Beyond the Records: Powerful Lessons from Legendary Coach Tara Madigan

Reflecting on Coach Madigan's fierce leadership and how she used soccer to teach character, resilience, and lifelong lessons

This celebratory hug sums it up.

Coach Tara Madigan, legendary head coach of Northern Highlands Girls Soccer, has officially retired after 20 seasons of unparalleled success. Our team will be inducted into our high school Hall of Fame next weekend (I will be opening up the yearbook for this post), so it felt like a good time to reflect.

Few people have shaped my life as deeply as Coach Madigan. Amid the early wake-ups, endless sprints, and her distinctive screams from the sidelines, I didn’t fully realize the impact she was making. Every rule, every drill, every moment had a purpose. We didn’t just win on the field. She taught us how to win in life.

Coach Madigan had a rare ability to be both the most intimidating person on the field and your biggest supporter. I now consider her a role model and a close friend.

High school is when you start figuring out who you are. It’s where values take root and habits form that can last a lifetime. I won’t give away all her secrets, but here are a few lessons I still carry with me:

1. Set clear goals and expectations.

   Our team goals were written in the locker room and visible every day. Everyone knew exactly what we were working toward and how we were going to get there.

   
   

2. Always stay on your toes.

   Literally. If anyone stood still during practice, even for a second, we’d be on the line for sprints. Before the starting game whistle, we’d line up while bouncing in place, locked in and ready to go. Opposing teams definitely noticed. That kind of discipline stays with you.

   
   

3. Cherish your teammates.

   I was lucky to call my teammates my best friends, but those connections weren’t fully due to chance. Coach Madigan made team chemistry a priority by facilitating pasta parties, team summer camps, and frequent hangouts. Eleven years ago, we lost Madison—our team superstar and one of my closest friends—to suicide. Coach Madigan is one of the few people who still texts me every year on her birthday and the anniversary. She knows exactly what those relationships meant because she helped shape them.

   
   

4. Respect is earned.

   Titles, records, and accolades are great, but the way you carry yourself and treat others earns far more respect. As I mentioned, Coach Madigan was intimidating at first, but that was because we all wanted to earn her respect, and that wasn’t easy.

5. Visualize your success.

   Before guided meditation was mainstream, Coach Madigan and Coach G (shoutout!) had us lie in a circle on the field before big games. We’d picture ourselves making plays and finishing the game in a dog pile of celebration. At the time, it felt silly. Now I understand how powerful that practice is.

   
   

Coach Madigan retires with a record of 384-55-12, including three straight undefeated seasons. That’s what the books say. But I’m sure she’d agree—what matters more is everything we took with us when we left the field.

Thank you, Coach (or as we like to say, Mama Mads). Let’s celebrate!