Bisons looking for billets

Justin Seward
Times Reporter

 

As the upcoming season is inching closer, the CFR Chemicals Bisons are still looking for families to house players as a part of a successful billet program that began two seasons ago.
The program is in place so the players can go to the same high school and be together all the time without having to drive home across the wide draw zone in potentially dangerous weather conditions.
“I think it gave us the ability to finally become one unit,” said Bisons head coach Sandy Henry.
“I think one of the bigger things is it’s a lot safer, it allows us to practice more, so we got more development time. It’s calmer because there’s not all these things that create a bad incident that everyone wouldn’t want to have. They do a great job at the school, really helping out our students integrate.”
Families are required to give up a clean bedroom, pass an inspection, and undergo a police check. In turn, the billet families will receive $400 a month for expenses.
Bisons billet coordinator Melody Wilson said this will be a great way to not only become a part of the Bison family, but for the family to have the desire to take them in as one of their own children.
“A lot of these kids are away from home for the first time, so (they) become a part of the family,” said Wilson.
If the families have room, they will also have the option of taking more than one player in to stay with them.
A house walk-through will be mandatory to make sure the player has a room and, there is a police check of the adults in the house.
The Bisons would like the players moved in between Sept. 26-28 and would like to find billets in place in the next couple of weeks.
Anyone interested in getting involved as a billet can contact Wilson at melody@peapatch.ca or by Facebook.