Osceola High player competing at summer tourneys to improve

By Rick Pedone
Sports Editor

It didn’t take Paul Gursky long to climb atop the Osceola County boys tennis pyramid.

After a look-see last year as an Osceola High freshman, Gursky, 15, rolled unbeaten through his Orange Belt Conference competition to become the Osceola News-Gazette Tennis Player of the Year.

He had the advantage of having an advanced scout: his older brother Evan. He played tennis four seasons at OHS before graduating in 2008 and attending Florida State.

“I had a little experience from watching my brother. I kinda knew what to expect,” he said.

Gursky said his skills primarily developed while playing on neighborhood courts against his older brother.

“We hit all the time; he’s my top practice partner. I’ve missed him since he went to (FSU),” Gursky said.

Gursky beat Celebration senior Juan Cruz, last year’s player of the year, in two sets at midseason.

“Juan has a good all-around game. He tries to get to the net, but in our match I was able to get a few by him,” Gursky said.

Gursky said there is plenty of room for improvement in his tennis game.

“I can go to the net, but I probably would rather stay at the baseline,” he said. “My net game is one area that I would like to improve. You have to make good approach shots.”

Gursky, who works with local tennis pro Mike Eady, is playing at United States Tennis Association junior tournaments over the summer,

“I haven’t done a lot of that. Most of the time, I practice on my neighborhood courts, or over at the Oak Street courts,” he said.

Osceola High tennis coach Solomon Morain said Gursky is a solid player and a team leader.

“His strengths are his serve and his ground strokes. His weakness might be his growing pains. He is still growing and at times it affects his movement,” Morain said.

The OHS sophomore is even more impressive in the classroom, said his coach.

“He is an honor student with a 4.5 GPA,” Morain said. “Paul will be playing more tournaments over the summer so that he can improve his game. He needs to play tournaments to get tougher. There aren’t enough players in Kissimmee to challenge him to improve.”

Gursky said he would continue to develop his skills, but that he likely will end his competitive tennis career in high school.

“I don’t think I’ll play in college,” he said. “It’s so hard to get a scholarship, especially on one of the big schools, with all of the great junior players and the international players out there.”