Shelter Island Bucks need player housing: An opportunity for a special summer
From the very first season Shelter Island launched the Bucks in the summer of 2012, as part of the Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League, Jeanne Woods and her husband Ken began hosting players each summer.
Mr. Woods passed away in February 2023, and Ms. Woods continues to carry on the tradition (see story, this page). This year she will be hosting twins — pitcher Zaynn Godbee and catcher Alyis Godbee. Both are sophomores at the University of Hartford.
Ms. Woods hopes others will step up to the plate and become a part of what is an annual community effort.
She recommends hosting to all families, couples or single people such as herself, but especially those with young children. The kids look up to the players and not only get to enjoy the games, but participate in baseball clinics team members have hosted through the years.
What’s expected of host families is very little. They are asked to provide room for a player to sleep, access to a washing machine to keep their uniforms clean, and space to store food in the refrigerator.
Many hosts, like Ms. Woods, go the extra mile, cooking for players, but thanks to many special events during the short season, there are team gatherings that include meals, and at other times, players will carpool to go to restaurants and to transport one another to practices and games.
Most host families get far more involved with team members and the wider community of supporters, Ms. Woods said.
Players generally arrive on the Island in late June and play league games until the end of July. If a team makes it to championship games, members could need housing through several days at the beginning of August.
Although it’s most appreciated when host families can cover a full stay, for some families, other summer plans require that they commit for only part of the season. That requires finding other hosts for those players.
The work of finding housing is in full swing. General Manager Brian Cass and his assistants — Frank Vecchio and David Austin — need housing for 15 more players. It was down to 12 but for family reasons, a few would-be hosts had to drop out, Mr. Cass said.
Vern Hasty, who led the Island team in 2022, is returning as head coach this summer. Mr. Cass is still searching for an assistant coach, he said in a telephone interview Monday.
If you have the space in your house and the will and heart to host, you can reach Mr. Cass by email at [email protected]; Mr. Vecchio at [email protected]; or Mr. Austin at [email protected].
