More billet families are needed for the ENGLISH RIVER MINER JUNIOR A HOCKEY CLUB.
The commitments of being a billet family include providing food for the host player, a bedroom and
making sure rules such as curfew are enforced. Players are responsible for their own transportation to
and from practice and games. Billet families are paid per month and given season tickets to all the home
games.
It can be rewarding and it adds some excitement to your day. It is not a big deal because the boys can be
fairly independent and not hard to please. You don’t have to babysit them. They also know how to work
a shovel pretty good, says billet coordinator Karen Pace.
The billet family provides a safe and comfortable home life for the player. You make them feel like part
of the family. Your home is really their home away from home. While players love to be supported
from billet parents, billet siblings, grandparents and other extended family at their hockey games the
support is a two way street. Players can have an influence on their billet family. They can become more
like a brother and part of the family, which includes annoying each other, playing mini sticks, playing a
game of road hockey, or watching a movie together. They are terrific role models for family members as
far as life and hockey go. It can be an intimidating and scary experience for players leaving their family,
friends, and familiar home to come and play hockey in a different town.
The biggest misconception about being a billet parent is that you have to know hockey. You don’t need
to have hockey knowledge in order to support the boys or be a fan of the team. The hardest thing about
becoming a billet family is having a player traded or transferred to another team, but that is part of
hockey and will always be. There will be another player coming into take their place and more
memories to make.
Are you a retired couple, a single person, are you a small family a big family, a widower or a single
parent, all kinds of homes work to take in and support a player and our local Junior A team. Even if you
can’t commit to the whole season and can help as a temporary home throughout the season those
homes are also needed if players billet family is away or travelling. Players start to arrive September 4 th
and are here until sometime in April depending on playoffs. They will go home for Xmas for 2 ½ weeks.
If you are interested in becoming a billet family, please contact Billet Coordinator Karen Pace at 807 727
7440 (cell) or home 727 3114 or office 727 2742 or email karen@redlaketravel.com
Don’t be afraid … get involved you won’t be sorry you did. BE PART OF THE MINERS FAMILY !