A great big thank you to the coaches of the Steamboat Springs Girls High School tennis team, to the Steamboat Tennis & Pickleball Center and to the Steamboat Tennis Association. 

The skilled coaches, the welcoming indoor facility allowing play even when outdoor courts are under several feet of snow and the support of the STA have provided tremendous opportunities for the juniors in this community. I am especially grateful as my daughter joined the team just two years ago as a high school freshman, having never played before.

Through excellent coaching she has learned to play this sport — a lifelong benefit. And she is a part of an awesome team. The girls work and play hard, and they consistently demonstrate respect for the teams they are competing against. I see them encourage and support one another, and I see them journal after matches (a part of their protocol under head coach Bill Conway), processing their experience and emotions in order to move forward with what they’ve learned.

I’ve watched my own daughter grow as a player and a person — on-court and off. I am deeply grateful to the coaches, the center and the STA. 

Jacqueline Denny

Steamboat Springs