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Home away from home: Host families connect with athletes
Whether student-athletes travel a few miles or across the country, college life can be an unsettling experience.
After years of living at home, the young athletes must learn to live on their own at a new type of educational institution and in a new kind of town.
It's exciting .... but it also can be a difficult adjustment. The familiarity of family and friends are left behind as the students embark on their college years.
Recognizing how hard the transition can be, the McCook College Booster Club took action five years ago to give student athletes a home away from home.
The program -- called "Adopt an Athlete" -- has been a hit with both athletes and host parents, encouraging Booster Club members to expand the program.
"The program has worked exceedingly well," said Max Abercrombie. "The only problem is that we don't have enough host parents to go around. If you or anyone you know is interested in participating, please give Rebecca Vosburg or me a call." Rebecca can be reached at work, 345-8920, or at home, 345-4823. Max's numbers are 345-2380 (work) and 345-1640 (home).
The Adopt an Athlete program is available for all sports at McCook Community College, including volleyball, golf, men's and women's basketball, baseball and softball.
Several host families -- including the Millers, the Wudkes, the Tappes and the Vosburgs -- have been participating from the start. "This all started back in the 1995-96 college year," said Kelvin Miller. "I was visiting with Gary Wiemers about the need for local support for the college athletic program. At the time, Gary's son, T.J., and my son, Kyle, were both playing basketball for the college, so we saw the need for a support system. It was not so much for our sons, but for other members of the team."
The Adopt an Athlete program, which took several years to develop, was patterned after a similar program in North Platte and other Region IX community college programs.
For Kelvin and Leigh Ann Miller, whose children are now adults, the Adopt an Athlete program provides an opportunity to stay connected with youth. "It's been a good experience, for both the student-athletes and Leigh Ann and me," Kelvin said. The athletes come to the Millers' home for dinner and also stop by from time to time to do laundry and study in a home setting. "We have a computer they can use, and they like coming over because it gives them a break from the college campus lifestyle."
Under the rules of the National Junior College Athletic Association, meals are the only freebie the host parents can provide the student athletes. Any other form of compensation-- be it gifts, spending money, bus trips or airline tickets -- are prohibited.
Still, money's not the most important thing in the student athlete-host parent relationship. What counts, instead, is the friendship and family feeling ... the "home away from home" atmosphere.
That has certainly been true for Kurt and Rebecca Vosburg, "We don't have children of our own, so the Adopt an Athlete program is an excellent way for us to interact with young people," Rebecca said. "I love to cook and bake from scratch, so the student athletes' visits gives me a chance to prepare special meals."
Also, Kurt and Rebecca go to the Indians' games, and later often take their adopted athletes out for pizza. "The athletes also like to hang out at our house. They usually have some laundry to do, and often bring a movie to watch," Rebecca said.
Diana Tappe is like Rebecca Vosburg: she loves to cook. That's one of the reasons the Adopt an Athlete program has been special for Diana and her husband, Duane. "The college cafeteria is closed Sundays, so that's a good time for the athletes to come over. We encourage them to bring friends, because when you're cooking for a group there's always room for one more," Diana said.
"They (the student athletes) are a great bunch of kids," Diana said. "Duane and I enjoy sharing time with them during their years at the college."
For the Wudke family, the Adopt an Athlete program has been a family experience. "We all take part," said Stan Wudke, who serves as the satellite manager in McCook for Bellevue University. "The athletes come out for dinner and play video games."
They become part of the Wudkes' family, which includes Stan; his wife, Clara Lynn, and their children: Courtney, Caitlyn and Cody.
"Adopt an Athlete has been especially good for Cody, who is a seventh grader," Stan said. "The athletes are like big brothers to him. He tries to go to every one of their games."
This makes it fun for Cody and other members of the Wudke family. "The games are much more interesting when you know the players involved," Stan said.
The Wudkes, who have been involved in Adopt an Athlete from the start, encourage everyone to get involved.
"It's a win-win situation for the family and the athlete," Stan said. "It's a wonderful experience which can lead to long-lasting friendships."