Trust and Teamwork Drive a Last-Minute Pivot at TwinEagles Club - Club + Resort Business
After poor weather threatened the club’s annual bocce tournament, Director of Sports and Club Operations Tony Falangas and his team constructed a full-scale court inside the main dining room to keep the finals on track. After poor weather threatened the club’s annual bocce tournament, Director of Sports and Club Operations Tony Falangas and his team constructed a full-scale court inside the main dining room to keep the finals on track.
The TwinEagles Club in Naples, Fla. , introduced bocce as a member amenity in 2023, shortly after its renovated clubhouse reopened. Bringing the new amenity to life meant Director of Sports and Club Operations Tony Falangas and his team had to find engaging ways to introduce members to the sport through events and league play. Three years later, bocce leagues have become so popular that when poor weather threatened the club’s annual tournament finals, Falangas and his team had to pivot quickly. “This tournament came in early April when the weather started to shift in Naples,” he says. “Scheduling our playoff finals is always hectic because we have to coordinate with members’ schedules to make sure everyone is available. Once we nailed down the date, the weather looked like it was going to be a complete wash out. ”With no other dates available, Falangas asked his team if the finals could be moved inside the clubhouse. “Once I asked my team, it was a quick reaction,” he says. “The team never says no, and I think that comes from doing so many projects together, and we’ve built trust and earned respect for each other. We didn’t even have to discuss the plan. Once I asked, my team asked if I wanted it up tonight or tomorrow morning. ”Building a bocce communityMembers at TwinEagles Club quickly embraced bocce. After the first year of introduction, Falangas says he had 1,250 members sign up. The high interest created more leagues and divisions. The club currently has a women’s league, men’s league, and mixed league. The club invested in four artificial turf courts, which seems to be sufficient for membership. “This amenity became the number one way that members can interact with other members and meet new members,” says Falangas. “When onboarding new members, this is the gateway for them to get to know everybody. ”The popularity of the sport is another reason why Falangas knew that cancelling the bocce finals just wasn’t an option. A quick pivot indoorsFalangas says club leaders must always have a backup plan when it comes to events. When Falangas decided to move the bocce finals indoors and had the support of his team, the plan came together quickly. “Within a few hours they had already fully constructed a bocce court in the middle of our brand-new clubhouse,” he says. The team built the court on the dining room carpet with pressure-treated wood outlining the court like a normal bocce court would be. Then the scoreboards were brought in and installed next to the court. With one problem solved, a new one arose. The bocce finals correspond with a cookout that attracts over 300 members. “It was a stressful situation because I didn’t want to let anyone down and wanted to respect my food and beverage and culinary teams’ time,” he says. But just like the team who built the indoor bocce court, the F&B and culinary team quickly adjusted and hosted the cookout inside the main dining room. “We didn’t communicate this to members until the last minute, and there was some skepticism at first, but after 20 minutes everyone realized this was an incredible thought and effort put together by the team,” he says. Now members are asking for the event to be held inside all the time because of the uniqueness of the event. Trust makes the differenceFalangas says this quick pivot in plans would not have happened if he and his team didn’t have the trust they currently have with one another. “My team got right to work and said, ‘We’re going to take your lead without hesitation,’” he says. “That is strictly due to the relationship we’ve developed over time. ”Falangas and his team spent a lot of time together in leadership and executive meetings, and they felt so passionate about trying to do something for the membership, which drove the action. The biggest logistical challenges came from transforming the room. Falangas says the dining room furniture is really heavy with little storage space available. “Moving stuff around and adapting the space to put a 12 by 55-foot court in the middle of our dining room was challenging,” he says. “And rearranging the space to have the food and beverage operate was challenging too. ”Falangas says TwinEagles has a special leadership team, but that leadership is only as strong as the frontline staff. “And the team has to feel empowered to make these types of decisions,” he says. “I think communication comes under all of this umbrella. If everyone feels like their skin is in the game, and they feel appreciated and heard, there’s just a different energy. ”