Who are we?
The Mavericks started life as the Canterbury Coyotes flag football team in 2001, finishing second in the British Senior Flag League South, before moving to Maidstone as the Invicta Coyotes in 2002 where they repeated their success. After two successful years in the BSFL, we renamed once again to the East Kent Mavericks and joined contact football as an associate team in 2004, completing two seasons outside of the league before becoming a full member in time for the 2006 season.
The rise, fall, and rise again of our club is well known; however, in recent years we have emerged as a powerhouse, proudly becoming the D2 Britbowl Champions in 2023 and we went unbeaten in 20 games for over two straight regular seasons between the end of 2022 and 2024.
Since our inaugural season in Division 1 came to a close, we have advanced the process of growing the club. Here are some milestones since then:
August 2024 - Plans are made to revive the Canterbury Coyotes as a flag football team, inspired by the inclusion of the sport in the LA 2028 Olympics, but with the additional aim of developing social sports opportunities..
September 2024 - University of Kent & Canterbury Christ Church University sign 3 year contracts for the Falcons and Chargers programmes to be delivered jointly with the East Kent Mavericks Academy from the 2024-2025 BUCS season.
November 2024 - Our Mavericks Women team is registered with BAFA, with the help of GB Lions Jessica Anderson & Emily Moriarty, and we begin the process of joining the league as an associate team for the 2025 season.
February 2025 - We were accepted into the NFL Flag programme, and will shortly begin working with local primary and secondary schools, delivering low or no-cost flag football sessions in the East Kent region.
Why are we crowdfunding?
Our "Vision 2025" is to use our 25th Anniversary season as an opportunity to build an inclusive, welcoming club for people from all walks of life. Football is a sport for all, and our club should embody that same spirit. We can only do that with your help.
As we look to our future then, with a clear idea of the people we want to serve and the resources we need to serve them, we are excited to launch 25 for 25, with the aim of raising £25,000 this year so that we can lay strong foundations for Mavericks both current and future.
How we’ll spend the money raised
Phase 1 - A New Equipment Store
Our existing sheds are no longer fit for purpose, and having served the club for the best part of a decade, it is time to replace them. To do so, and to accommodate all of the storage needs of our growing club, we require a 40ft "High Cube" sea container which will cost upwards of £3,500 itself, without factoring in the fit-out costs.
Phase 2 - Replacement Uniforms
Our uniforms are getting tired, and the best teams are moving to fully owning theirs to ensure that they can always outfit their players. We should emulate them, and be in control of our own destiny. Additionally, it is a league requirement that we have a second uniform, of which we currently do not have a full set. Replacing two full sets of uniforms will cost us at least £9,500.
Phase 3 - Field Equipment
With our aging storage sheds, the club's tackle bags, crash mats & field equipment are starting to suffer from exposure to the elements. Some of what we have can be salvaged, but there are other things that need replacement urgently to ensure that we maintain the highest standards of on field safety. Our projected costs for field equipment are £5,000 which includes new crash mats, post pads, down and distance markers to name just some of the needs.
Phase 4 - Live Stream & Documentary
In order to bring the Mavericks to more people, to be able to share our sport with new audiences, and to deliver you a live stream of games when you can't make it to The Ranch, we need to invest in a new camera for the field, and a videographer for the documentary. To get these going it will cost us a combined £4,000 in equipment and personnel in Year 1, after which we can subsidise the operating costs through expanded commercial partnerships.
Phase 5 - Game Day Experience
Last year, amongst other changes to the game day experience, we introduced a tailgate to give you all access to food, drink and merchandise on site. In addition to these, we would like to provide more on an on-pitch atmosphere with player entrances and a large team flag, with the possibility adding a mascot and pyrotechnics should we reach our funding targets. Getting fans to The Ranch means giving them a day to remember, and the more we offer you, the more the club can grow.
Community impact
2025 is a special year for our club, as we celebrate both our 20th season as the Mavericks, and our 25th season as a football team we want grow as an organisation and to offer teams that benefit all.
Our women's team, our flag team, our university teams, our NFL affiliated schools programme. These are not just good things to do within our community, but also good for the Mavericks. Let's contribute to the whole community, and do so with purpose.
How you can play your part
There are four simple ways to help us reach our target, and make this project a reality.
1. Make a pledge. Don’t delay if you’re going to support us because momentum is key to our success!
2. Spread the word. Share our project on your social media pages and tell the world to get behind us! The more people we reach, the more support we will get.
3. Offer rewards. Get involved if you are a local business by donating things we can offer to our supporters. We will give you a shout out!
4. Fundraise for us. If you want to run your own fundraiser – maybe a sponsored activity or similar – use the 'contact project' button at the top of our page to let us know. Setting up your own page only takes a few minutes and you won’t need any bank details. Just a fun idea!
Your contributions will help us build a legacy that inspires young athletes to pursue their dreams on and off the field. Please join us on this incredible journey and together, we can make a build a club that is successful for the next 25 seasons!