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HOME AWAY FROM HOME:
Hosting a Brazos Valley Bomber By NICOLE PRIOLO

If you’re interested in serving as a host family, the Bombers will be having informational meetings April 15 and April 17 at 7 p.m. at the Brazos Valley Bank Ballpark. For more information, visit their web site at http://bvbombers.com.

While the Brazos Valley Bombers are gearing up for another summer of baseball fun, the player host families are readying their homes in anticipation of the arrival of the new team.
Several host families from last year are planning to host again this summer because they had such a great experience during the inaugural season. The Treat family, among others, will even have the opportunity to host the same player.
“We had such a great response from John, and from our children. Everything about John and our family just clicked,” said Trevor Treat. He and his wife Karen hosted John Touchton of the University of Houston, and he said their experience was much like adopting a 20-year-old son. “I didn’t at once think it would be something that big or have such an impact on us and the kids. You can see real easily how you can get attached to players.”
Treat said he and Touchton would stay up late and talk after the games, which was a neat experience for him. He refers to it as getting a “warm-up” because it’s several years before his children will be that age. He said you really get a taste for what it’s like.
Treat said they treat Touchton as if he were their own son, which seems to be a common thread among several host families.
Clay and Stacy Riebe served as the host family for Kyle Sisley from Wichita State, and they too said he became part of their family.
“He and the boys really bonded. They did stuff together all the time,” Stacy said. Their youngest son, Caleb, even attended a pitching camp during the school year at Kyle’s college and stayed with him while he was there.
Like the Treats, the Riebes also became very attached to their player. Although Sisney is not returning this summer, the Riebes are planning to open their home up once more.
While some families worry about the potential impact an outsider could have on their family, the Riebes insist that you should focus on what impact you could have on that person living in your home. They said this was the main reason they decided to host another player this year.
Fran and Bruce Duane hosted TJ Mittelstaedt out of Long Beach State. Fran said they originally were interested in hosting because they thought it would be a great experience for their kids. Their assumption proved true as they spent many summer nights at the ballpark with their children supporting their “son” on the baseball field.
“It was very nice to know the players and be able to cheer for them. It makes the game more interesting, and you’re more involved in the game because you have personal connections with the players and with their families,” Fran said.
The Duane family continues to keep in touch with TJ, and he is returning to stay with them again this summer.
“The guys really appreciate having a family here, and having a place to just come and sit on the couch with a bag of chips and relax,” Fran said. “I would encourage anyone who has the space to take advantage of the opportunity to host some of the boys and to get to know them. These kids are great.”