How would you like to sit in the stands at a Major League Baseball game and point to the shortstop, saying “I fed that kid breakfast!”
Or wave to the pitcher before the game, remembering the time he spent helping your young ones learn to pitch?
Or connect with impressive college-age athletes to build relationships that will last for years?
Those are all experiences that Santa Barbara Foresters host families have had for nearly 30 years.
The summer team of standout collegiate ballplayers from all over the country is welcoming new host families for the 2023 season.
Foresters players stay with local families during their brief time in Santa Barbara. The families provide a safe place to sleep; the players are responsible for their meals and transportation.
Host families get a Season Pass to all games, so they can cheer their new family member on.
The Foresters play in June and July at Pershing Park. The organization is one of the most successful in summer collegiate baseball. The team has won an all-time record 10 National Championships, including the past three in a row. Nearly 60 former players have made it to the Majors, including about a dozen still active, while hundreds more have enjoyed minor league careers.
And it would all be impossible without the generous support of host families.
“We have been a host family since 2008 and it has been a great experience,” says Christina Songer, also a longtime team leader and volunteer. “(Foresters manager) Bill Pintard always gets great guys for his team, not just great players.”
Patty Kelley hosted a player for the first time during the 2022 championship season.
“One of the highlights of our summer was watching our player, Nick Griffin, pick up a win in the NBC World Series tournament. It was a thrill to see his success after getting to know him at our house,” said Kelley.
“The players are all such good people, we’re happy to have them around,” adds Kirk Peacock, whose family has hosted several players. “When our son was younger, he picked up some great baseball tips from the Foresters, too!”
It’s a big benefit for the players trying to make their Major League dreams come true.
“John and Gina Nisbet were unbelievably gracious hosts when I played in Santa Barbara,” said Ryan O’Hearn, who now plays first base for the Kansas City Royals. “They were a major part of why I had the best summer of my life and even came back for a second year. I stay in contact with them and get to see them at least once a year.”
For the Foresters players (and their families watching from cities around the country), having a host family is a safe and welcoming way to spend a few weeks far from home.
For the host families, it’s a way to create lasting friendships.
“We’ve gotten to know many players and they become part of the family,” says Songer. “We still keep in touch with them, so when they experience life’s milestones they share them with us. I would highly recommend hosting players.”
If you have an extra bedroom, an ADU, a loft, a garage apartment . . . anything, contact the Foresters at info@sbforesters.org. You can also call the office at (805) 684-0657 or coordinator Laird McLain at (805) 452-1855.
See you at the ballpark . . . and ’STER IT UP!