A new season begins—and with it, a return to the rhythm of training, competing, and growing.

Whether you're stepping onto the field for the first time or chasing a college dream, this episode is your invitation to lock in, lean forward, and embrace what’s ahead.

We revisit the core themes of grit, legacy, and purpose—and set the tone for the weeks to come. Expect more interviews with coaches, leaders, and changemakers—inside and beyond the club.

And yes—updates on The Nest are coming: the land, the plan, and the movement we’re building together.

This isn’t just a season. It’s a chapter in something bigger.
Let’s go.

Because recovery is part of the rhythm.

This week’s episode is short. On purpose.

Because sometimes the most important work happens in the quiet—between the grind and the goals, before the full season starts again. This is that space. A breath before we go again.

Select teams return July 21. DSL kicks off August 11. Grassroots begins August 18. Cross Country launches August 5. Our Sports Performance sessions run through July 24, and our QB/WR clinic wraps this weekend. Some are already back—like our U19 girls preparing for a college showcase in Davis. Others are still resting.

This moment? It’s not empty. It’s necessary. The pause is part of the rhythm. And this short episode reminds us why. It sets the tone for what’s coming: more voices, more stories, and updates from the field—and from the Nest.

Take a breath. Then press play.

He didn’t grow up in our club.
He didn’t think he was good enough.
And for a long time—he wasn’t. But Felipe Chavez didn’t quit.
He built his body, rewired his mind, and reshaped his story—one rep at a time.
From overlooked kid on the sideline to Boys Soccer Director of MCSA, this episode is about what it really takes to change your life.

It’s not pretty. It’s not easy. But it’s possible.

This isn’t a love letter to the game. It’s a challenge to the younger version of yourself—the one still carrying doubt. Still unsure. Still deciding.

You want something? Go get it.

🎙️ Episode 15 – The Letter
Now streaming.

What makes someone come back—and stay?

In this episode, Coach Hector Toscano shares his journey from a trailer park in Fort Bragg to the touchline of State Cup finals. It’s a story about scraped knees, broken windows, backyard dreams, and the fire that never went out.

From falling in love with the game as a six-year-old to leading the next generation of players across Mendocino County, Hector’s path hasn’t been easy. He opens up about failure, doubt, ego, family, gratitude, and why walking away was never an option.

This is more than a story about coaching. It’s a reflection on identity, purpose, and what it means to grow up through the game—and then turn around and give it back.

More than a résumé, this is a love letter.
To the game that raised him. To the players who teach him. To the families who sacrifice.

And to the belief that sticking around matters.

If you’ve ever questioned whether it’s all worth it—this one’s for you.

What does “Player First” really mean, and how does it shape everything we do at MCSA?

In this episode, Club President Shane Huff takes the mic to break it all down—from how we build our rosters to why your child might be moved from one team to another week to week. This is the episode that explains the whole model.

You’ll hear Shane speak directly about:

• Why we prioritize long-term development over short-term results

• How we use pod-based training to challenge and support players in real time

• Why we assign jersey numbers (and why they don’t define your kid)

• How mixed-age groups create both leaders and learners

• What “being part of the club” actually means in a rural setting like ours

If you’re new to MCSA, this episode will give you the full philosophy behind our player-first approach.

If you’ve been with us for years, it’s a reminder of the standards we hold and the culture we’re building.

And if you’re a parent wondering why your kid didn’t make the team they wanted—or got a number they didn’t choose—this one’s for you.

Because we’re not here to build stacked teams. We’re here to build footballers.

🎙️ The Line Ends Here (But the Story Doesn’t)

#PlayerFirst #BuiltOnGrit #TheLineEndsHere

This episode is different. It’s raw. It’s personal. It’s everything we’ve been building toward.

In Episode 12 of The Line Ends Here, we step back from the field and take a breath—not just for ourselves, but for what this work really means.

MCSA (Mendocino County Sports Academy) is building more than teams. We’re building a sports complex, a hub for growth, wellness, and community. We call it The Nest. It’s not built yet, but it lives in everything we do—from futsal courts and cross country trails to QB clinics, sports performance pods, and a grassroots soccer academy that serves the entire county.

This episode—Son, Breathe—is the emotional heartbeat of it all. It’s about legacy, silence, grief, and the unexpected meditation that flipped the author’s life forever. It’s about a father who died too young… and a son who finally found breath.

It’s also about coaching your daughter for the last time… losing a State Cup Final… and the players being back out at tryouts the next day. No time to wallow. Just show up. That’s what we do here.

If you’re new to this story, welcome. You’ll learn what grit really looks like in a small town trying to do something big.

If you’ve been here a while, you already know. We keep showing up—for the kids, for the future, for the ones we lost.

🎧 Press play and meet the why behind everything.

This is about silence, legacy, and finding your voice. This is what it means to build something that lasts. This is the citadel. This is The Nest.

This is for Father’s Day.

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.

—

🎧 Listen now🟢 Follow the show on Spotify📤 Share this episode if it hits you

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.