QB Magazine Athlete Feature

At halftime of the San Tan Youth Tackle Football League championship game, Maverick Hardiman’s team had a seven-point lead, and he had already thrown a touchdown pass.

Then he got sick.

A bad stomach virus hit him during the break, and by the third quarter he was so sick that he threw up on the field. He had to go to the sideline for a short rest. Many players would have stayed there. Maverick went back in. “I really wanted to help my team win,” he said. He wasn’t feeling any better, but he kept playing and kept leading. His team won the championship.

“It showed me how important it is to never give up and always fight for your team,” Maverick said.

The Class of 2035 quarterback from Gilbert, Arizona has been playing football since he was five. He first became interested by watching NFL and college games on TV. Now he’s the one making the plays, and he has a clear sense of what he loves about it. “It feels awesome when everyone does their job and we score a touchdown,” he said.

Quarterback is his favorite position because it lets him lead. The Desert Mountain Elementary student likes calling plays in the huddle, reading the defense, figuring out where the ball should go, and trying to make smart decisions. He also likes the pressure. “It makes big moments exciting,” he said, “especially when we need a first down or a touchdown.”

One of the biggest moments of his young career came in the D1 Nation National All-American semifinals against Missouri. Missouri had beaten Maverick’s team in pool play the day before, and their defense had given him trouble. Instead of worrying about the loss, Maverick learned from it. He thought through what Missouri had shown on defense and made a plan to get the ball out faster and stay calm in the pocket. In the rematch, he threw two touchdown passes, and his team won by five. Then they won the national championship game, too.

His view of what makes a great quarterback shows a lot of maturity for his age. Leadership comes first. “You’re the one everyone looks at in the huddle,” Maverick said, “so you have to stay confident and positive even when things aren’t going good.” He also believes a quarterback has to work hard by practicing throws, learning plays, and watching film. A great quarterback, he says, needs to be smart, make quick decisions, and be tough enough to get back up after a hit or a mistake. Most importantly, he has to care about his teammates. “A great quarterback doesn’t just try to be the star,” Maverick said. “He helps everyone get better.”

His favorite quarterback is Tom Brady. Maverick admires that Brady wasn’t the best or most famous player when he was young but kept practicing and believing in himself. He also likes how calm Brady stayed in the Super Bowl, how he focused on one play at a time, and how his teammates trusted him.

Maverick trains with two quarterback coaches: Pete Hargis of A2Z Sports Training and Trey Anderson of Ground Up. He was also named MVP of the 2025 All-American Flag Football Camp. The coach he credits with starting it all is John Rattay, one of his first coaches. “He helped plant the seed in my mind that I could be a QB,” Maverick said.

His parents are his biggest supporters at home. His dad played college football and spends a lot of time training and coaching him. His mom is at every game cheering him on, helps him feel mentally ready and confident, and shows him love no matter what happens.

Maverick has big goals for the next year. He wants to help his team win back-to-back San Tan league championships, throw for more than 1,000 yards this season, and keep improving as a quarterback. His biggest dream is to win a national championship in tackle football.

Follow Maverick: @maverick_hardiman

Chasing Back-to-Back

Maverick already has a San Tan league championship, a D1 Nation national title, and a camp MVP award. This fall, he’s aiming to win the league again and throw for 1,000 yards. He’s still in elementary school, and there’s no rush for anything beyond having fun and getting better. An upgraded QB Magazine membership gives his family a way to share and remember this season, and every season after it.

A feature article is the best way to tell his story. Practice Squad includes one article each year, and Starter includes two. Maverick has plenty to share: coming back after getting sick during a championship game, planning for a rematch with Missouri after losing to them, a first coach who helped him believe he could play quarterback, and a dad who played in college and still works with him. A second article can follow his push for back-to-back titles and his goal of 1,000 yards.

A custom graphic designed for him each month helps capture those moments. That could be a touchdown pass, a championship win, reaching 1,000 yards, or another national tournament. Each graphic is built around Maverick and gives his mom and dad something special to share and keep.

Reposts help those moments reach more people. Practice Squad includes two story reposts each month on X or Instagram. Starter includes four story reposts every week across both platforms, plus a monthly wall collab that appears on Maverick’s page and QB Magazine’s at the same time. That introduces a young quarterback from Gilbert to the quarterbacks, coaches, and football families who follow QB Magazine across the country.

Starter also includes a few extras that are especially helpful for a younger player. Social media consulting can help his family keep @maverick_hardiman focused on the confident, hardworking, team-first quarterback Maverick wants to be. Top 50 QB Mag Watchlist consideration gives a young national champion a chance to be featured among the quarterbacks QB Magazine is watching. Priority for the QB Mag College Bus + Camps TOUR gives him an early look at college campuses, like the ones he enjoys watching on TV. Both tiers include camp access, giving him more chances to learn and compete alongside his training with Pete Hargis and Trey Anderson.

Starting this young also gives his family time to build something meaningful. Every article, graphic, repost, and collab from these years will still be there as Maverick grows. By the time he reaches high school, his family will have a clear picture of how much he improved, from his first seasons to the goals he’s still chasing.

Maverick says his mom, his dad, and Coach Rattay helped him become the player and person he is today. A membership helps preserve those memories: the championship he refused to leave, the Missouri rematch, and a young quarterback who always wants to fight for his team.

More info: quarterbackmagazine.com/memberships