Hosting a 'Summer Son' with the Woodlands Strykers

THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- Every summer, residents of The Woodlands get a chance to gather with fellow baseball fans and watch a Strykers game. The Strykers are college students from all over the country who want to keep playing baseball during their summer break.

Because these players are not all from The Woodlands area, they need somewhere to stay. That is where host families enter the picture.

Laura Gilbreath is a member of one of those hosts families.

Gilbreath first heard about the Strykers organization through a friend who was a host family for the Strykers last year.

"My husband and I have a seven-year-old son and felt like it would be a good experience for him to have a college-age young man to stay with us for the summer," Gilbreath said.

Although their family had no prior experience with baseball, their experience serving as a host family last year inspired their young son to play baseball with Orwall this year.

"These boys become a part of your household for three months and in the process become part of your heart," Gilbreath said. "Last year we hosted two young men and this year we are hosting one, but each one of these boys have been great to our son and have been a positive role model for him."

Being a host family is about as simple as it sounds. The players just need a place to live and food to eat. It's kind of like having an extra kid for the summer, but without having to entertain them.

"They play six nights per week and are either working out or sleeping during much of the daytime," Gilbreath said.

Becoming a host family is even easier. Gilbreath said that all an interested family has to do is contact someone from the Strykers to let them know they are interested. From there, a member of the Strykers organization contacts the family and begins the process of matching a player with your family.

Each potential family will be interviewed and given a questionnaire to ensure everyone's protection.

"All I can say is that for us, it has been a blessing to our family to bring these kids into our lives for the summer," Gilbreath said.

The Strykers began this season Thursday, May 30, against the Victoria Generals and will end it Friday, August 9, in an away matchup versus the Generals.

With more than 25 home games this season, there are plenty of games for The Woodlands-area residents to enjoy. For Gilbreath, these events are even better now that she has a personal connection to the team.

"Going to the games is a fun summer activity!" she said. "I jokingly call Will our 'summer son.' Watching your 'summer son' play makes it a lot more fun!"

By becoming a host family, Gilbreath and her husband have found a role model for their son and a fun way to become involved with their community.

"The whole experience has been a positive one for our family," Gilbreath said. "These young men are good kids who are focused on their sport. For the Strykers organization to be a successful one, they need to be able to depend on the community to support them by offering to be a host home for the players."