MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Jr. Mavericks organization is preparing for the start of the fall 2025 season. The program through Columbia Basin Youth Football is open to grades K-8, with regular registration ending Aug. 16.  

“Our mission extends beyond the field. We aim to instill discipline, teamwork, and resilience in our young athletes while creating a seamless developmental path that prepares them for future success – both in football and in life,” said Tyson Olson, president of the Moses Lake Jr. Maverick Football program. 

The main goals highlighted in the Jr. Mavericks program are safety, football fundamentals, High School program alignment, increased competition, and offering the youth additional football opportunities. Olson said every coach in the organization is certified by USA Football to ensure that every athlete receives instruction in the safest and most effective techniques available. 

“This commitment to safety and proper fundamentals helps our players build confidence and physical literacy in a secure environment,” he said. 

Alongside safety, aligning their program with the Moses Lake varsity football program is one of the most important objectives of the organization. The Jr. Mavs will run the same offense and defensive plays as the high school, starting at the youngest age possible to better prepare the players to enter the Moses Lake High School Football program, said Olson. 

The Jr. Mavs program is a nonprofit organization that serves as the representative for Moses Lake in the Basin Youth Football League based out of Tri-Cities. Olson said the league covers Central Washington and northern Oregon, with 36 communities that are part of the league, each having separate teams for each grade level. 

“You can imagine how many teams that is and how many kids are involved,” he said. “I think the last I heard it was 5000 (athletes).” 

This year, the Jr. Mavs have teams at the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth grade level that will compete in the North division, which consists of teams from Warden, Royal, Connel, Ephrata, Quincy, Othello and Almira/Coulee-Hartline, said Olson. When the organization first started two years ago, it started off with just one fifth-grade team. 

That fifth-grade team was one that Olson had been coaching when in 2023, he was approached by players and the parents of players he’d coached. They told him there was an interest in additional youth football opportunities than what were offered in Moses Lake at the time. 

“I looked around and found the CBYF. We were able to put together a team of 20 players to compete in the fifth-grade division,” said Olson.  

In 2024, the Jr. Mavs expanded to five teams with one at each offered grade level and over 100 players registered. Outside of the fall season, they have also had the opportunity to compete in the 7v7 league offered by the CBYF and have seen increased growth with each season. 

“Through football, we are building more than athletes, we are building a proud, connected and resilient community,” said Olson.  

Those still interested are invited to go to the team website https://bit.ly/CBYFMAVS to register, or for additional information, reach out to Tyson Olson, president of the Moses Lake Jr. Maverick Football program at 509-855-2659. 

    The center for one of the Moses Lake Jr. Mavs teams readies to hike the ball in a game last season. The Jr Mavs program works alongside the Moses Lake High School varsity program to prepare the athletes for when they reach the high school level.
  

    A Jr. Mavs player and an Othello player battle for the ball during a game from the last season. The Jr Mavs play in a league featuring teams from Warden, Royal, Connel, Ephrata, Quincy, Othello and Almira/Coulee-Hartline.
  

    During a game from last season, a Jr Mav player pushes through the Othello defensive line. The program is open to grades K-8 with registration open until Aug. 16.