OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Athletes travel to Omaha from all over the country to participate in the Corn Belt League (baseball) and play for the Omaha Lancers (hockey).
With the help of volunteer host families, they find their home away from home for a couple of months.
- Micah Meyers and Stephanie Ayars host athletes from both the Corn Belt League and Omaha Lancers, continuing a tradition Stephanie experienced in her childhood.
- Their 9-year-old son Jamesin gains "big brothers" to play with during the athletes' stays.
- Stephanie says they "have not regretted it for a single moment" and have "so many people that are now family."
WATCH KELSEY'S STORY:
“There’s a lot of joy in it, especially after they move out and succeed in both hockey and baseball,” Micah Meyers said.
Meyers and Stephanie Ayars have been hosting athletes for both the Corn Belt League and Omaha Lancers for several years.
“My family hosted athletes when I was little in lincoln, and so it was kind of just something that we did,” Ayars said.
Get this: they’re not paid to do it.
And that’s not necessarily a problem for Micah when it comes to feeding a couple of extra people.
“My mom was in the military so I’ve only known how to cook big,” he said.
While they might lose some chances for leftovers for a couple of months, 9-year-old Jamesin gains big brothers.
Kelsey asked “What is your favorite thing to do with these hockey and baseball players you host?
“Tell stories, and play basketball with them in my room,” Jamesin responded.
“Do you beat them?” Kelsey followed up.
“Sometimes,” he replied.
And to families who are considering hosting in the future, Ayars said "it’s always an adventure.”
“It really is,” Meyers said. “Not only just with the players, but also with their families. If you’re looking for that extra step of growing your family without having somebody there 24/7, it’s only two months.”
“We have not regretted it for a single moment,” Ayars said. “We have so many people that we get to go visit and so many people that are now family.”
