MOSES LAKE – Three generations of the Trammell-Haneberg coaching family are ready for another season of Mavericks sports. For Mavericks volleyball head coach Krystal Trammell, it all begins with her dad, Bob.  

“Dad was amazing at what he did, and he made each athlete feel important. He had that relationship with his athletes and his students, and I saw those athletes TP the house when we were young. Mom and dad would sit in the dark, watch his athlete's toilet paper the house and laugh,” she said.  

Krystal grew up in Warden, where her parents were teachers and Bob coached multiple sports for 40 years, she said. As she grew up, she played volleyball, basketball and softball. Eventually, she would go on to play volleyball at Big Bend Community College before heading to play for Eastern Oregon.  

After she graduated, Krystal became a graduate assistant there for a year before moving back to Moses Lake. Since then, she spent time coaching for various schools in the Basin like Soap Lake, Warden, Moses Lake Christian Academy/Covenant School and eventually Moses Lake High School.  

During her time at Warden and MLCA, she got to coach with her former high school coach, Dennis Treat, who she said was an important influence on her. Treat had a huge impact on Basin volleyball and she admired the impact he had on players. Nowadays, Treat will attend Mavs volleyball games, she said.  

“It's really neat to be coaching, having your high school coach there looking into the stands and making that eye contact and wondering, ‘OK, what do I need to do, or what do I need to change?’ And looking for that approval. He's great to have around,” Krystal said.  

In her approach to coaching, she connected a common thread between her mentors, her dad, Eastern Oregon coach Cathy Tingstrom and coach Treat, building relationships with players. Having grown up around a coach and being impacted by several others has always resonated with her.  

“Growing up with that and realizing the impact that you can have, I want the athletes that I have to take something positive from the program, something positive from what we've taught them,” she said.  

Today, Krystal coaches alongside her daughter, Ashlyn Haneberg, and daughter-in-law, Victoria Haneberg. Victoria is an assistant coach for the varsity team. According to Krystal, they also call her the “cruise director” for the way she goes above and beyond to invest in the Mavs athletic program.  

 “I run our pink night. I help run our little mouse camp in the summer. This year, we are running an 80s night, so that'll be another fun night that we do. I also do welcome baskets to all the coaches that come from other schools, to welcome them into our facility, and hopefully they feel just at home,” Victoria said.  

As a coach, Krystal said Victoria has a similar coaching style to hers.  

“Very good when it comes to the fundamentals of breaking things down. Quick learner, really looks at the other teams who were playing, what we need to do with all of our girls, and the girls ask questions, which is great, where they feel comfortable to come to any of our coaches and say, ‘Hey, what about this? What about that,’” Krystal said.  

Victoria is married to Krystal’s son, Kyler Haneberg, who serves as the Maverick football team’s wide receiver coach. Kyler is a former wide receiver for the Mavs — though they were the Chiefs at the time — who graduated in 2018.  

After graduating, he became a paraprofessional at Columbia Middle School, where he would also begin coaching for their football team. After a year, his former head coach, Todd Griffith, invited him to coach for the freshman team at Moses Lake.  

From there, he worked his way up to the team's wide receiver coach. A role he finds fulfillment in due to the relationships he builds with players.  

“Coaching and teaching is so similar, and it also helps me build relationships. I loved when I was at Columbia, because then I would get those kids the next season at the high school, and when those kids had a coach or someone they already knew, they felt a lot more comfortable with asking questions and getting to know the staff a lot more,” Kyler said.  

When he first arrived at Moses Lake as a coach, he said there was a transition period for the players to see him as a coach and not a former teammate.  

“I started coaching at the high school two years after I graduated, so there were still some kids that knew me, and so I created that boundary with them. There's a difference between when you knew me when you were a sophomore, and me now as a coach,” he said.  

His sister Ashlyn also navigated this when she first began coaching. After graduating from Moses Lake in 2020, she was set to go to Blue Mountain Community College for volleyball alongside her twin sister, Serina Haneberg.  

However, she came to the conclusion that she had more to offer as a coach. Part of her decision included wanting to follow in her grandfather, Bob’s, footsteps, she said. He had also been dealing with Parkinsons disease, so remaining close to home was important to her as well.  

“He's had so many ex-players, ex-students, reach out to him and always check up on him. Just seeing that way of life with him was something that I knew that I wanted to do, especially for the kids,” Ashlyn said.  

When she first got involved with coaching at Moses Lake, Krystal was still an assistant coach. During a JV game, Ashlyn asked her mom if she could take the lead on coaching a game against Wenatchee.  

“My mom always told me that's when she knew that I was ready to take on such a big role, especially at being JV. I definitely wouldn't say that I had (the coaching spot) there for me, not like I expected it to. I had to prove (to them) I could handle that,” Ashlyn said.  

Though they ended up losing, she said the attitude of the team was what surprised her. She expected the players to be sad or upset at the loss; however, they carried a positive attitude and were just excited to be out there, she said.  

A lot of the players thanked her.  

With a few years under her belt, the dynamic in the Mavs volleyball program has grown into a family, Krystal said. She said the team meshes with the football team, too. According to Krystal, Kyler is a favorite of the volleyball players whenever he drops in for a practice. 

According to Kyler, they have a fun family competition each fall to see who can go further in their seasons. However, the volleyball group has a different perspective. 

“He is insane whenever it comes to football and volleyball. It's always bickering in a good way. It's always, ‘Oh, we just got this. We're doing this,’ and we're just sitting over here like, ‘OK, well, we don't care ...’ if you count my sister (Serina) it’s four against one. So, the girls rule the house anyways, and so whenever he starts bickering, we just give it to him, and then he shuts up,” Ashlyn said.  

Fun family competition aside, the Trammell-Haneberg coaching family all share the same goal of making an impact in the community. Through sports, they feel like they have done that.  

“It's nice to just feel totally into our sports, we're invested in this town. I hate it when people just totally dog Moses Lake. I think Moses Lake is one of the best and underrated cities in Washington,” Kyler said.  

Even Serina has aspirations of stepping into coaching one day. For now, she said she is focused on her career as a communication director for Underdog Sports League. From the days when Bob was leaving his mark on his players in Warden, to today when the third generation is continuing the family legacy, Krystal said she feels lucky. 

“It started with dad in a small community,” she said. “We're all lucky to find something together as a family that we all enjoy, so it's just kind of neat where the coaches are involved in each other's programs as well ... I'm just lucky.” 

    Mavericks Wide Receiver Coach Kyler Haneberg talks with a receiver on the sideline during a game last season. Haneberg said he loves the trust he can build with players through coaching.
  

    Mavericks Assistant Volleyball Coach Victoria Haneberg gives feedback to players during their volleyball tryouts. Haneberg said she enjoys going above and beyond for Mavs athletic program because she feels sports is more than just competition.
  

    Mavs JV Coach Ashlyn Haneberg, far right, stands with her team for a group photo. Haneberg said she was inspired by her grandfather Bob Trammell and the impact he had on the players he coached.
  

    Mavs Volleyball Head Coach Krystal Trammell calls out to her team during a game in 2022. Trammell said she feels lucky that her family has found something they all can enjoy together.