The Kirkland Lake Goldminers are well aware of that, as we have been helping young hockey players adjust to life in a new environment for many, many years. part of the experience of playing in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League for the first time is getting used to new experiences, a new community and a new environment. That is where the vital role of a billet family comes into play.
After we sign or commit to a player, our first responsibility is to find a safe and comfortable home for him. We are always in need of families who are willing to open their homes to one or more of the players, to share in their Junior hockey experience and to influence them for the season and maybe for the rest of their lives.
Junior hockey players are 16 – 20 years old and come from all over North America to play hockey in Northern Ontario. In previous seasons the Goldminers had a number of players who were billeted coming from as far away as Newfoundland and British Columbia to as far south as Florida.
Billets are the lifeblood of any Junior organization. The Goldminers are in need of few more billets to be a part of the journey for these young men. We have been very fortunate to have many families in the area act as billets for our players for many years, and they, too, have become part of the Goldminer family.
As a billet family you will receive a monthly financial contribution from the Goldminers to aid with food and other costs, a Family Season ticket package, invitations to be a part of special team outings and events, and most importantly provide an immediate and lasting impact on a young man living many hundreds of miles away from home.
The Goldminers will have players coming in at the middle of August and staying until the end of the season, which could be March or April. There are many opportunities for families to get involved and all they need to do is email Carla Vine at carlavine@hotmail.com to share their interest.
The relationships last for years, even after the players’ Junior careers are over and they have moved on with life inside or outside of hockey. The Goldminers pride themselves on being a family first organization and nowhere is that more evident than in the wonderful people that serve as the team’s billets every season.
