HOST FAMILIES
One of the most important aspects of the New Market Rebels organization is our host family program. Every year each player and coach that comes to New Market is placed with a family or individual in our community where they stay for the entirety of the summer free of charge. Without these giving families and individuals it would be impossible for the Rebels to continue to operate.
If you are interested in hosting a Rebel please refer to the information at the bottom of this page or contact our Host Family Coordinator Will Gangwer at wgangwer@vt.edu for more information.
HOST FAMILY INFORMATION
Q: Who is a New Market Rebel?
A: Rebel Baseball Players are NCAA college baseball students recruited from colleges/universities whose ambitions are to play in Minor and Major League professional baseball leagues in the future. Many college baseball players are recruited to professional leagues during the summer collegiate baseball season. Players’ academic pursuits vary from business management, finance, mathematics, social studies, psychology, sports physical therapy, law, law enforcement, accounting, information sciences to computer system’s management.
Q: Why should I host a Rebel?
A: Oh, we've got reasons!
1. Free season’s passes to home games for all of your family members!
2. Be part of helping a player reach his dream to be a Major League Baseball player. Without you, the players could not afford housing. Summer collegiate baseball players do not have the financing that professional baseball players have to stay in hotels. All Valley Baseball League teams play 6 games a week with one day off, which is often used for rain date makeup games.
3. A number of summer collegiate New Market Rebels have been professionally recruited to Minor and Major league teams. It’s fun to watch the progress and growth of a Minor/Major league player you hosted in your home and grew to know and admire. We call it “boasting rights.”
4. Your children and/or grandchildren will enjoy camaraderie with players.
5. You will make new friends with other baseball enthusiasts and see some current friends at the games as well.
6. You will have the opportunity to make a positive impact on a young person who is just starting out in life.
7. Many players you have hosted continue to keep in touch for years.
8. Be part of “Hometown Americana” like it was in the old days. You enjoy the summer evenings as the moon comes over the mountain while you smell the aroma of popcorn, peanuts, hot dogs. Your children/grandchildren will enjoy the experience and safety of being at a ball park with their friends/family and getting autographs from the Rebel players.
9. The New Market Rebels Board of Directors have established Player Guidelines requiring players to have good moral standards, respect their host family’s home and their family members as well as abide by the individual host family’s rules and regulations in that home. Alcoholic consumption for players under 21 years of age is forbidden and a criminal violation. Players over 21 may not consume alcohol in their host family’s home, may not abuse alcohol and may not purchase alcohol for any other player under 21. Use of any illegal (non-prescription) drug is forbidden and subject to criminal charges.
Q: What do I do to host a Rebel?
A: Players need only a bed (not necessarily a bedroom) in your home or unfinished basement, access to a bathroom with bathing/shower facilities and access to laundry facilities (they wash their own clothing and linens). When away from your home, players pay for their own food. Access to television hook up and computer hook up is a convenience but certainly not required. If you have space in your basement area but do not have an extra bed, we have extra twin and full/double beds we will deliver to your home and pick up at the end of the season…..no, really!!!!! Remember….players do NOT necessarily need a bedroom. If you will be out of town for a weekend or several weeks during June and July, our Host Family Coordinator will remove your player from your home and resettle him while you are away.
Q: How long is the season?
A: Players arrive at Rebel Park (near the New Market Community Center on Dixie Lane) the last Sunday in May. We ask one member of the Host Family to meet their player at Rebel Park that day. If that is not possible, one of our Host Family Coordinators will take the player to your home. Players begin practice the first week of June. If the New Market Rebels proceed to the Valley Baseball League playoff series, the season could extend beyond the first week in August. Six games a week are played with Mondays off. There are 21 home and 21 away games. You are not required to attend games; however, the players look forward to their Host Families cheering them on.
Contact at Liza Coffman at liza.coffman@gmail.com or Will Gangwer at wgangwer@vt.edu for more info or to express your interest in hosting!