|
Post by rocket09 on Jul 25, 2007 18:12:26 GMT -3
Could those of us listed on this site, please share their past experiences being a billet family. We are considering in offering our home up for possibly two billets and would really appreciate some feedback on the expereince. I would like to know the good, the bad and the ugly about the experience.
Thanking you all in advance for sharing.
|
|
|
Post by deer on Jul 26, 2007 10:19:08 GMT -3
My family has billeted QMJHL players for each of the past ten seasons. It's Cape Breton and the Screaming Eagles, but it's probably close enough to the experience you would have if you were to billet PEI Rocket players.
We've billeted five players over the ten years the Eagles have been in town. Two only had short stints with the team and we only got to billet them for a couple of months each. The other three were long-term fixtures with the team and we had them for two years, 2.5 years, and 4.5 years respectively.
All five were great guys and excellent billeting experiences. They really become a part of your family during the time they're there, and we still keep in regular contact with the three guys we had long-term......... they're probably lifelong friends of ours now. We've also become pretty close friends with the families of these longer-term billets.
I mean nothing's perfect...... if you have someone, anyone living in your house for two or three years there's going to be a couple of days in there when they piss you off....... just like your own kids if you have any. But on the whole, my folks are very glad to have taken billets for the past ten seasons and found it very rewarding.
There's the odd horror story out there where someone had a bad billeting experience but I think "problem" kids are really in the minority......... most of these guys you'd be glad to have around.
The only real downside I can think of for sure is that it usually honestly costs more than the weekly amount the team gives you for food etc. You have to really cut corners if you want to remain within the 90 bucks a week or whatever it is (not sure what it is on the Rocket) that you get. We didn't care about that and just treated each guy like every other member of the family no matter what the cost, but some people minded the idea of losing money on the whole thing. Depends on how important that is to you.
I'd say to at least take a couple for training camp and see how you like it.
|
|
|
Post by sharrow on Jul 26, 2007 12:35:41 GMT -3
I second Deer's comment as we too were billets for about 10 years ( Halifax ) and we enjoyed the experience. His recommendation of taking a player for trainning camp as a trial for regular billeting is an excellent way to see if it is for you and your family, best of luck and we hope it will be as rewarding for you as it has been for us.
|
|
|
Post by rocket09 on Jul 27, 2007 15:46:46 GMT -3
Thanks for the feedback guys. We do hope we get considered but we might be a bit out of town for the team to have the boys here. We do think we would enjoy it.
|
|
|
Post by hockeydog on Jul 27, 2007 16:33:43 GMT -3
i may be wrong, but i believe you have to live in the city to be eligible to be a billet family.
|
|
|
Post by Fireside on Jul 27, 2007 17:35:48 GMT -3
i billeted a couple years ago and it was for the Rocket, really enjoyed the experience and would love to do it again. Space right now is the issue for me.
Deer is right tho, no way does the 85$ a week feed these kids, but like his family, i didn't think about the money when feeding my guy or making sure he had what he needed. While he was with me, he was a member of my family and treated just like any family member would be.
Its a great experience as long as you know what the demands are of billet families and as long as there are not too many huge differences between player and family....
As far as I know they billet the kids to Charlottetown, Stratford and West Royalty...not sure any further.
|
|