The Victoria Grizzlies of the sa国际传媒 Hockey League have sent a call out for potential billet families to host their junior players, who are 16 to 20 years of age.
Sheryl Williamson has been billet co-ordinator of the Grizzlies for eight seasons and described the experience of billeting players as a “rewarding” one.
“Everybody knows about the Alex Newhooks,” she said, referring to the Grizzlies graduate, now with the Montreal Canadiens, who went in the first round of the NHL draft and won a Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche.
“But there are all sorts of players who go on to play four seasons in college [NCAA Division 1 in the U.S.] and then who go on to play professionally at other levels, including in Europe.”
“They become a part of the family,” added Williamson.
“If you’re in it for the money as a billet, you’re in it for the wrong reason. It’s much more rewarding. You develop really cool relationships. Billet families tend to keep in touch with their former billet players, and their families, for many years through their playing careers and after that, too.”
The billeting process, from the BCHL to the WHL, is and has been the traditional way of housing junior hockey players in sa国际传媒 who move away from their hometowns in pursuit of their junior careers.
Williamson can be reached at 250-213-2666.
