ELLY GRIMM

   • Leader & Times

The Liberal Bee Jays 2026 season is rapidly approaching, which means so is the need for housing for many of the young men on the team who are coming in from out of town.

“The main thing we ask for is to provide a stable, healthy environment for these young men. What we’re looking for are places that can provide a place to sleep, bathroom space, and access to a washer and dryer so they can do their laundry,” coordinator DeeDee Luebbers said. “Just being there and being a positive space for these players and providing a home where they can feel comfortable and fulfill their role with the Bee Jays, that’s what we look for every season. And since these guys are in college, they can take care of themselves for the most part and don’t really need any extra parenting or anything like that, their main need is a place that’s safe and comfortable for them to stay. In terms of transportation, these boys typically have vehicles of their own, or if they don’t, they arrange rides with other players and work all of that out, so the host families aren’t required to take these players anywhere, because these players are old enough and are pretty self-sufficient. In terms of house rules, if those are laid out in advance, it helps the summer run smoothly for everyone. We want these hosts be a family and a home away from home, and if a family can take in a couple guys, that would be great so they don’t feel totally alone while they’re here.”

Luebbers said the host families are essential to the success of the Bee Jays.

“The Bee Jays program has been around for more than 70 years, and our host families are the backbone of the program,” Luebbers said. “They’re what keeps this program going. They make lifetime connections with these young men and they’re part of the family forever. I just encourage people to get out there and come out and watch these boys and host a few boys, or host one boy and get to know them and become a part of the Bee Jays family. We have a good group that works. We’ve heard so many stories about these families seeing former players celebrate weddings and new children and all sorts of other milestones, and it’s amazing still having those connections. We have host families that have been doing it for years, and most they still have contact with their players.”

Luebbers said the prospect of a new Bee Jays season is very exciting.

“We’re always excited to get our players here and meet them, and we’re ready to get the coaches here this year,” Luebbers said. “We have boys coming from Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, California, Idaho, Nebraska, Mississippi, Ohio and Missouri, so we have some boys coming from a long distance this year. It’s exciting to get them here. It’s also kind of stressful worrying about if they’re all going to have a home or some place to stay, a family to take care of them. We’re looking for 23 to 25 beds for these guys this summer.”

Luebbers said signing up to be a host family is pretty easy.

“The best way to sign up to be a host family would be to contact either myself at (620) 629-3927 or Kim Tanking at (620) 655-8369, and we’ll be happy to help you get set up,” Luebbers said. “We do vet everyone, and we also have some information about the players that should help us match them to families, because we want the players and their host families to be a good fit so it’s a good experience for everyone. And we would like people to let us know sooner rather than later because it helps us in our planning, and it’s just easier on everyone involved. We like to make sure the homes are actually ready, and the players also want to know for sure where they’ll be staying for the season. The players’ families also like to have the hosts’ contact information and maybe get to know them a little bit and make sure their child is going somewhere safe. The boys are here for approximately about 65 days. And out of that 65 days, they have 37 days that they play a ball game. They will also have a couple road trips to Colorado and a road trip to Hays. If it’s a home game, they’re usually at the field sometimes at 2 or 3 in the afternoon, and don’t get back to their host home until 10:30 or 11 that night, so they spend a lot of time on the field. These boys are here to play baseball, and most of them who commit to come and play are here because they love the game and they want to further their career.”

Overall, Luebbers said, being a host family is a great experience.

“The last few years, it has been a struggle to get host families and we cannot express how much we appreciate those families that step up and take these boys into their home and make them a part of their family,” Luebbers said. “It’s huge for our program. It’s what keeps our program going every year. It’s these host families. I know for it might seem like a really big commitment to be a host family, but it truly is such a rewarding experience, and you won’t regret being part of these boys’ lives for the summer. Seeing their energy and excitement for the game is amazing, and it’s just another great way for people to connect.”