STEALING HOME

The American Association is home to nearly 300 professional baseball players spread across its 12 cities each season. Each organization offers a variety of housing resources and options to its players, one of which is a host family. The Monarchs are no exception to this rule offering an apartment option or host family option. Host families provide at the least a private bedroom, bathroom, and usually some shared kitchen access.

Cheryl Reitmeyer has been the Host Family Coordinator for ten years for the Monarchs and helps pair the best family for each player, each season. Reitmeyer shared that each host family receives season tickets for all family members that live at the home with the player for the season. Host families also receive a team discount at the store, the opportunity to attend a welcome meet and greet event, and an appreciation night at the end of the year on the field. Reitmeyer’s time with the Monarchs began when she and her husband began hosting 11 years ago, and she is still friends with the very first player they hosted. She has been able to keep up with other players on Facebook and celebrate them as they get married, have children, and experience other life milestones along the way. “It’s not like they’re just renting a room, they interact with you as a family, Reitmeyer said.” Some of the Monarchs’ host families have loved the process so much that they are now some of the longest-tenured members of the Kansas City Monarch family. Bill and Donna Greer have been hosting a player for 17 seasons, and many other families are on year five or more and counting. The families get plenty of perks for hosting but one of the best perks is the opportunity for a new relationship with a baseball player chasing their dreams. “We call them our summer sons,” Reitmeyer said

This season over half of the Monarchs roster benefits from the host family program and has a summer home to stay in during spring training and through the entire season. The Kansas City Monarchs’ host family program positively impacts the players, the families, and the league each season. One of the Monarchs staying with a host family this season is the left-handed pitcher from Austin, Texas, Jacob Lindgren. In Lindgren’s eight years of professional baseball, this is the first year he has been able to live with his wife, Alyssa, during the season. Not only was his wife able to stay but their labradoodle, Mia, was able to stay as well. Lindgren shared that Greg and Erin Culbertson, his host family, have been nothing but welcoming, providing them with the needed amenities to settle in and stay together during the long summer that professional baseball provides. “That’s just the Kansas City Monarchs host family organization, they do a really good job of making sure the players are taken care of and I really appreciate that about the Kansas City Monarch family,” Lindgren said.

Contact the Monarchs today about applying to join the Monarchs’ host family team!

By: Caleb Grizzle