Palm Springs Power Host Families Provide Home Away From Home for Players

For the Palm Springs Power, success on the baseball field is only part of the story. Behind many of the team’s players are local families who provide support, housing, and a sense of home during the season.

The team is recognizing those families during Host Family Appreciation Night at Palm Springs Stadium, highlighting the important role they play in the players’ experience.

Host mom Connie Golds has welcomed Power players into her home for several seasons. She says the experience is about more than just providing a place to sleep — it’s about building relationships with young athletes who are far from home.

“I get the names and I know where they’re going to school,” Golds said. “I try to look at their schools and learn about them.”

Host families typically provide players with a room and a supportive environment while they compete during the summer season. Many athletes are away from their families for weeks at a time, making the connections they build in the valley even more meaningful.

Power pitcher Cameron Witte, who is from Alaska, and outfielder Amari Conley, who is from Mississippi, are among the players staying with Golds this season.

Both say having a host family helps ease the challenges of being away from home.

“It’s really refreshing,” one player said, describing the daily check-ins and support he receives.

Golds says the relationships often continue even after the season ends. She has a tradition where players sign a baseball before they leave, giving her a reminder of the athletes who became part of her family.

“It helps with players that aren’t as good with meeting people and coming to other environments,” Golds said. “It helps the host mom learn someone else’s life and background and vice versa.”

The Palm Springs Power say host families are a key part of creating a positive experience for players who come to the Coachella Valley each summer.

Families interested in becoming a host family for future Power players can find more information through the team’s website.