Since the beginning of Duluth FC, generous families and individuals have opened their homes to athletes traveling from far and wide to serve as a Blue Green. Our host families are an important part of creating a “home away from home” experience for our out of town and international players. Host families are of great value to our club as many players simply are not able to secure safe and affordable lodging for such a short period of time (May-July).
This program provides a unique opportunity for potential host families to get to know amazing players that join our club from around the world, make them feel comfortable in the Duluth area, learn (potentially) a new culture, and have a high-level player to act as a role model. Many families have developed lasting relationships from welcoming a Duluth FC athlete into their family. Below is a list of requirements and benefits that we ask host families to consider, along with a short video highlighting what this experience has looked like for one of our consistent hosts.
Benefits for Host Families:
– Season tickets for every member of the family
– 1 friends and family night for each host family (20 free tickets provided to family)
– Reserved parking for games
– Recognition at Duluth FC games
– Discount on club merchandise
– Families with youth soccer players may have their child attend one or two designated practice sessions with their player
– 1 stadium scarf
– Invitation to “host family” events
– Potential gift certificates from select sponsors
– Opportunity to make lifelong connections with amazing people from all over the world
General Information
In selecting our host families, we look for candidates interested in the team and our mission who are dedicated to making our players’ summer experience positive and memorable. We are looking for a safe home environment in which the family will spend time with their player(s) and treat them as if they are a part of their family. Remember that they are athletes on the field but in your home they are just like any other 18-25 year old boy that is stuck somewhere between realizing his dreams and desperate for a break. Some of them may be homesick or nervous to be in their new environment. Anything we can do to help break down those barriers and provide an incredible experience for the athlete is worthwhile.
Arrival and Departure
The players will stay with you from about mid-May to the end of July, depending on how far the team goes into the play-offs. Arrivals may be as late as mid-June depending on their schedules. We are happy to work with you to arrange airport pick-ups as players
arrive.
Transportation
The players will be responsible for getting themselves to and from games, practices, and camps. Some players have their own vehicle, but some will not. We look to have players carpool if possible. You are not required to provide transportation, but if you have an extra car available that you are comfortable with a player driving you are free to offer it if you would like. We will work hard
to match players with host families that make sense according to survey answers.
Housing
Player(s) must have a private room for sleeping. If you are hosting two players, they may share a room, but two separate beds must be provided. If the only thing stopping you from hosting is an extra bed, let us know and we will help you find one. Please make sure to dress the beds with clean linens and a pillow. Players do not need a private bathroom but should have a place for their personal items. Players are expected to do their own laundry, we just ask that you provide them with instruction on how to use your machines. We also ask that you provide meals for your players. We expect our players to follow the rules of your house. There will be a housing checklist that goes over housing issues that we will ask each player to read over, discuss with you, and sign. Players do have busy schedules so please be understanding that they may spend a limited amount of time at your home.
For more information contact Sara Shuster at DuluthFCHost@gmail.com. If you are ready to host a player, please fill out the Host Family Application below.
Duluth FC Host Family Application
