THE SCHANANDORE FAMILY

LARKS HOST FAMILY SINCE 2022

Adding a new person to your home is one of life’s biggest changes. Last summer, Matt and Amy Shanandore welcomed two new people around the same time. 

The Shanandores have been a Larks Host Family since 2020. They’ve had four different players in their home and plan on having another in 2022. They also have a growing family of their own. In July of 2021, they welcomed their fifth child, Zoe, while Larks pitcher Ethan Abbott was staying with them. 

“One day, Ethan came home and said, ‘Oh! There’s a baby.’ Ethan got to learn about all the wonders and terrors of newborns,” Matt laughs. 

With a family of five, the Shanandore’s players got a first hand look at what life is like with kids. And on the flipside, the Shanandore kids also learned what it was like to have another adult living in the house. 

“Some players just wanted to be in their room. Our kids had to learn about boundaries and privacy,” Matt said. “Other players love the kids. They play video games together in their spare time and throw the ball in the backyard.” 

“One player brought duck calls,” Amy said. “Our kids thought that was awesome.” 

The Shanandore kids are all different ages, but they all had their own way of taking an interest in the players and in baseball. 

“Having a personal connection with the players enriched the game,” Matt said. 

The Shanandores all really value their family time together at the ballpark. 

“One of the reasons we host is because it gets you into the games. When you’ve got a big family, things cost money,” Matt said. “The kids will ask us if we can host a player so we can go to the Larks games” 

Amy confessed that becoming a host family was more Matt’s idea than her own. Like a normal mom, she had reservations about inviting unfamiliar young men into her home. 

“When you have kids, you need to feel like your home is safe,” Amy said. “The transition went really well. They were always very respectful. They honored the rules of the house.” 

Hosting these players has given the Shanandores plenty of happy memories. Amy talked to them over morning coffee. One kid grew his baseball skills. Another kid keeps a picture of her favorite player in her room. The Shanandore’s look forward to building new relationships with their Larks player this season.