Faber receives Community Service Award
October 4, 2013
ORLANDO — Mark Faber, a United States Professional Tennis Association member for the past 20 years, received the USTA/USPTA Community Service Award at the annual awards presentation during the USPTA World Conference on Sept. 27 at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress in Orlando.
The Community Service Award is a cooperative award presented annually by the United States Tennis Association as part of the USPTA’s awards program. The award recognizes a USPTA member for exceptional community service through the game of tennis.
As the Director of Tennis at Laurel Hill Swim and Tennis Club in Toledo, Ohio, Faber has been actively involved with charity work for groups such as the American Cancer Society and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Most recently, he helped the Zepf Center, a non-profit community mental health center, in creating a two-week summer tennis program and setting up an after-school program, which he helps organize and provides training for. He has also organized an annual toy drive that provides toys for families that are unable to provide toys for their children. Faber facilitated the start of a Morning Tennis Club in two local schools, helping with the set up at one school and running the program at the other to expose more than 250 children under the age of 10 to tennis.
The USPTA Pro has also coached high school tennis for the past 19 years. At one point, his team had a 56-match win streak, which included two team state championships. His efforts earned him the title of High School Coach of the Year by the Midwest Division twice, and he was named the USPTA Boys’ High School Coach of the Year in 2003.
Faber serves on his district USTA board and is currently completing his term as past president. During his presidency, he created three free Kid’s Nights hosted by all three of the major clubs in the Toledo area. He has also served on several USTA Midwest Section committees and presented at several regional and national conferences.
This year he worked with the USTA/Midwest Section to provide a full day of education at the Western & Southern Open that included a morning of top-level presentations followed by a 10 and Under training session. Faber also mentors young tennis professionals and has been working with his alma mater at Methodist University in Fayetteville, N.C., in creating a mentoring program.