in the trenches,” and you’ll find no shortage of practical insight.

Finally, we round out the issue with essential updates, from industry calendars and certifications to thought leadership on facilities, membership, and professional growth, ensuring you stay informed and connected.

Whether you’re leading a club, building a business, or developing players, this month’s issue is designed to challenge your thinking, sharpen your perspective, and help you navigate what’s next in racquet sports.

If you have insights, ideas, or industry experience to share, we invite you to contribute to RacketBusiness — because the conversations that shape our sport start with voices like yours. 👉 Write for RacketBusiness

Enjoy the issue, stay curious, and keep swinging forward.

See you courtside,

Rich & Tim (Learn more about us)

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From inside the lines…

An exclusive series of short features, only available to newsletter subscribers, from the owner’s of Racket Business. This month…

The Entrepreneurial Boom in Racket Sports: An Industry in Its Own Industrial Revolution

The racket sports industry is undergoing a profound transformation, one increasingly driven not by governing bodies or legacy institutions, but by entrepreneurs. From facility operators and tech platforms to apparel brands and event innovators, a new generation of business builders is reshaping how racket sports are played, consumed, and monetised. The data suggests this is not incremental growth, it is exponential, and arguably comparable to an “industrial revolution” moment for the sector.

At the centre of this shift is participation growth. Padel, in particular, has become the clearest indicator of industry acceleration. Globally, participation has surpassed 30–35 million players, with double-digit annual growth across clubs, courts, and federations . In the UK alone, the number of players has increased by over 2,500% since 2019, rising from around 15,000 to more than 400,000 . Even more striking, participation through booking platforms grew by 125% while the number of clubs on those platforms more than doubled in a single year .

This level of expansion is not organic, it is being engineered. Entrepreneurs are identifying gaps in infrastructure, access, and experience, and rapidly deploying capital and innovation to fill them. In 2024 alone, more than 3,000 new padel clubs were launched globally, equivalent to nearly nine new facilities per day . This mirrors startup ecosystem dynamics more closely than traditional sports development.

What defines this entrepreneurial wave is its diversity. Operators are building premium, hospitality-led clubs that blend sport with wellness and social experiences. Technology founders are creating booking ecosystems and community platforms that lower friction to entry. Investors are backing leagues and franchises, with some projections valuing the global padel market at over $7 billion in the near term. These are not isolated ventures, they are interconnected nodes forming a rapidly scaling industry network.

This “industrialisation” of racket sports has several important implications for the sector’s long-term health.

First, it increases accessibility. New formats, such as padel and pickleball, are easier to learn and inherently social, lowering barriers to entry and broadening demographic reach. This has resulted in a surge of first-time players, an essential pipeline for sustained growth.

Second, it accelerates infrastructure development. Entrepreneur-led investment is expanding court supply at a pace that traditional federations could not achieve alone. In the UK, the number of padel courts has grown from just 68 in 2019 to over 1,000 by 2025, with continued rapid expansion expected .

Third, it drives innovation in the consumer experience. From app-based booking systems to hybrid sport-leisure venues, entrepreneurs are redefining how players engage with racket sports, making them more convenient, social, and commercially viable.

Finally, it creates a more resilient ecosystem. A broader base of independent operators, startups, and investors reduces reliance on a single governing structure and introduces competitive dynamism into the market.

In many ways, the racket sports industry is transitioning from a federation-led model to a market-driven one. This shift, fuelled by entrepreneurial energy, capital investment, and surging participation resembles the early stages of an industrial revolution: rapid scaling, infrastructure build-out, and innovation across the value chain.

For the health of racket sports globally, this is overwhelmingly positive. More businesses mean more courts, more players, more jobs, and more visibility. The challenge now is not growth, but managing it sustainably, ensuring quality, accessibility, and long-term engagement keep pace with expansion.

The revolution is already underway. The opportunity is to shape it.

^{Please note that all of our content is created by human professionals. While we utilize Generative AI technology to assist in correcting syntax and grammar, our articles are written entirely by our team of experts. We value the expertise and creativity of our human writers in delivering high-quality content to our readers.}

Publisher's Notes for April, 2026 Is USTA Coaching getting desperate?

