OC Riptide host families support out-of-state players by opening up their homes and in return, gain a new member of the family for years to come.
Growing up in baseball means understanding sacrifice.
You trade relaxing weekends for chaotic doubleheaders. You trade summer vacations for out-of-state tournaments.
Rocco Gump, one of a handful of out of state players on the Riptide roster, would not be able to play for the Riptide without staying with a host family.
(Photo courtesy: Dingers Photography)
For OC Riptide host families, sacrifice extends to opening up their homes so student-athletes can come live in California and improve their baseball skills.These families give up a bedroom so these players have a home away from home while playing for the Riptide.
Out-of-state players leave their hometowns and take a chance on a Southern California experience for the summer. With the beach and mountains bordering Orange County, they can find adventures anywhere. While many people aren’t able to enjoy the summer beauty of SoCal, these athletes revel in a picturesque city for two months.
Rocco Gump, a veteran of collegiate wood bat summer baseball and native of Chandler, Arizona, appreciates his host family’s hospitality. Playing in California with the Riptide helps his baseball career, while also offering new adventures.
“It’s been great to play against good competition and be out here near the beach, soaking in the sun and all that good stuff,” Gump said.
Beyond the baseball field, the host family experience stands out for Gump. Gump’s gratitude goes to the Riptide’s General Manager David Lamm and his wife Jessica who took in Gump and Riptide teammate Ace Reese for the summer.
David and Jessica Lamm started their journey with the ‘Tide through the host family program when hosting their first player seven years ago. Although they’ve always been huge college baseball fans, hosting the players has strengthened their love of the game.
Since hosting their first Riptide player in 2018, the Lamm’s have hosted 11 players including Gump and Reese every summer with the exception of the 2020 summer canceled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Lamm said having these athletes around the home reminds him of his own days as a college athlete.
Charlie Taylor (middle) played for the Riptide and stayed with the Lamm family in 2021. They recently reunited in Knoxville, Tennessee in April 2024.
“It helps you remember what it was like back in college and keeps things in perspective,” Lamm said. “College students are still college students and ball players are still ball players no matter what generation or where they come from.”
The connections these host families and players make don’t just last a summer. Lamm said he and Jessica stay in touch with their summer sons as the years pass. In 2021, the Lamm’s traveled to Corpus Christi, Texas to visit Dylan Rock and Justin Lewis, their 2019 summer sons. In 2022, the Lamm’s visited Dylan Rock again, this time in College Station as Rock played for Texas A&M. Most recently, they traveled to Knoxville, Tennessee to visit Charlie Taylor, one of their three 2021 summer sons.
Riptide athletic trainer Malia Holmes experienced a similar situation. As a trainer, her dedication to caring for these players extends past attending to their injuries. She’s a host mom for the Riptide and said she stays connected to her summer sons, going to their games in the spring and even going to their weddings.
Her connection to the players lasts because of her motherly care toward each person that passes through her home.
“I love being a mom,” Holmes said. “I never had kids myself, but I’m very motherly, and I’ve loved being able to take care of other people all the time.”
Malia Holmes hosted Dwight Allen (left) and Rhett Spenrath (right) the summer of 2021. Here they reconnected when Allen’s Georgia Bulldogs hosted the Vanderbilt Commodores and Davis Diaz (2nd from right), also a 2021 Riptide player, joined them for a photo.
These host families go beyond just providing rooms. They offer a safe haven to escape from the stresses of summer baseball.
“I love that I’m able to give them a little comfort and just let them relax away from everything and know that they’re safe, knowing that my house is always going to be a safe space for them,” Holmes said.
Riptide host families strive to create a familial atmosphere. Whether it’s hosting family nights, playing card games, or sharing meals, these families go the extra mile to integrate the players into their lives.
“We try to say ‘Hey, you know what? Let’s have a family night where we’re just gonna hang out and we’re gonna play card games’ or something like that,” Lamm said.
These efforts not only provide comfort for the players but also enrich the lives of the host families.
For those considering becoming host families, Holmes offered some valuable tips: “Be open and know that they’re only there for a short time,” she advised. “Make sure they know that they’re feeling welcomed.”
David (left) and Jessica Lamm (right) hosted Wilson Galvan (15) and Dominic Suoto (1) during the summer of 2022.
Lamm echoes this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of clear communication and setting expectations early on.
“We connect with the players early and set up a video call to introduce ourselves and get to know them better,” Jessica said. “We want to make sure it is a good fit for everyone. We have two dogs and three cats. Making sure the players are not allergic to animals is a big deal.”
The OC Riptide’s host family program offers more than just a logistical solution for summer housing; it’s a cornerstone of the team’s culture. While it takes sacrifice to open up your home to a stranger, the bonds formed between players and host families create lasting memories.
As with players on the field, the OC Riptide actively recruits new host families to help more Orange County families experience hosting a college baseball player on their path to professional baseball. If you believe you would like to host an OC Riptide player next summer, please fill out the Orange County Riptide Host Family Application.
