By Cary Shuman
EHS senior Marc Faia is the two-time GBL golf champion.
When Marc Faia began his golfing career at Everett High School as a freshman, he was the tenth player on the team.
This fall Faia captured his second consecutive Greater Boston League individual championship. The left-handed linksman and three-sport athlete emerged from a field of the top 12 golfers in the league to take home the title, carding four birdies and an eagle during his round of 82 at Mount Hood Golf Course in Melrose.
Faia, who also plays varsity hockey and baseball, traced his transformation from last on his team to first in the league.
“The first time I picked up a golf club was in ninth grade,” said Faia, whose favorite golfer is Justin Day. “Being an athlete my whole life, having to try a new sport wasn’t too comfortable because I always wanted to be good at what I was doing. I think that was the motivation – the fact that I wasn’t the best at the sport, I wanted to become the best.”
After playing at area courses in the summer, he moved into the No. 6 position on the team in his sophomore year. Last year he took over the No. 1 position on the team, had a 9-1 record, and won his first GBL individual title. This year he returned as captain of the team and successfully defended his league title.
“Golf became much more fun when your golf ball wasn’t in the woods as much,” said Faia.
He credited EHS golf coach Fred Giannino for helping him improve his skills. “He is a terrific coach and Ray Roderick also helps us out and he’s a great coach.”
A hockey standout as well
Faia played Pop Warner football in Everett with several of the current Crimson Tide players, including his close friend, RJ Fialli, a star linebacker for the Super Bowl champions.
In seventh grade he hung up his football cleats and turned his athletic focus to ice hockey. He is currently a captain for first-year EHS coach Erick Kainen’s varsity contingent, accumulating 89 career points in three seasons.
Last year the 5-foot-9, 165-pound Faia scored 27 goals and had 16 assists playing center alongside linemates Brian Bessler and Louis Staffieri. He’s had multiple four-goal games in his career.
“We’ve played well in the preseason and we’re looking to improve on last year’s record,” said Faia, a three-time GBL All-Star.
A graduate of Everett Little League and former skater in the Revere/Everett Youth Hockey Program, Faia will return to the baseball diamond this spring for his third varsity season as a shortstop and pitcher
A multi-talented student
Faia is an honor roll student enrolled in Advanced Placement courses at the high school. He is also taking advantage of the vocational offerings in the curriculum, having enrolled in machine technology and AutoCAD (computer aided drafting) courses.
“My favorite teacher is Mr. Hanrahan, who is the machine tech teacher,” said Faia. “Machine tech is a vocational class where we learn the fundamentals of machining and engineering concepts. I actually student-teach the Machine I class.”
Faia has worked as a machinist and quality control manager at Thermo-Craft Engineering Corporation in Lynn, a company founded by his grandfather many years ago.
“I love Everett High School,” said Faia, who attended the Madeleine English School for grades pre-K-8. “Being able to take college preparatory classes as well as vocational classes, it’s been amazing. It adds on that hands-on experience that a lot of other schools can’t provide. I think it gives Everett students an advantage.”
EHS Principal Erick Naumann said that Faia is a highly respected scholar-athlete with a bright future. “He’s an excellent student, an excellent athlete and an excellent role model for all the students in Everett.”
Older brother an inspiration
The son of former city official Stephen Faia and Terri Faia, Marc has an older brother, Stephen Faia Jr., who is an EHS graduate now studying business management at Suffolk University.
“My brother played football for three years and he was the golf captain in his senior year,” said Marc proudly, adding that Stephen Jr. was the No. 1 player on the golf team. “My brother is a great role model for me.”
He also speaks reverentially about his uncle, Supt. of Schools Frederick Foresteire.
“What he’s done for the schools and the advantages he gives Everett students are things other school systems aren’t able to provide,” said Foresteire. “There are so many successful alumni who have achieved in business and athletics – they have good ethics and good morals and that all starts with coming through a school system that prioritizes their students and I think Mr. Foresteire has been instrumental by providing each student with a rewarding academic and athletic experience at Everett High.”
Fais is applying to UMass/Lowell, the University of New England, Wentworth, and Delaware. “I hope to play college hockey and study mechanical engineering,” he said.
But you get the feeling that whatever endeavor Marc Faia chooses, success awaits this hard-working and highly motivated member of the Class of 2017.