Like father, like son.

Boys varsity soccer head coach Arnold Tarzy is the father of co-ed golf coach Robert Tarzy, making them the only relatives to both coach at CHS. Arnold is in his eighth season with boys soccer, after coaching golf for five years prior. Robert is following in his father’s footsteps by accepting his first coaching position as CHS golf coach.

“I received the job just weeks before the season started in early August,” Robert said. “I found out that they didn’t have a coach from my dad while playing golf with him.”

Golf and soccer have always been a part of the Tarzys’ lives. Arnold taught Robert how to play golf at age four, and coached him in soccer for many years. Both have fond memories of the experiences, one being when Robert’s soccer team won a state championship with Arnold as the coach.

“We are definitely able to exchange coaching tips,” Robert said. “Obviously being that my dad is my dad the tips are shared more in my direction than they are in his.”

According to Arnold, his favorite memory is “travelling with my son’s soccer team of which I was the coach.”

A love of coaching in the Tarzy family isn’t just particular to the father and son. Monica Tarzy, Arnold’s daughter and Robert’s sister, is the head coach of the Richard Montgomery girls varsity soccer team.

Although they do not coach together, the Tarzys are known within MCPS as a sports family because their athletic social circles overlap within MCPS. The family members often cross paths at games and county-wide couching events.

“Referees will tell me that they saw my dad recently or ask if we are related,” Monica said.

Despite all three coaching different teams this season, they are able to support each other at games and matches. After years of Robert coming out to support his father, Arnold was able to see Robert coach one of his first golf matches.

“It is a little bit more difficult for him to watch our matches, because of the fact that they are at the same time as his practices, but he has been to one,” Robert said. “I have been watching him coach for over 20 years and it was cool to have him at a match to watch me coach for once.”

Robert has been able to attend several boys soccer games and has provided the team with some good luck on the sidelines.

“I believe I have been to five games so far this year,” Robert said. “Ironically, I have watched four of them from the sideline next to the bench and they won all four of those games.

Similarly, it can be hard for Monica and her father to see each other as their game schedules often overlap, but they manage to still to see each other and talk often.

“He loves the fact that I coach,” Monica said. “We talk more now because we are going through similar things.”

Even though they coach different teams, the Tarzys agree that their favorite part of coaching is getting to
know and interacting with their players. Robert is able to use his relatively recent experiences in high school and college to relate to what his players are going through in and out of their sport.

“My favorite part of coaching is getting to know the team members and watch how they grow as a team as the season progresses,” Arnold said.