HighFIVE: Katy Murtaugh

Nestled in the heart of the Rockies, the town of Gunnison has a small, but thriving tennis scene

Katy Murtaugh is a Gunnison native who first started playing tennis when she was three, but her exposure to the sport started even earlier when her parents would set her in a playpen while they played. Little did they know that these experiences would play a major role in Katy’s life, ultimately leading her to become the current Head Tennis Coach for the Gunnison Parks & Recreation Department.

“My parents taught me how to play and as I got older, I participated in the tennis programs through Gunnison Parks & Recreation and went to tennis camp a couple times at the Air Force Academy,” says Katy.

With only three outdoor courts and no high school tennis team, it could have been easy for Katy to have drifted away from tennis, but her love of the sport and deep family roots in the game kept her playing. She left Gunnison to attend college in South Dakota where she worked part-time at a country club teaching tennis to kids and working at the front desk. She also worked on her own game which led to her winning the 4.0 singles championship at three different tournaments.

Katy came back to Colorado to go to school at the Art Institute in Denver and started working at Gates Tennis Center. She took advantage of the leagues offered in Denver which Katy says was “a great way to meet people and get playing time.”

When Katy decided to move back to Gunnison, the timing was perfect. The head tennis coach for the Parks & Recreation Department at the time was none other than her first coach, her mom, who had held the position for close to 20 years.

“I had been my mom’s assistant when I was in high school so to come back to my hometown and be able to take over as the head coach was really exciting,” says Katy.

Katy focuses on making sure that tennis stays strong in Gunnison. She says, “The youth classes fill up most of the time. We do have a considerable amount of adult players, and three years ago I came up with the idea of punch cards for the adult clinics. It has been very successful as they can come when they can during the session without a strict commitment.” 

Kristy Harris, USTA Colorado’s Director of Community Services, says “Katy has done a great job of getting both adults and kids onto the courts in Gunnison using the Net Generation approach. She was instrumental in having blended lines painted there several years ago which really benefitted their programming.” 

There are no leagues in Gunnison, so Katy started the Gunnison Tennis Players Facebook page so people could connect and play. She is also hoping to bring a tournament back to the area in the next few years. Until then, Katy runs an annual round robin fundraiser to help support and grow tennis. 

“Last year we were able to get a ball recycling receptacle, ball trays, scoring posts and a court squeegee. From this year’s tournament, we will be saving up to get new windscreens and shaded benches for the courts,” says Katy. 

When not working, Katy can still be found on the courts. She tries to play as much as she can before the weather turns cold, often playing doubles and singles with friends and family. This year, she will be volunteering as the Western Colorado University club team tennis coach.

“Tennis is a lifetime sport and I feel it is vitally important to teach people of all ages,” says Katy. “It’s incredibly rewarding to watch them fall in love with the game and want to play more.”

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