By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

Each summer, college baseball players from around the country make their way to Hays to play for the Larks — and with baseball season quickly approaching, the team is once again looking for summer hosts families.

Larks Manager Frank Leo said they are still looking for approximately 10 host families for this summer. Every year, between 25 and 30 players spend their summer in Hays playing for the Larks.

Leo said the host family program is essential to the Lark program.

“Without our host families, we would have a hard time putting the program on,” he said, adding if they have to put up the players in apartments it will get expensive and is not conducive to a good summer experience.

The players will begin reporting May 31 and will stay in Hays through the NBC World Series at the beginning of August. During that time, the players will spend about 25 days on the road and 21 of the 42 games this summer will be overnight trips.

Over the two months, Leo said the player will become like a member of the family, like another son for the summer.

According to Leo, host families are expected have something available to for the player to eat, provide the player with a place to sleep and do laundry. The Larks have Monday nights off, and Leo said having a sit-down meal on Monday night with the player is a great way to build a relationship.

“We don’t want them (host families) to have to go out of their way to host a player.” Leo said.

Leo said at first it may be difficult for families to become host families because it can be an “awkward or unusual situation,” but the families and the players become comfortable and often develop lasting relationships.

Both families with young children and families whose kids have grown and left the house can all benefit from the program.

“It’s neat to see the relationships that grown with the younger kids and the players to come in,” said Leo.

He said people who are interested in baseball, the Larks program or helping college kids are all perfect for the host family program.

Those who are interested in taking part in the host program should contact Barb Leo at (785) 259-6180.