Bucks need housing

We may be looking at piles of snow and ice but Brian Cass will tell you before you realize it, summer will be here.

Mr. Cass is the General Manager of the Shelter Island Bucks, a position he hadn’t expected to continue this season, but he’s still on the job.

At the end of the 2025 Shelter Island Bucks season, Mr. Cass told Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League President Sandi Kruel he doubted he would return this year. He was exhausted and discouraged by a season that felt so promising at the outset, but ended short of the championship he thought was in their future.

So what turned him around to continue ad Bucks GM now?

He loves having a Collegiate Baseball Team on the Island and thought no one else might step forward and take the job and Island would lose its team, he said.

In reality, he didn’t have a year to debate his ongoing status because as soon as one season ends, it’s necessary to start laying the groundwork for the next summer season.

There is work to be done checking with families who have hosted Buck players and staff to see if they will agree to sign up for the next season. Then there’s the need to line up staff to replace some who may not be available for the following season and if a coaching team isn’t returning for the next year, finding replacements.

To start that process at a point when you are feeling tired and discouraged is no easy task, but there seemed no choice.

So here it is March, only a few months away from when the season starts, tentatively slated for mid June. 

Mr. Cass reached out to two assistants — Frank Vecchio and David Austin — to assist with finding housing. A week ago, he needed housing for 16 until one family — Hoot and Joanne Sherman — who have hosted Bucks many years — said they would house two players this summer.

Mr. Cass remembers one season when he had host families for June, but not July. But he got lucky because many of the families who hosted in June volunteered to extend their commitment through July.

Last summer, he had most players housed on Island but a few housed on the North Fork. While he appreciated the North Fork host, he prefers to have all players on the Island to enhance the unity among them.

Even some of those who were early organizers of the Bucks speculated it would be a short run because the small Island was unlikely to be able to sustain the challenge to house enough players each season.

True, housing will always be the major challenge on the Island, but many hosts have repeated the experience year after year and formed ongoing friendships with those they hosted.

A week ago, Mr. Cass said he needed 16 beds for Bucks. Then he reached out to frequent hosts Hoot and Joanne Sherman. The said they will host two Bucks this summer.

The requirements are few. A Buck needs a bed, access to a washing machine to cleanse his uniform and space in the refrigerator for his food.

Many hosts have invited their Buck to join in family meals.

And it’s fair to say many fans cheering on the team during the season are hosts who have bonded with one or more Bucks they are hosting.

If you would consider stepping forward to host for at least one of the two months the team plays, you can reach Mr. Cass at 631 445 0084 or [email protected]. You can also reach out to Mr. Vecchio at [email protected] or by phone at 516 317 8687 or Mr. Austin at [email protected] or by phone at 415 613 1991.