HighFIVE: Malaika Chinyerere

Balance is the key to Chinyerere's success, on and off the court

USTA Colorado’s Margaret Rogers Phipps Award is presented each year to a 14-and-under Colorado girl who exemplifies sportsmanship, leadership and achievement on and off the court. When Golden’s Malaika Chinyerere was named the 2023 award recipient, it was no surprise to anyone who has spent time with the 14 year-old. In fact, it was Malaika’s second major sportsmanship award as she won the USTA National Level 3 Sportsmanship Award in May 2022. 

When Malaika was five, her dad, Stan, gave her an old racquet that he bought at a garage sale. Malaika started hitting against a wall at her local courts and progressed to full court play with the help of Stan, who is still her primary coach today. The Chinyerere family values their time together and Malaika’s parents say they strive to “expose our kids to a variety of places, people, cultures and activities to help them grow personally. We set family and individual goals and work on achieving them.”

This past summer, the family borrowed an RV from Malaika’s grandparents and headed out on a family bucket list trip through Colorado, Utah, Idaho and Oregon. Along the way, Malaika won a Level 5 14s tournament in Idaho and a Level 6 16s tournament in Oregon, both without losing a set. In keeping with the family’s commitment to personal growth, Malaika says that one of the things she enjoyed most about the summer road trip was “getting to visit the Oregon Coast and learn about tide pooling and collect agate rocks on the beach for my Grandpa who makes jewelry with them”. Malaika wrapped up her successful summer by being one of only five players from Colorado named to the Level 2 14s Intersectional Team Pacific Cup which competed in Nevada. 

While Malaika is still coached by her dad, she now also practices out of Denver Tennis Park. Mike Phillips, Senior Youth Program Manager at DTP, works with her and says “Malaika is a great leader in the DTP Junior Program! She is happy to hit with any player at any time. It doesn’t matter if they are older, younger, more experienced, less experience, she is just happy to work hard and play. She also volunteers for our younger groups, helping as a mentor with great kindness and enthusiasm”.

Currently ranked No. 2 in Colorado in Girls 14s, Malaika works hard to make her tennis dreams come true. She says, “I hope to play high level tournaments and develop as an athlete to play as long and as successfully as I can.” She works tirelessly to improve her strokes, footwork, mental toughness and fitness and hopes to get a college tennis scholarship and ultimately play on the pro tour.

But Malaika never forgets the values her parents instilled in her about the things that matter most. “When it comes to juggling school, friends and other things I love, like walking my dog, I try to keep a good balance so that tennis doesn’t interfere with family and school time.” In addition, Malaika helps her mom collect, clean and organize school supplies, books, shoes and educational activities for Kuda Vana Partnership, a children's orphanage in Zimbabwe.

With her many achievements on and off the court, Malaika will undoubtedly continue to collect accolades for the outstanding tennis player and young woman that she is. 

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