Having spent much of his formative years in Europe, new FC Tucson men’s head coach Mark Biagi was surrounded by soccer.
It was on the streets, in restaurants and in big stadiums.
“I moved over there when I was 5,” Biagi said. “I spent much of my childhood over there, and so my influence was almost all soccer. I experimented with some other sports, but I didn’t really play them very often.”
An Air Force brat, Biagi lived in Spain and Germany, playing against other Americans on base and also against Europeans.
“So a variety of coaches, a variety of learning experiences,” Biagi said. “But again, the thing that sticks out is the soccer passion in those countries.”
After FC Tucson transitioned from USL League One to League Two and amateur status, previous head coach Jon Pearlman stepped back to focus on his role as president and owner. He tapped Biagi to succeed him.
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“Somebody with Mark’s quality seemed like a natural fit,” Pearlman said. “He’s someone that did a tremendous job with the professional team and really has the quality to excel in this position.”
USL League Two is the fourth tier of U.S. Soccer and the third level of the United Soccer League. The season runs from May to mid-July, and the semi-pro league mainly focuses on top amateur players.
FC Tucson opens the season on Friday when it hosts Guanajuato Selección XI.
Biagi’s father, Bill, spent 24 years flying. He and his son started Vail Soccer Club. Bill also took Mark to professional games, including D.C. United matches when the MLS started in 1996.
“Now I just enjoy coaching soccer and being around soccer with him in the youth club,” Biagi said. “It’s something we enjoy doing together because it’s a positive impact on our community.
“He still watches all my games and we talk about it all the time, so he’s still a big influence on my life and obviously in my soccer life.”
FC Tucson owner Jon Pearlman on new head coach/technical director Mark Biagi, above: ‘Mark has all the qualities to be a successful first-team coach and a technical director, and giving him the opportunity to prove that this summer was something he’s earned.’
Biagi, a University of Arizona graduate, served as assistant coach for FC Tucson when it was a professional side in 2021 and 2022. He runs Vail Soccer Club, has been a West Region Olympic Development Program head coach and a scout for U.S. Soccer, and holds a United States Soccer Federation A-Senior License for coaching.
Pearlman coached FC Tucson in 2022 and for about a third of 2021, adding head coach to his technical director job. Shortly after Biagi was named FC Tucson head coach, the club added the technical director role.
Pearlman said he didn’t need to give Biagi advice on having two roles with FC Tucson.
“Mark and I have worked together a long time, our philosophies are in line and he’s been an extension of what I’ve tried to accomplish,” Pearlman said. “Mark has all the qualities to be a successful first-team coach and a technical director, and giving him the opportunity to prove that this summer was something he’s earned and I think something he relishes. We’re expecting great things.”
Biagi said he’s not worried about wearing both hats as FC Tucson’s history and other staff members have helped out a lot.
When FC Tucson was in the PDL, the previous name for League Two, it finished first or second in its division six of seven times, winning it four times. In 2021, in League One, FC Tucson reached the semifinals of the playoffs.
In addition to serving as assistant coach for the professional FC Tucson in 2021 and 2022, Biagi was a player analyst in 2020 and an assistant coach in 2014.
He said his experience as a coach in League One and other connections he’s developed have helped out a lot with recruiting.
“That was a massive selling point to a lot of players and a massive recruiting tool that a lot of them ask questions about,” Biagi said.
With Biagi leading the men and Kelly Pierce as the head coach of the women, both FC Tucson senior teams have local coaches. Pierce, a Salpointe Catholic alumna, also coached Salpointe girls soccer to three straight state championships.
“The fact is that Kelly and Mark are both very successful and both very organized and love this community and (are) committed to driving the quality of the brand forward,” Pearlman said. “We have two quality teams this year, and we’re going to be trying to compete for division titles and trophies.”
Pelé has been added to the Portuguese dictionary as an adjective following his legendary career.
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