How a Quiet Academy in Zamboanga del Norte Is Building Champions From the Ground Up
As another year opens its first page, Filipino football once again finds itself asking the same quiet question: Where do dreams truly begin?
Not in modern stadiums. Not in spotlights.
But in places like Poblacion, Manukan, Zamboanga del Norte — where football is stitched into daily life, and hope is trained one session at a time.
This is where R. MCHEAVEN stands — not loud, not flashy, but unwavering. Since 2016, the academy has been proving that football, when guided by purpose, can move lives forward even when circumstances try to hold them back.
At its heart is Regie J. Manlangit — coach, founder, mentor, and relentless builder. A man who believes that football is not merely played, but lived. That it can shape identity, discipline, and destiny.
A Name Forged From Responsibility
MCHEAVEN is not a borrowed name.
It is a reflection.
An English rendering of Coach Regie’s own name, it became a declaration of accountability — a reminder that leadership means imprinting values into every drill, every decision, every player.
In R. MCHEAVEN, the name on the badge is the standard on the field.
Here, coaching is not about authority. It is about stewardship.
Built With Trust, Not Privilege
The early years were unforgiving. No luxury facilities. No steady funding. Some players arrived hungry — not just to win, but to belong. Parents placed their trust not in promises, but in consistency. Local supporters helped when they could. Training pushed on even when resources ran thin.
What sustained the club was simple but rare: structure without excuses.
Sessions continued. Teams competed. Standards never dipped. In a country where many grassroots clubs fade under pressure, R. MCHEAVEN learned how to endure.
Grassroots, By Design
From a child’s first touch to a player’s final high school match, R. MCHEAVEN commits to the long road. Players are not rushed into results — they are grown into responsibility.
Football fundamentals are taught alongside values:
discipline before talent, character before trophies.
Training happens five to six times a week — weekday afternoons and Saturdays—demanding, deliberate, and deeply intentional. School comes first. Commitment follows. Excellence is earned.
Teaching the Game the Way It Breathes
At R. MCHEAVEN, football is not reduced to patterns on cones.
Coach Regie begins with who the player is, not just what they can do. Training leans heavily on game intelligence — decision-making, movement, spacing, and instinct — developed through constant play and scrimmage.
Players learn to read moments, not memorize motions.
To trust teammates. To solve problems together.
It is football taught as a living language — across football, futsal, and specialized programs.
Football for Everyone
Inclusion is not a side program. It is a principle.
MCHEAVEN runs initiatives that open doors instead of narrowing them:
- Girls’ and Women’s Football
- Goalkeeper Development
- Futsal Programs
- School-Based Outreach
- Special Needs Inclusion
- Free community clinics
When equipment is missing, the club finds a way. When money becomes a barrier, it is challenged — not accepted.
Because no child should be excluded from a dream simply because of circumstance.
Winning, Earned the Hard Way
Success did not arrive suddenly. It accumulated—quietly, honestly, relentlessly.
Across the years, R. MCHEAVEN has built a record that commands respect:
- ZDN Girls Champions (U14–U18)
- Multiple ZNAA Football & Futsal Titles
- CEAP Mindanao Games Champions (2017)
- Zamboanga Peninsula Futsal Medals (🥇 2023, 🥈 2025)
- Regional Festival of Football (2023)
- National Futsal Championship (🥉 U15 Boys & Girls, 2024)
Each medal is a timestamp of sacrifice. Each trophy, proof of patience.
From Manukan to the World Stage
But the club’s truest legacy wears a captain’s armband.
Dionesa Tolintin, who began her journey at R. MCHEAVEN in 2011, now leads the Philippine Women’s Futsal National Team—a World Cup participant, UAAP champion, MVP, top scorer, and standard-bearer for Filipino futsal.
Her rise is not an exception.
It is a message.
That greatness does not need permission.
Only preparation.
Reality, Faced Head-On
For all its victories, the struggle remains real.
Funding is fragile. A permanent home court is still a dream. Transportation to competitions is a constant hurdle. Coach Regie writes grants, seeks sponsors, and fights quietly for sustainability—often gaining recognition only after success is visible.
Yet the club endures. Because giving up would mean letting go of too many futures.
The Road Ahead: A New Year, A Clearer Vision
Over the next three years, R. MCHEAVEN aims to:
- Secure SEC registration
- Establish a foundation or long-term partner
- Build stable, sustainable funding
- Develop a permanent training home
- Ensure reliable transport for competitions
- Continue producing national and international-caliber players
These are not ambitions for growth alone. They are requirements for survival—and for national progress.
“Making Things Happen”
At R. MCHEAVEN, competition is fierce, but support runs deeper. Players are pushed, corrected, encouraged, and believed in—every single day.
The motto is lived, not printed:
Making Things Happen.
A New Year’s Message to Filipino Football
As the year begins, R. MCHEAVEN stands as a reminder to the entire Filipino football community:
Progress does not always announce itself.
Sometimes, it trains quietly in the provinces.
Sometimes, it wears hand-me-down boots.
Sometimes, it just needs someone who refuses to stop believing.
To every coach, parent, player, and supporter—this is your invitation.
Support the builders. Sustain the dreamers. Stand with grassroots football.
Because when we invest in places like Manukan, we are not just building teams.
We are building the future of Philippine football. ⚽🔥
OneFutbol Salute
OneFutbol proudly salutes R. MCHEAVEN and Coach Regie J. Manlangit for proving that purpose, discipline, and belief can change lives—and elevate a nation’s game.
Support the Mission
📩 Facebook Page: R. MCHEAVEN’S FUTSAL TEAM
📞 Contact: 0951 653 1272
📧 Email: rmcheaven2018@gmail.com
OneFutbol Salutes R. MCHEAVEN — Making Things Happen!
