By Mckenzie Masters
Sports Editor
Grace Fern, freshman and a native of Manila, Philippines, begins her college career this fall as a U.S. resident and point guard on the Lady Bulldogs basketball team.
“When I was younger, I came to America every two years, and in high school I came every summer,” Fern said. “My four brothers and sister went here because they give good scholarships to missionary kids, and I just followed suit.”
Born in the Philippines, Fern’s parents were missionaries from Texas. Fern lived in the Philippines through high school and grew up playing basketball with her older brothers.
Fern attended Faith Academy, an international Christian school with two locations: Manila and Davao City. Founded by a group of missionary parents in 1956, Faith Academy provides K-12 education to both children of missionaries and native Filipinos.
Fern said Faith Academy was a small community; “we all knew each other and grew up together,” she said.
While she has had to adjust to a different lifestyle since moving to America, Fern also has adjusted to a different style of playing basketball. The referees were very biased toward Filipinos, and it was more like street ball in that the Filipinos played dirty and always fouled, she said.
“The playing style was a lot faster and chaotic over in the Philippines because there was more driving into the basket every time instead of running plays or taking your time,” Fern said. “It was incredibly physical because they would foul a lot. It’s different than Union.”
Despite challenges on and off the court, Fern enjoys living at Union and playing with the Lady Bulldogs.
“My favorite part about being on the team is the people and just getting to know them and hanging out with them,” Fern said.
Adjusting to college, Fern tries to balance being a nursing major and playing on the team as well as having an active social life.
“Juggling basketball and school is hard. There is a lack of sleep,” Fern said. “But I am pretty used to it because I went on a lot of sports trips to different countries in the Philippines, such as Japan and China, and I would have to get work done ahead of time and do stuff while I was away.”
Kayla Hudson, new assistant coach of the women’s basketball team and 2011 graduate of Union University, believes Fern’s attitude is key in her transition to Union.
“My favorite thing about Grace is her heart and love for the Lord,” Hudson said. “Basketball has not been the easiest transition for her I’m sure, but she has embraced these changes in an amazing fashion.
“She works so hard, encourages her teammates and wants to do everything right. We are happy to have her as part of our family, and she has been such a blessing to us all already.”
