If you ask around the North Shore, there aren’t many bigger “hockey guys” than Lynn native Mark Tarmey.
For his years of contributions to the sport of hockey in the town of Marblehead, Tarmey has been inducted into the Friends of Marblehead Hockey Hall of Fame. Tarmey, who has been involved in hockey and athletics in Marblehead for nearly two decades, has served the Marblehead school district in a number of capacities over the years.
“I am deeply humbled and honored to be inducted into the Friends of Marblehead Hockey Hall of Fame,” said Tarmey. “I will be forever grateful to Tom Colby for inviting me to serve as one of his assistant coaches back in 2003. I am equally grateful to Bob Jackson for keeping me on the staff when he took over the reigns in 2006. It was a pleasure to go to the rink every day as I was able to be surrounded by so many young men who had great passion, dedication and love, for the sport of ice hockey.”
Tarmey first started his service to Marblehead High in 2003 as an assistant hockey coach and a special education teacher. He became the athletic director in 2010, and — as a part of Bob Jackson’s staff — he played an integral role in helping coach the Magicians to their first ever state title when they beat Westfield in the 2011 Division 3 state championship game.
“Coach Tarmey set the standard for what it means to be a coach, mentor, athletic director and role model,” said Jake Kulevich, who captained the 2011 Magicians and currently plays professionally for the American Hockey League’s Bakersfield Condors. “He prioritized giving his students the best opportunity to achieve academic and athletic success. Personally, he created a path for me where I could continue my hockey career past high school. Without him, I don’t know if that would have been possible. He did not hesitate to do that for any student. He is also a heck of a coach. There is not really enough I can say about him and what he meant to Marblehead athletics.”
But Tarmey’s experiences on the ice aren’t limited to just Marblehead. He played high school hockey in his hometown of Lynn, suiting up for the Classical Rams (Class of 1977) under head coach Doug Anderson.
“He was a hard worker on and off the ice,” said Anderson, who also coached at English, Swampscott and Bishop Fenwick over the years. “He was a truly great teammate, a two-way hockey player and he helped us rebuild that Classical program after it had been struggling.”
He later coached across town at English before moving on to coach at places like Malden Catholic, Curry College, Bentley University (as an assistant) and the Winchendon School (where he was also the athletic director).
“I’ve had the opportunity to play for, coach with and coach against a lot of coaches over the years, and I put Mark Tarmey right up there with any of them,” said Al Melanson, a Massachusetts High School Hockey Coaches Hall of Famer who Tarmey coached under at English. “He’s the epitome of a coach and administrator. The most important thing is that he has perspective on the game and he knows that the focus is on the student part of ‘student-athlete.’ It’s wonderful to see Mark being recognized for all his work.”
“Mark was a well-respected coach at the collegiate level, the prep school level and the high school level,” said Anderson, who always used to schedule Tarmey’s teams when they were both working in the North Shore. “He’s been successful everywhere he’s been, and that speaks to the kind of person and coach that he is.”
Five years ago, Tarmey suffered a massive heart attack that nearly took his life while on a weekend run. Defying the odds, Tarmey slowly worked his way back to normal and returned to Marblehead High as the school’s assistant athletic director, a role that he still holds today.
“He really overcame a lot, and it’s an inspiring story,” said Anderson. “He’s always been a go-getter, and it’s great to see him still doing what he loves.”
“It’s great to see Mark doing so well,” said Melanson, who has remained in touch with Tarmey over the years. “He’s a wonderful person, and I only hope that I have been as good a friend to him as he has been to me.”