Mike Falberg

Mike Falberg possessed that “Wow” factor in his tennis game.

His longtime coach and occasional doubles partner Larry Mousouris saw it.

“I believe it is safe to say that Michael Falberg changed the landscape of Santa Barbara tennis from his earlier years,” said Mousouris. “His commitment to excellence and his competitive fire created a new bar and an expectation that still runs through our tennis community.

“I have had the privilege of coaching many extraordinary players, but NONE were at the level of Michael.”

Falberg’s tennis brilliance earned him a scholarship to Stanford, where he won a Pac-10 doubles championship as a freshman in 1981 and was a key member of a NCAA Division 1 title team.

Falberg, whose life ended too soon, may be the greatest tennis player from Santa Barbara.

At age 14, he won the U.S. Tennis Association Hard Court doubles title and four years later he captured the U.S. Open Junior Boys Singles Championship at Flushing Meadows, N.Y.

At Santa Barbara High from 1978-80, he played for the legendary Jack Trigueiro, and won two individual CIF singles titles. He was a three-time Channel League champion and a Dons’ team MVP.

He played on the varsity basketball team his senior year and was named co-MVP of the team and earned second-team all-Channel League honors.

After basketball season, he returned to the tennis court and entered the Santa Barbara City Championship and soundly defeated Bob Chappell, who had won the title five straight years. He also won doubles with Mousouris and the mixed doubles with Andrea Lofthus, becoming the first player in many years to win three open titles.

Mike is survived by his parents, Nancy and Larry Falberg and sisters, Kate and Stacey.