 While the schools had competed in several previous leagues—namely the Prep League, Bi-State Athletic Conference, and Catholic Athletic Conference—those conferences had all dissolved, due to declining numbers of member schools, logistical hurdles in having conferences with both Missouri and Illinois schools, and differences of opinion between Archdiocese-run schools and those run by religious orders.Since the MCC's formation, levels of competition have increased, schools have expanded their facilities, and in general the league has positioned itself as one of the state's most competitive high school competitions.Soccer has long been the dominant sport among MCC schools; while several schools have had competitive football teams (including state championships won by DeSmet in 2005 and CBC in 2014, 2017, and 2018), it has been "the beautiful game" where the MCC has excelled.