By Emily Younger

Why did a baseball-loving family from California choose Wichita? The simple answer? Opportunity. The long answer. Well, we will get to that in this #RelentlesslyOriginal story.

Meet Timias and Katie Woods. The couple and their fun-loving daughters, Charlie, 8, and Rory, 5, moved to the Air Capital of the World from the Greater Los Angeles area in March of 2021. Katie, the former assistant general manager for the Lancaster JetHawks, was offered the director of marketing and community engagement position with the Wichita Wind Surge for the minor league baseball team’s inaugural season.

“I had never been to Wichita until the night before I started with the Wind Surge,” said Katie.

“At the time, I didn’t know anything about Wichita. We knew we had to move so she could continue her career in minor league baseball. We were deciding between Binghampton, New York, Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Wichita, Kansas. I am from Oklahoma, so Kansas seemed doable. The other two places seemed like more of a stretch and lacked the days of sun necessary to make life magical. We rolled the dice on Wichita and are glad we did,” said Timias.

Wichita immediately welcomed the Woods family. Katie, who now works as the marketing director for the NBC World Series Tournament and the Wichita Sports Commission, was instantly thrust into the vibrant, lively, yet midwestern culture.

“Fortunately, my job really pushes me out in the community, so I naturally get the opportunity to meet a lot of really interesting people,” Katie said. “From the day I started here, I really felt like if I had a question, or needed help, it was just a phone call away – even from people that I have never met. There is a sense of community pride, and wanting to help lift others up, that makes Wichita really unique.”

Timias works remotely for Lockheed Martin. While his job doesn’t push him into the community quite like Katie’s does, he too learned very quickly, Wichita has more to offer in terms of career opportunities and lifestyle amenities than people may think or expect.

“Wichita is leading the way in the future of aviation and has a lot to offer to people with defense or aerospace experience. You have Airbus, Textron, Spirit Aerosystems, NAIR, and other companies that provide parts and services to the industry,” he said. “Where else would you want to be?”

Combine the work of the future with an extensive foodie, day and nightlife scene and it’s no wonder Wichita is ranked as one of the coolest cities in America, according to Thrillest.

“It (Wichita) has all of these fantastic amenities – an airport, the nation’s seventh largest zoo, hundreds of local restaurants of every type of food, concert venues, sporting venues, you name it,” Katie said. “Almost everything is only 15 minutes away.”

“The food was a major surprise. I was not expecting as many local coffee shops, breweries, and really good food,” Timias added.

When asked if the Woods family would move to Wichita all over again, the consensus was absolutely! In fact, in the family’s two short years in the city, they’ve found more than a home. They said they have found a supportive community that has embraced their family, their goals and their dreams.

“We are a huge advocate for Wichita. We are pitching our friends that live in other locales more than they want us to on the tremendous benefits of living in Wichita. If you are looking for a place where you can assimilate quickly, have access to a plethora of amenities, and build an awesome future, there is no better place than Wichita,” Timias said.

“Give it a shot. Wichita feels like a place with so much opportunity, where no matter what your passion is, you can find your people and do great things. Plus, you can’t beat the cost of living, and the great restaurant scene!” Katie said.