Women’s tennis athlete follows in her sister’s footsteps

By Eric Albury | gargoyle@flagler.edu
Photo by Dyann Busse

The Ospina sisters are more than just blood; they are a team. With all three having played tennis at Flagler College, the youngest – Laura (19) – looks to make her mark during her freshman season, joining the ranks among her sisters and begin her own legacy.

“We all started playing tennis at the same time; however, since they are my older sisters, I would say they have been my role models for everything in life, including tennis,” Laura said.

The sisters all started to play tennis about 14 years ago, when Laura was only six. It has stuck with them ever since.

Through their passion for tennis, all three have ended up at Flagler, seeking a great education and a competitive tennis team to showcase their talents.

“I had done my research about the school and it seemed like it was great academically, which was my number one priority, since my parents always taught me that education was something that no one could take from me,” said Fernanda, 24 and the oldest of the sisters. Fernanda now works for Pacific Tomato Growers in Bradenton, Fla. as a Senior Cost Analyst.

All three sisters are as competitive with each other as they are with their competition. Like most siblings, the strive to be great exists even among the family.

“We are always competing. Not just in tennis, but in pretty much every aspect of our lives from who has the bigger serve to who sends the most text messages,” said Gabriela, 22, who now works for Moroccanoil in New York City as an in house graphic designer.

Regardless of the girls’ competitive nature, they fully support each other in everything that they do, from school to work and of course, tennis.

“Being the oldest sister I’ve always tried to encourage my sisters to be the best they can be in any aspects of their lives, and tennis is not an exception,” Fernanda said. “Also, I try to teach her what I’ve learned from my mistakes.”

One would think that having two older sisters that played tennis at the same institution would put some higher expectations on the table, but that doesn’t seem to affect Laura.

“I am a competitor by nature, and I’m always competing with myself,” Laura said. “I’m always trying to do better than I did yesterday. Therefore, I’m trying to be the best tennis player I can be: for my team, my family and myself, regardless of where my sisters played before.”

“Being successful is something we all strive for, and I don’t think Laura is going to be the exception,” Fernanda said. “I know she is going to have a fantastic tennis career at Flagler, and I’m proud of her no matter what.”

If anything, tennis has brought these sisters closer than they were before, and something that will continue to bind them throughout their lives.

“We are a very close family,” Laura said. “We all stay in contact with each other. My sisters even know my match schedules, and they are always wishing me good luck and encouraging me to do my best. They have always been there for me, and I know I can count on them for anything.”