Episode #26
Danny Da Costa - CEO, Osten & Victor Alberta Tennis Centre
What does it take to build a world-class sports organization from the ground up? On this episode of Defining Moments , Dustin Heise sits down with Danny Da Costa, CEO of the Osten & Victor Alberta Tennis Centre , to explore the leadership decisions behind the growth of one of Canada’s premier year-round tennis facilities. Danny brings three decades of experience leading sport organizations and has helped build the Centre from an idea on paper into an organization with more than 70 employees. Danny shares why his defining moment came when he realized they had assembled the right team, and how a people-first culture became the foundation for everything that followed. He and Dustin discuss empowering employees without over-managing, knowing when a leader should stay at a higher altitude, navigating organizational change, and making sport more accessible and inclusive. They also look toward the future of sport leadership, from AI and data-driven decision-making to infrastructure, funding, technology, and the growing need for year-round facilities. Danny shares the ambitious expansion plans that could ultimately grow the Alberta Tennis Centre to 27 courts and make it the largest tennis facility in Canada. It’s a conversation about building something that lasts by investing first in people, culture, community, and purpose.