Publisher's Notes for April, 2026

Racket Business • Rich Neher

USTA Section Participation

Gary Horvath on why the USTA needs to refocus its efforts

Racket Business • Gary Horvath

RACKET SPORTS INDUSTRY

Racket Sports Industry News April 2026

Calendar - SportsProsConnect - OCCTA Seminar - Shorts - CDT - RSPA

racketbusiness.com/p/racket-sports-industry-news-april-2026

Stadiums Over Courts

$800M for Stadiums, $10M for Your Courts. Is the USTA Abandoning You?

racketbusiness.com/p/stadiums-over-courts

Disrupting the Country Club, Not the Community: Golden Racket Academy and The Future of Private Tennis & Pickleball Lessons

By Albin A., Founder, Golden Racket Academy

racketbusiness.com/p/disrupting-the-country-club-not-the-community-golden-racket-academy-and-the-future-of-private-tennis

Building in Public

In the tech space, they have something called "building in public." It's essentially an open journal detailing the journey of creating and launching a new company. I thought the racquet community might enjoy reading a series like this while we build solutions together. So here goes!

racketbusiness.com/p/building-in-public

SETS is Making Waves

Put our professionals in the best possible position for them. Their career and education come first.

racketbusiness.com/p/sets-is-making-waves

Why AI Won’t Replace Coaches, But Will Redefine Leadership

Ana Cetina on AI not replacing coaches but it exposing weak leadership

racketbusiness.com/p/why-ai-won-t-replace-coaches-but-will-redefine-leadership/

FACILITIES - SUPPLIES - PEOPLE

Rod Heckelman on the importance of having an active full membership. Rob Norris on

racketbusiness.com/p/facilities-supplies-people-a95f669f555c3eb2

RacquetX 2026 Wrap-up

The place where the world of racquet sports comes together

racketbusiness.com/p/racquetx-2026-wrap-up

Racquetball News for April 2026

USA Racquetball News - World Outdoor Racquetball - Organizations

racketbusiness.com/p/racquetball-news-for-april-2026

PADEL

Padel in Europe: What’s Next For Tennis On A Padel Obsessed Continent?

Europe isn’t falling out of love with tennis. But it is being forced to renegotiate its relationship with it.

racketbusiness.com/p/padel-in-europe-what-s-next-for-tennis-on-a-padel-obsessed-continent

Padel Power Sweeping the World 04/26

RSPA Certification - Ben Nichols - The London Reporter - Padel 22 - Padel Business Magazine - The Padel Paper - Misitrano - Padel Shorts

racketbusiness.com/p/padel-power-sweeping-the-world-04-26

PICKLEBALL

Pickleball Buzz Beyond the Kitchen 4/26

IAPPF - Dinkmate - The Dink - Pickletile - OnCourt OffCourt - Fit Pickler - Pickleheads - Fun

Racket Business • Rich Neher

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

Racket Sports Tech-April 2026

Ashley's Tech Blog - The New HEAD Boom - Tech Shorts

racketbusiness.com/p/racket-sports-tech-april-2026

In the Trenches: The Cost of Watering Down Coaching

Susan Nardi on the dangers of saturating the industry with unqualified coaches

racketbusiness.com/p/in-the-trenches-the-cost-of-watering-down-coaching

Tennis Training System without language and hearing barriers

Russian tennis pro Bakhtior Kraev on creating a completely new professional pathway for deaf people

racketbusiness.com/p/tennis-training-system-without-language-and-hearing-barriers

Assumptions: A Weakness That Can Come with Experience

Rod Heckelman on coaches who are always expected to have all the answers. Most experienced coaches come to realize that it is just not the case.

racketbusiness.com/p/assumptions-a-weakness-that-can-come-with-experience

Social Media - the world's largest professional networking and learning platform

Influential voices in racquet sports share ideas and post their viewpoints and techniques

racketbusiness.com/p/social-media-the-world-s-largest-professional-networking-and-learning-platforms

Teaching in the Middle East

Padel Coach Cristina Kaiser on working in Oman

racketbusiness.com/p/teaching-in-the-middle-east

Never Stop Learning

Lauren Roeder on Resumes vs Portfolios. Loren Anderson on adapting.

racketbusiness.com/p/never-stop-learning-e338162250af4e80

On The Court with Ken DeHart

Your Path to success...

racketbusiness.com/p/on-the-court-with-ken-dehart

New Podcasts & More from March 2026

A collection of your favorite racquet sports podcasts and videos and more

Racket Business • Rich Neher

Webinar Watch 04/2026

RSPA - CourtReserve - PTR - American Racquet Sports Association - Play by Point

Racket Business • Rich Neher

Events Calendar

Every racket sports industry event for the next 12 months with details on how to attend

racketbusiness.com/c/racket-sports-industry-events-calendar

Contribute to Racket Business

Have you got rackets sports industry opinions or expertise you’d like to share? We want to hear from you

racketbusiness.com/c/write-for-racket-business

ICYMI

EVERY RACKET BUSINESS ISSUE…

March 2026 issue