Some elite hockey players are returning to town soon and they’ll need supportive families to help take care of them.
The Bancroft Rockhounds are looking for billets, as they get ready for a new Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League season.
Rockhounds players are between the ages of 16 and 21. They arrive in Bancroft from different towns, and in some cases countries, to pursue hockey careers, but need families to live with.
Meredith Card, a billet family last year, said the experience of welcoming four players into the home became more rewarding than she had imagined. She said the players became like big brothers to her son, Max, who could attend games, since billets are given season-ticket packages.
“They definitely become part of your family very quickly,” Card says. “The boys are very respectful of your home and your family. And for us (going to games) was a nice night out. It became such a routine for us. It was so much fun to go and watch them do what they’re here to do.”
Families are also given financial compensation for their commitments and an extensive billet-player agreement is signed to make sure the situation works out.
Interested families can contact Rockhounds President Nanda Eastman at 613-334-0982 or [email protected] .