When coming to Steamboat Springs in the summer of 2016, Kristyn Wykert Malone had a love for tennis and a desire to share that love with her new community. 

Malone’s pride and joy is the SERVES program that she directs at the Steamboat Springs Tennis and Pickleball Center. SERVES, an acronym for success, education, respect, values, excellence and self-confidence, provides students of under-resourced families the opportunity to play tennis. 

“We work on life lessons, we give them snacks, we play tennis and then we kind of incorporate the life lessons we worked on, on the court,” Malone said. 

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The reason Malone, 29, loves SERVES so much is because tennis can teach so many important skills and life lessons that can be taken with you outside of the sport. She even received recognition from the United States Tennis Association for her involvement in the program.

When not on the tennis courts, Malone is an office manager at Steamboat Engineering and Design.

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The company has been taking a green approach when it comes to its work, and Malone even organized a team of coworkers in the Yampa Valley Sustainability Council’s commuter challenge. Steamboat Engineering and Design won the challenge in 2021 by amassing the most collective green commuter miles in an effort to reduce car emissions. 

Malone also organized a fundraiser for the 24-hour Boat Cruise, a 24-hour bike ride around the city that raises money for Integrated Community. This event is especially near and dear to her heart because a lot of beneficiaries may have kids that would join the SERVES program.

Malone first found her love for tennis back home in Wyoming. She had been playing since she was about three years old and always had a strong desire to best her older sister, Caryn Mielke. 

“Kristyn has an abundance of compassion,” Mielke said. “She cares about people, making a difference for the better and is an excellent role model for youth.”

Malone played throughout high school and realized the game was something she would like to pursue in college, which she did at Colorado Mesa University. 

She had no clue just how far her love for tennis would take her, but now she teaches tennis lessons while also running SERVES. 

Steamboat has become a home for Malone and she takes great pride in her community and loves everything she does to make it a better place. 

“Everyone is, almost in a sense, looking out for each other, and I love that aspect of it,” Malone said. “I like how there’s things to help lower emissions, and be plastic free. I love how people are always outdoors trying to do something fun and take in everything that Steamboat has to offer.”

To reach Tom Skulski, call 970-871-4240, email tskulski@SteamboatPilot.com.