Celebrating Ann Coon: 2025 USTA Colorado Arthur Ashe Award Winner

We are proud to announce that Ann Coon, Multilingual specialist at Soda Creek Elementary School, has been selected as the 2025 USTA Colorado Arthur Ashe Award winner! This award honors Arthur Ashe, a world-class player who used tennis to knock down barriers and advocate for youth, and it recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the growth of tennis among under-resourced communities.

Ann’s journey to this recognition began with the ACE afterschool program, where she worked with underserved students and introduced them to new experiences in the Steamboat community. Through a partnership with the Steamboat Tennis Center, she secured a grant from the USTA to launch the SERVES program in 2017. SERVES is designed specifically for underserved youth in our community and provides them with opportunities to learn and grow through tennis.

A special thank-you goes to the Steamboat Tennis Association, whose fundraising support was essential in getting SERVES up and running.

What started with Soda Creek students has since grown to serve youth district wide—providing free tennis instruction, equipment, tutoring, and life-skills development both on and off the court. Today, SERVES supports students from elementary through high school, offering summer camps, tutoring, and even academic resources to prepare for the ACT and SAT and the college application process. Fourteen students are currently advancing through the program’s Pathways track, with the goal of playing on the high school tennis team.

Ann’s commitment has given students opportunities they never imagined. One student who first arrived to the program in snow boots is now the #1 singles player on the Steamboat Springs High School tennis team. Stories like these reflect Ann’s vision: to use athletics as a bridge to academic success, leadership, and lifelong growth.

The award will be presented at the Colorado Tennis Hall of Fame & USTA Colorado Annual Awards Gala on Saturday, November 8, 2025. Please join us in congratulating Ann on this well-deserved honor!