Host Family Information
The Importance of Host Families:
A host family is one of the most important aspects of The Big 33 Experience. Many players are away from home for the first time and are apprehensive (as are their parents) about staying with a strange family. Your commitment as a host family is to make the player feel as welcome as possible and put his parent’s mind at ease about their son’s stay at your home. You will form a memorable relationship with the player; while providing an invaluable service to the Big 33 Football Classic.
Download the 2023 Big 33 Host Family Flyer for more information.
Host Family Responsibilities and Requirements:
- Must be available Thursday through Sunday (May 25-28, 2023) to provide transportation to drop off and pick up your player at designated times. No drivers are permitted other than the host mom or dad and no motorcycles are permitted.
- Provide meals for your player for the duration of their stay (other than the meals they are provided with during the week by Big 33).
- You must have your player under your supervisor for the duration of their stay unless they are with their Big 33 coach.
- Smoking is not permitted in the presence of the player.
- During game week there must be a host dad and a host mom present in the household.
- The player is not permitted to drive his own car during the duration of his stay. If the player drives himself to the arrival of Big 33 events you are to keep his keys until after the game on Monday afternoon and not allow him to drive his car.
- Host dad and host mom are required to have a PA State Police Clearance and PA Child Abuse History Clearance every three years. All new host families must complete the clearances through our process the first year and then every three years after that. You can complete this by going on-line at https://epatch.state.pa.us and completing the form. All clearances must be completed at the time of application before you can be considered as a Big 33 host family. Along with that, you will need to submit a copy of your current driver’s license (each parent). Those copies can be emailed to Nicole Whitmire at nwhitmire@big33.org or mailed to her at: Big 33, 4813 Jonestown Road, Suite 202, Harrisburg, PA 17109. Please Click Here for the on-line host family application.
- Host families are required to carry a minimum of $300,000 liability insurance on both their homeowners and their automobile insurance policies and must provide Big 33 with a copy of the declaration page of their insurance policies showing the liability amounts or a letter from their insurance company stating that the insured carries the required limits.
- Must provide player with his own bed (preferably bedroom) for his stay. He may share a bathroom.
- Beyond the above, we ask you to provide a welcoming environment for your player(s); always making him/them feel at home.
Host Family Benefits:
When you become a host family, you’ll be adding a new member to your family. Big 33 players are appreciative of the effort you will be making as a host family and can serve as a positive role model for your children. They are to be respectful to you, your family, and the environment you are giving them – nothing less will be tolerated by our organization.
Host families will receive a specified amount of tickets to various Big 33 events.
Becoming a Host Family:
To become a host family, the first step is to determine if you are able to fulfill these host family responsibilities and requirements. Prospective host families are asked to complete a questionnaire/application and submit it along with the required clearances, which will provide the Big 33 with a profile of the family and the living environment. After the questionnaire is submitted we will review everything carefully and be in touch with you.
