The importance of billet families to the Panthers Junior program is immeasurable. Part of our commitment to our players and their parents is to help provide them with a good home. Their time with the billet family is a very important time of their lives. They are away from their friends and family - often for the first time - so their billets literally become their surrogate family. While the billets receive some monetary compensation, tickets to home games and invitations to team events, the real rewards are in the lasting relationships that are formed.

When a family volunteers to house a member of the team, they are required to provide room and board for the player. This includes, providing nutritious food that is available for him to prepare or for the billets to prepare for the player. In addition, billets must be able to provide the player with his own room, or can share with a fellow team member. Billets are expected to treat the player as "one of the family" and not just a "renter". The same applies for the player, which includes daily tasks such as cleaning up after themselves and keeping their room tidy. We have team guidelines and policies that the players must abide by within our organization, and we expect our billet families to uphold and enforce these team rules. All billet house rules will need to be communicated to the player when he arrives.

How long is a billet family's commitment? This varies depending on the player; some are with the family during the hockey season which operates from mid August to the end of March. Players still attending high-school often stay with their billet family until the school year is over in late May. Throughout the season, players try to go home for the weekend as often as the game schedule permits and every player will go home over the holiday breaks.

If you would like more information on becoming part of the Panthers family, please contact Pete Zubersky: Petezubersky@ppanthers.bc.ca or call Pete @ (250) 652-1804.

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