Each season, the Hawkesbury Hawks Jr. A team roster include elite level players from outside the Hawkesbury area. To allow these players to take advantage of the hockey opportunity presented to them, they require housing assistance from families within the community to serve as billet families.
“Billeting” is a hockey tradition and is especially important at the elite level of hockey. This concept involves local host families providing a home to out-of-province for the hockey season. The billet program also allows these young men to complete their high school educations and/or obtain part-time employment in the local community while pursuing the next step in their hockey careers.
The Hawkesbury Hawks feels that one of the components of success is to provide a comfortable living environment for each of our billet players. One of the most difficult things for the elite level hockey player is moving away from home. Much is expected of these players both on and off the ice and the added demands of such foreign situation often creates added stress for them. As a result, we strive to find homes that provide a positive family environment. To help alleviate such inherent anxieties, our players, in turn, are strongly encouraged to embrace the challenges of moving into a new household and become actively involved with the family that has so generously welcomed them into their home.
We value the importance of the billet families who open their homes to our players and appreciate the efforts made by the entire family in making our players’ transition easier. Being a billet family can be a very rewarding experience. Strong bonds are often made between the player, his parents and the billet family, which frequently carry on well after the player has moved on to the next level.
The Hawkesbury Hawks, the players, and their families appreciate the commitment, generosity and dedication of our billet families.
If your family is interested in becoming part of the “House-A-Hawk” Billeting program, please fill out the form below, or call Ryan Leonard at (705) 257-0132 or email ryan@hawkesburyhawks.com