The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League off-season work continues for the Battlefords North Stars and currently they are searching for billet families for the 2012-13 season.

The billeting process is an important aspect of a successful hockey program and finding suitable homes for hockey players is something the team would like to have in place when players arrive for camp in August.

Host families assist North Stars players with personal growth, independence and achieving success on and off the ice. As a member of the North Stars family, billets immediately factor into the team’s successes. Lifetime friendships are born and memories made while helping a young hockey player, who has left his family behind and reaches for his hockey goals and

Host families are required to provide their player with his own room, unless two players are hosted, in which case they may share a room. Families are required to provide nutritious daily meals to players, but the players will be responsible for purchasing their own snacks, supplements and any medicine or prescriptions.

Players typically arrive in mid-August and stay with their host family until the end of the season, which can be anywhere from March until May. During that time, players will be attending high school, community college, working part time jobs or volunteering in the community, in addition to playing hockey and training with the North Stars.

The North Stars can have up to 25 players on their roster during the season and providing safe and supportive billets to the players is a cornerstone for a successful hockey program.

Those interested can contact the team’s coach and general manager Kevin Hasselberg at 446-0046 or coach@northstars.ca or billet co-ordinator Debbie Prescesky at 441-7892 or deb.p@sasktel.net