Warren family helps baseball player reach for next level

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Kurt Arkenberg
  • 90th Space Wing Public Affairs
F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. --  It's not unusual for Air Force members to volunteer their time and efforts helping their community. A couple of hours a week at a shelter or working with children improves individual lives as well as the community as a whole.

After hearing about a local team looking for people willing to take in players for the summer so they can focus on baseball, one Warren family decided to embrace the spirit of volunteerism by inviting a college baseball player into their home for the summer.

Master Sgt. Tim Anton, 367th Recruiting Squadron "B Flight" flight chief, his wife, Christi, and his family have joined with the Cheyenne Grizzlies of the Mountain Collegiate Baseball League to be a host family for one of the 2008 Grizzlies' pitching rotation.

His reasoning is simple, "Our family loves the game of baseball."

Sergeant Anton, and his wife moved here with their two children in August 2006 and by spring, they were already involved in Cheyenne baseball.

"Both of our sons play downtown, and we coach our oldest boy's First National Bank team," Sergeant Anton said.

When their oldest made the all-star team, the family's paths crossed with the owner of the Cheyenne Grizzlies in the fledgling MCBL, a league that attracts college-level ball players from around the country.

"I met the Antons when their son Jason made my 13-year-old team," said Ron Kailey, owner of the Grizz and Cheyenne Youth Baseball League all-star coach. "We got started talking baseball in the area and the conversation turned to some of my Grizzlies players needing host families."

Sergeant Anton and his family were intrigued, but being new to the base and having no information about the process for getting a non-military, non-family member cleared to live in base housing, he was unsure if it was possible or if they were ready for the responsibility.

All it took was a few phone calls to find that it was fairly simple to get clearance to host a player while living on base, and watching someone close to them enjoy the relationship built with a player convinced them there was little need to worry about opening their house.

"We called the housing office and were told that all we needed was to submit a 'Permission to Sponsor an Extended Visitor in MFH' request letter and have my commander sign off," Sergeant Anton said. "Then the sponsored player will get access to the base by a pass from the pass and registration office.

"With a current driver's license, car registration and proof of insurance, he can get a 30-day pass."

Seeing no big Air Force hurdles to clear was a relief, but watching another family member enjoy hosting a player last summer made the decision easier still.

"After Christi's dad (hosted a player) last year, we saw how fun and easy it was and how it helped the player by giving him a place to stay while focusing on improving his baseball skills to be competitive for the professional level," Sergeant Anton said.

Equally important, according to Sergeant Anton, were the relationships he saw the players and their host families made, keeping in touch after the season ends and the players go back to school.

Mr. Kailey agreed that many families follow their surrogate sons' careers each step of the way.

"The long-lasting friendships made between host family and players have been a great benefit of the program," the fourth-year owner said, adding that some host families have even lobbied to have the same player brought back to the team each summer.

But according to Mr. Kailey, the players who come to Cheyenne get more than an opportunity to hone their baseball skills.

"(League owners) had a belief five years ago that the mountain region would be a great place for a college summer league," said Mr. Kailey. "I felt like Cheyenne had a rich tradition of baseball at the American Legion level and the community would really rally around the next level.

"The city really has a great chance every summer to highlight our sense of community and the hard-working, family values we have," he added.

As much as the players are ambassadors for their sports and their colleges, getting involved with the Grizzlies is a good way to be an ambassador for the Air Force.

"This is a great way for Air Force members who love the game to surround themselves with more baseball while doing a very good deed," Sergeant Anton said.

"Knowing we're giving back to the community by allowing a player to stay at our house is very rewarding and a great way to show these kids a little about the Air Force way of life and positively influence their image of the Air Force as a whole," he added.