The definition of "billet" is: Lodging for a soldier, student, etc., as in a private home or nonmilitary public building. In the hockey world, "billet" means a family takes in a hockey-playing teenager or two during hockey season.
Youth hockey players (about 15-20 years old) may seek to play on teams that are higher-ranking than their current home team or in a league or division above the one they are currently in. Often, that means a teen must leave their home and travel many states away to lodge (billet) with a family.
Billet families volunteer for the job and a billeted kid usually has their own room and lots of private time. Billet families do not get "paid" per se, but parents of a player who billets typically pay an arranged sum of $300 or so per month to the billet family for food, etc.
Parents should set up a debit-card account for their billeted kid to use for buying incidentals. Many banks offer high school checking accounts with debit cards. Parents can monitor everything that goes on in the count via the Internet; think of it as a good way for your kid to learn how to handle money.
Many NHL hockey players, such as Mike Modano, were billeted in their teenage years. Read more at USHL: Where will I live?
Youth who billet and are still in high school may attend local schools in the town in which they billet, returning to their hometown school when the season ends. Alternatively, some hockey kids who billet take certified classes online. Some school districts offer online high school classes for a fee while others do not.
When your kids are younger, it is likely that you would never dream of billeting them. The thought of your kid leaving home to play Tier I or Junior/Professional hockey may appear to be a distant, far-fetched concept. However, if your kid has the talent, is fairly mature, and really desires to reach toward their highest potential in the hockey world, billeting may be in their future. Do not guilt-trip kids with tales of how you dread their departure. Instead, celebrate their achievements and encourage them to reach for the stars. Remember, your kids are just a text or Skype away.
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