The Stouffville Spirit is looking for new billet families to welcome to the Spirit family.
Families will host our players during the 2024-25 Ontario Junior Hockey League season, which begins in September.
Host families are asked to welcome players into their homes and treat them like a member of the family. Players, in turn, are asked to respect the house rules and chip in like they would at home.
Host families supply a bedroom and meals to our players.
“It’s a great experience for both the players and Stouffville families,” said Spirit co-owner Kenny Burrows. “Billeting works particularly well for minor hockey families and empty-nesters. We’ve had so many positive stories around billet families and our players during the past 25 years-plus.”
Families receive $600 a month and free admission to Spirit home games.
For more information or to apply, e-mail stouffvillespiritoffice@gmail.com
Here’s the story of the Humpheys family, who have welcomed 20-plus Spirit players into their home.
I got involved with the Stouffville Spirit Jr A Hockey Club back in 1998. Team governor Ken Burrows asked my wife Lorraine and I if we would billet “a player”.
A long history with the team began.
These players come from all over North America. Some come for a night and others for a longer period.
We had a wonderful three-year stint with Robert Groom who was from Thunder Bay, Ontario. We attended his wedding in the Caribbean and remain good friends with the Groom family to this day.
It is exciting to see these boys turn into men. We have had 24 of them over the years live with us to help the Spirit. They all bring a different viewpoint about the game. It’s exciting for them to be handing out autographs and getting pictures taken with their young fans. We are fortunate that the minor hockey association has a close connection with The Spirit.
The players become part of your family. The Spirit welcomes you into their bubble to enjoy all the games. For a hockey family it is great if you have young players in your household. Younger players learn about the commitment to a team and the hard work it takes to stay on a team. They will see the work ethic these young men bring to their schoolwork and dedication to their team.
As a billet family. you provide housing and support for the young men who have moved away from home to pursue their dreams of playing the game.
We have two daughters and they loved the experience. One daughter was having a skate for her birthday and all the boys from her class were so excited when a group of Spirit players came to join in the party on the ice.
We have kept in contact with many of our billet players. Some went on to higher levels in the game, to play profesionally in Europe and the States. Some go to university or college hockey in Canada and the USA. A few of them received full or partial scholarships to play for their schools.
It was a lot of fun for many years for us and I would suggest it for any hockey fan in Stouffville. After many years of billeting, we have seen our players grow up and have families of their own. It is very rewarding to see these young men all grown up and contributing to the world. In all our years of billeting, the players showed nothing but respect to our family.
–Mike (and Lorraine) Humphreys
