The Evansville Otters are seeking local individuals and households interested in applying for the host family program and hosting an Otters player for the 2021 season.
When players decide to continue their baseball career in independent baseball, many travel from across the country to play in the Frontier League. This means that they are hours away from friends and family members. For this reason, when they arrive in Evansville, they look for a touch of home to make them feel welcome. One way the community “adopts†the players is by serving as host families during the season. Families provide housing, as well as a support system, for the player(s) they host.
“Host families help drive the success of the Evansville Otters organization, providing room and board for the players and allowing them to focus on their baseball careers,†Otters director of marketing and community relations Brittany Skinner said.
Players need their own bedroom, but multiple players can share a bedroom. Some families house one player, and others house multiple players for the season.
The Evansville Otters are asking families to take players for both the season and for the two-week Spring Training period, May 13 through May 27.
“Spring Training is a great opportunity to see if the host family program is the right fit for your family, while also helping the team during a short period of time,†Skinner added.
The regular season starts May 27 and ends September 12. In the case of potential postseason play for the Evansville Otters, host families will be needed through late September.
Host families and players are asked to complete a survey before they are matched, and this enables the organization to match a player with the appropriate family.
Once an application is reviewed, an interview is set to verify a new family is a good fit for the program.
The Otters do everything they can to ensure a suitable match is made for both the player and family.
Participants in the host family program receive benefits as an expression of gratitude on behalf of the Evansville Otters for their support.
