What happens when a national championship coach leaves Los Angeles and decides to build something in a small rural town?

Coach Michael Teagardin—known to most as Coach T—is MCSA’s Director of Track & Field and Cross Country. He’s a former AAU National Coach of the Year, who helped lead the Southern California Comets to four national titles in five years. And now he’s choosing to invest that experience into the kids of Mendocino County.

In this episode, we talk about what it really means to develop athletes—not just for sport, but for life. From speed and agility training to building belief in kids who don’t yet see themselves as athletes, Coach T brings both vision and humility to everything he does.

We talk about:

• His move from SoCal to Ukiah—and why it wasn’t just a change of pace

• The challenges and beauty of building a program in a small town

• The difference between a skill-based sport and a performance-based one

• Why multi-sport development matters more than ever

• How grit is modeled—not taught

• And what he wants kids to carry with them long after they leave the track

Coach T helped launch our first-ever MCSA cross country and track & field seasons, expanding the Academy’s mission beyond soccer. And as you’ll hear in this conversation—he’s not just building runners. He’s building resilient, grounded, next-generation leaders.

If you’re a coach, a parent, or a young athlete—you’ll get something from this.

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What does it really mean to try out for a Select Team?

At MCSA, it’s not just about soccer—or flag football, or track, or wrestling. It’s about commitment. Culture. Grit.

This episode is required listening for all families going through our Select Team tryout process, and for anyone considering applying for a scholarship. But even if you're already part of the MCSA family, this episode lays bare what we stand for and where we’re going.

We break down our player-first development philosophy—from grassroots to select—and how that same mindset is being carried into our new programs in cross country, track & field, flag football, wrestling, and sports performance. We talk about what our families invest, what our staff sacrifices, and how we’re navigating the unique challenges of pay-to-play in a country where youth sports are too often transactional, expensive, and exclusionary.

We also talk about the real grit we see every day—from kids who’ve lost a parent, to families facing serious hardship, to players who return day after day because this club has become their platform for growth and belonging.

We’ve awarded over $60,000 in scholarships this past year, and we’re proud of that. But we’re also a small, nonprofit organization—and one of our major contributors recently reduced their support by 80%. That shift, combined with the growing demand for access and equity, is forcing us to adapt fast, think long-term, and hold the line on our values.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Why Select Team tryouts are about more than talent

• How our player-first pathway works across all ages and sports

• What our fees include—and how they compare to other clubs

• Why we require listening, effort, and ownership from families

• What it means to grow through adversity, not avoid it

• How we’re building a platform for kids to lead, not just play

We also preview what’s coming in our next episode: a conversation with Coach Michael Teagardin—former National Coach of the Year and MCSA’s Director of Track & Field and Cross Country. We’ll go deep on standards, athlete development, and what it really means to lead a high-integrity sports program in today’s world.

So if you’re wondering what MCSA is really about—this is it. It’s not about a roster. It’s about a way of life. We’re not just preparing kids to play—we’re preparing them to lead. Let’s build something that lasts.

We’ll see you on the field.

This episode wasn’t planned.

We had a whole outline ready to go—a deep dive into what it means to be “built on grit.” But then last weekend unfolded, and it became clear: this was the story. The chaos, the leadership, the quiet moments that said everything.

Three days. Three games. Two cities.
Friday night: a U14 season finale.
Saturday morning: a shot at the league lead.
Sunday afternoon: all hell breaks loose—red cards, injuries, and a sideline full of tension.

But that’s where the story turns.

When the coach gets ejected for sideline behavior (not his own), there’s no one left to manage the game. And what happens next? A group of teenage girls step into leadership like they’ve been waiting for this moment.

They organize.
They sub.
They compete.
And they draw 3–3 in a game they were supposed to lose.

In the background is Ella, one of the team’s captains for the day, and the coach’s daughter. At 11, she lost a State Cup Final in the closing seconds. Now at 14, she’s back in the final—but thinks her dad won’t be able to coach it. What she says after the whistle is raw, beautiful, and unforgettable.

This may be the last run they have together.

This episode is about that moment—about what happens when you trust your players to lead themselves. About what it means to coach with no timeouts. To stand in the corner of the field and believe. And what it really looks like when a group of girls, backed by years of work, rises.

There’s leadership here.
There’s heartbreak.

There’s grit—before we ever defined it.

Listen to Episode 9 — “It’s Up to You Now”
Only on The Line Ends Here.

#BuiltOnGrit #TheLineEndsHere #PlayerFirst #EaglesRise