Where the Larks Land: The Basin Electric Family Helping Power the Team Beyond the Ballpark

When summer rolls around, the rhythm inside Chad Kuntz and Casey Jacobson’s home shifts. Baseball schedules appear on the fridge, extra chairs gather around the dinner table, and before long, players from the Bismarck Larks baseball team are settling into the guest room. For this Basin Electric couple, hosting Larks players has become a tradition they look forward to all year.

The Bismarck Larks, part of the Northwoods League, bring top collegiate baseball players from across the country—and sometimes across the world—to Bismarck, North Dakota, each summer. Because these athletes relocate for the season, the team relies on its Host Family Program, where local families open their homes to provide a supportive place to live during the busy May-August schedule. Basin Electric is a proud partner of the Larks, sponsoring community nights, ballpark events, and family-focused activities throughout the season. For employees like Kuntz, electrical engineering supervisor, and Jacobson, senior staff counsel, that partnership adds an extra layer of meaning: the team they support at work is the same team they welcome into their home.

Their hosting adventure began the way many good things do—with a friend’s suggestion. “We first learned about it from the former host family coordinator, who we were friends with,” Jacobson says. That connection eventually led her to take on the role herself. “Now, I am the host family coordinator, which is a volunteer position responsible for recruiting new host families and matching the players up with our approximately 20 host families.” As coordinator, she helps pair players with the right homes. Families and players are matched based on factors such as whether they want a roommate, have any allergies, whether they’re comfortable living with kids, and their shared interests or hobbies.

The decision to host came from a mix of passion and parenting. “We both really enjoy baseball,” Jacobson explains. Hosting has also had a big impact on their son, Gus. Each summer, the players become something close to older brothers, and the influence they have on him is one of Kuntz and Jacobson’s favorite parts of hosting. Jacobson says the moments that stand out most are the ones that happen right at home or around town. “We’ve watched players give him pointers on his swing in the driveway, join him at baseball practice to hit grounders to all the kids, take him to the batting cage to work on hitting and fielding, and show him the effort they put into lifting, nutrition, and practice,” she says. “They spend time with him like older brothers and let him be a small part of their world.”

Over their three summers as a host family, they’ve welcomed 11 players from all over the world, including France, Puerto Rico, Florida, California, Hawaii, Colorado, and Ohio. Each summer brings its own rhythm. “We’re busy attending baseball games and integrating new schedules into the house,” Jacobson says. The players, she notes, are “incredibly respectful of our house and very serious about baseball and playing well.”

Helping players settle into Bismarck is something the family has mastered. “We give ideas of places to eat, places to go in their free time, and invite them to family dinners so everyone can get to know each other,” Jacobson says. Before long, the players feel like part of the family, and the connection often lasts long after the season ends. “Most of our players stay in touch with us,” Two of their earliest players have each gotten engaged, and another played in the College World Series for Arizona last summer, a moment the family watched proudly on TV.

Some memories have turned into family legends. Kuntz recalls the night their kitchen overflowed with players talking baseball, the campfire where they introduced their player from France to his first s’more, and a Lake Sakakawea fishing trip capped off with a surprisingly large catfish. And of course, there was the unforgettable summer of the player who ate 11 eggs a day. “We had no idea the amount of food young men eat,” the couple says.

Hosting feels even more meaningful because of Basin Electric’s partnership with the Larks. “Last year Basin Electric hosted their annual family night at a Bismarck Larks game,” Jacobson says. “It was special seeing so many employees there.” With Basin Electric’s season tickets circulating among employees, the family often spots coworkers in the stands.

With another season on the horizon, the family is excited to open their door once again. What began as a love of baseball has grown into a tradition of community and connection, stretching far beyond the ballpark. Each summer brings a new player, a new story, and another chance to grow their baseball family.