More than a place to stay: Hosting Winter Garden Squeeze players shaped Windermere couple's summers

Over the four to six years as a host family for the Winter Garden Squeeze players, Windermere’s Karen and Jerry Fay never saw much of the busy collegiate baseball players who were running around town for games or training in the gym. 

But when they were home, Jerry Fay always loved taking the boys out on their boat for a fishing day. 

“One of their fathers owned a fish camp, so he loved fishing, and the other didn’t know one end of a fishing pole from the other,” Jerry Fay said. “He was the one (who) caught the most fish.”

They also occasionally played pool games together, running tournaments and creating lifelong memories. 

The fond memories are why the Fays still reach out to their former “children” on their birthdays or when they celebrate a new life accomplishment. They also are a reason the Fays continued to host. 

At one point over the years, the Fays had three players staying in their home — the Texas boys. Two of the players took the two twin beds in the bedroom, while their friend frequently spent nights in the home. 

They had another player from the Dominican Republic who was a wonderful cook and treated the Fays with plantains, and another who despite his large stature was terrified of dogs. 

Although they aren’t currently hosting due to frequent travel that limits them to a few days home per week, they would love to do it again once their summers open back up. 

“We would highly recommend (hosting),” Karen Fay said. “I wish more people would do it and I wish we were home more.” 

FAN TO HOST 

Karen Fay developed her deep love for baseball when she was about 10 years old. 

Her father used to take a group of neighborhood kids down to the ball park two or three times per summer. They traveled by streetcar to Forbes Field and would sit out in right or left field and enjoy popcorn, Coca-Cola and the game attractions. Her father parked himself in a seat behind home plate.

Throughout Karen Fay’s life, she continued to grow as a baseball fanatic — even going to Fenway Park with her family for her 70th birthday. Living in West Orange County was the perfect location to continue her support of the sport. 

Karen Fay began following West Orange High’s baseball team, watching them grow throughout their years as a Warrior and watched them on the big screen as collegiate players in the College World Series. Jerry Fay never was a big baseball fan himself, but through Karen’s love, he, too, developed his own love for the game. 

When the Winter Garden Squeeze  came to the area in 2014, it was a no-brainer for Karen Fay to begin supporting their journey.

Karen Fay used to volunteer in the booster section at West Orange High for football games, which is where she and Winter Garden Squeeze General Manager Adam Bates met. He approached  the Fayes with an offer to become a host family.

The Fays jumped on it. 

They were familiar with the concept of being a host family — Karen Fay’s sister used to have it up in North Carolina for the summer collegiate baseball program in the state. With the Fays’ children out of the house and an extra bedroom, they had no problem welcoming a Squeeze player. 

“They come from wherever they are,” Karen Fay said. “Then during College World Series time, we get to watch them, the teams that are still playing. … It’s fun to get to see what they’re doing.” 

The players never were any trouble. 

“For them just to pack up and move hundreds of miles to live with a family that they have no idea, living with (the family) is kind of a shot in the,” Jerry Fay said. 

The Fays gave the players their own keys, and only asked to know what time they would be home at night on non-game days. Players’ parents even would come down to watch games once in a while, and the Fays got to know the players’ families, friends and girlfriends. 

“One brought his girlfriend,” Karen Fay said. “He had to sleep on the couch while she slept in the bedroom, because we weren’t allowing them together. I promised her mother that wasn’t going to happen, and he ended up marrying her.” 

GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY

Outside of hosting, the Fays follow the Squeeze whenever they have the time. They have traveled to Leesburg once and also to DeLand. Karen Fay remembered when the Squeeze used to have a Squeeze Off between the kids, which was a fun challenge between innings to see which kid could squeeze the most oranges. 

Children used to scramble to chase after a ball a Squeeze player hit out of bounds, and whoever retrieved it first and brought it back to the concession stand would receive a candy bar or small treat. 

The Fays especially loved bringing their grandkids down to the ball park. Karen Fay remembered one time when the grandkids were really little and running up and down the ball park, Jerry Fay told them to be quiet and careful, but she reminded him “That’s what a ballpark is about.” 

The Squeeze’s ballpark has been enriching the lives of the community members and shaping their experience during the summer since 2014. 

“It’s good for the little kids to see what big kids have to go through whenever they’re playing ball because it’s a commitment,” Karen Fay said.