TEXAS MAVERICKS: History

Once regular work outs and practices began, players quickly learned that they had their work cut out for them.  Suffering through the learning curb, usually endured by any expansion team, the players worked through their days in the class room and on the field struggling to absorb the pro style schemes being implemented by the coaching staff.  With only two players with this level of football experience, and schemes new to everyone else, the coaching strategy heavily focused on physical endurance.  This goal set the pace for the work ethic as a team.  Soon, old small town rivalries died and the combination of the age groups fused relationships that were separated by rank in age of athletes in like towns.  Competition between everyone grew more and more-healthy as they all began to focus on the same goal. That primary goal set the mind-set of the players for the season to come. 

 The NAFL has always been known as the big AAA football league in the country, and many question if the rural, "small school" athletes, would be able to compete in the AAA league.  And on opening day of the 2003 season the Mavericks faced the pre-season favorite, #1 nationally ranked, Austin Gamebreakers. 

One Thousand spectators greeted the Mavericks as they ran out onto the field in the Texas Orange & White uniforms and Pewter helmets glaring in the summer sun.  Concessions nearly sold out, while all merchandise did sell out, and every one of those 1000 fans stayed till the very end even though the Mavericks fell to the Gamebreakers 55-7.  (Did You Know… that the 2003 Texas Mavericks wore the new Riddell Revolution helmets that summer, even before the NFL started to wear them that fall?)  The blow-out loss did nothing to the enthusiasm of the community as they were excited that the event came to fruition and were eager to experience the rest of a semi-pro football season.  With that enthusiasm, players began to settle down and get some perspective on the level of league play.  And in week six against the North Texas Stampede, the Mavericks earned their first victory in front of packed out home crowd, with a final score of 36-3. 

The Mavericks ended their inaugural season with a 2-9 record, but set a tradition of pride as they became known as the team that played from “whistle to whistle.” The inaugural Mavericks football season brought the like of Safety Blaine Sanderson leading the first ever Maverick Defense, Full Back Jimmie Gibbs leading the offense and Marcus Revada the all around soul of the team.

While preparing for their second season, the Mavericks ownership organized a regional owners meeting to attempt to raise the quality of business between the teams and be more productive in branding “our kind of football” to a more positive response.  This was a first of its kind meeting, never before seen between the current ownership groups around Texas.  Maverick’s ownership provided the groups marketing strategies, recruiting & tryout formats, and standardized operations.  Again, none of which had ever been seen by the “semi-pro football world.”   

While conducting tryouts for the 2004 season, the Mavericks Organization was being lured by another town to move, with the promises of a new stadium to be built.  Once again, the Mavericks find themselves moving ahead with a proposition never before seen at this level of the industry.  The new town of Lampasas, Texas seemed to welcome the Mavericks with open arms.  The local pizza place posted “Good Luck Mavericks” on marquees during game days and a local snow cone chain began selling “Maverick Orange” snow cones.  The first ever live radio broadcasts aired every week during the 2004 season.  “Semi pro football” had not seen this level of success in years!  2004 saw the likes of the most talented Mavericks team to date.  The hard-nosed defense show cased players such as Defensive End Corey Miles, Linebacker Joshua Fiffie, Corner Back Kelvin Payton, and safeties Warner & Duckworth.  Although all eyes were always on the “hard as nails” Quarterback Russell Jacks, and the tandem back field of returning Full Back Jimmie Gibbs and the hard-nosed Trenton Cozby.  The Mavericks also found their first ever NAFL All-Star starter, Tight End Terrance Carter.  2004 showed a much improved program over all, and excited a rural community not typically known for big sporting events or professional sports.

The 2005 season would test and advance the Mavericks Organization through its first major hurdle.  After promises made by the City of Lampasas were left undelivered just two weeks prior to the 2005 season kicked off, the Mavericks were left playing in an under developed practice field, once again in San Saba, TX.  Unexpectedly, Mavericks supporters came out in full force throughout the 2005 season, averaging 350 in attendance each week.  A small crowd for even a minor sporting event, but at capacity for this fully maximized facility.

The Mavericks Organization still lead all NAFL, Texas teams in sponsorships, sold out of merchandise from week to week and showed off the finest uniforms in the league, sponsored by Little Bear Ranch.  Led by traveled veteran Safety Kelon Brooks, and new comer Courtney Smith the Mavericks came closer to the national level of play that NAFL competed at.  Brooks earned an NAFL All-Star starting spot averaging just over ten tackles a game and leading the team with five interceptions.  Vanilla Bean Productions, an Austin based production company added full video production to the development of the Mavericks professionalism, again gaining notoriety for their constant raising of “semi pro” standards.

The 2006 season opened with a 19 point, come from behind win, and a final 32-31 score as the crowd went wild with no time remaining.  The 19 point rally didn’t start until just under four minutes left in the game.  And to raise the bar yet again, the game was captured in full video & audio production, live radio broadcast tied into video broadcast, even the referee was “miked up.”  The monumental accomplishments of the Mavericks organization began to gather interest from wolves of money, which provided some unwelcomed turmoil to the program.  But the all enduring “Organization” held tough and unrelenting Maverick pride brought about three more NAFL All-Stars.  An undersized center, Defensive End Courtney Smith, and Rookie Linebacker Michael Brasuel made his impact noticeable throughout the Texas division.  Quarterback Andrew Macias gave one of the gutsiest quarterback performances of the season, in the Lubbock rematch, but lost on a 34 yard passing play that ended inside the ten as time ran out.  As 2006 entered the archives of Mavericks history, it began the future ascention of the Mavericks organization.

The old Mavericks family gained a new member, time never stands still between the moments of memories, and so a season was lost in 2007.  With a restructuring in 2008 and now new ownership and a change in venue for 2009, the Mavericks football culture and tradition finds itself in what hopes to be its final destination.  San Antonio, is where it all started in a sense.  San Antonio and its equally rich tradition in semi pro and minor league football, is a place where football fans are desperate for a home team of their own.  The San Antonio Toros, the San Antonio Wings, even the USFL’s Gunslingers, WFL’s Riders and CFL’s Texans were beloved franchises even if only for a while.  The San Antonio Stampede was the last “power house” program from this city, and to some degree spawned the Mavericks franchise.  Hello San Antonio, we hope to write about you for many years to come!