SAHA is looking for Medicine Hat billet families for U18 players. (Photo Courtesy Meghan Cobb)

By Meghan Cobb

SAHA looking for billet families to host U18 hockey players

Aug 8, 2022 | 4:28 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – The Southern Alberta Hockey Academy needs billet families to host incoming U18 men’s and women’s hockey players.

Billet families provide a home away from home for the players while they are in Medicine Hat. For some of them, it’s their first time away from their families.

“You provide the experience of being a role, model, helping them cook and do laundry,” says Heather Schneider, the connection and engagement coordinator with SAHA. “It’s providing the family experience when the player is so far away from home.”

Billet families are reimbursed for some of the expenses associated with hosting the players. The players arrive at the end of August and hopefully stay until the end of June, although some players are sent to another team during that time.

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Schneider says billet families provide so much more than just a roof over a head for the players.

“It’s just the most rewarding experience,” Schneider says. “The connection you will have, the memories you make. Hopefully, you have that long-lasting relationship with them that will continue all the way through their hockey career.”

For the players, having a family to support them both on and off the ice can make a big difference in their performance.

“You can see the smiles on their faces and when they [families] go to the hockey games, the players get a little bit more step on the ice,” says Schneider.

Information and the application to become a billet family can be found on SAHA’s website.

by Meghan Cobb

SAHA looking for billet families to host U18 hockey players

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