This is a spot for the Wolverines Billets to share their stories

The Bachman's

We're the Bachman Family and we have billeted with the Wolverines since 2021.

Kevin and I had always talked about billeting for years before we gave it a try. Kevin was billeted when he played AAA and Jr hockey and we looked at it from a place of giving back to the sport as well as an opportunity to have a mentor and role model for our only son, Archie.

The shortened Covid Season presented an opportunity to give it a try and not have to be committed for 7 or 8 months. Prior to our first billet arriving we were all nervous and excited!

Peyton Gorski showed up and was met with an excited 6 year old that was told he could ask 3 questions but then had to let Peyton get some rest and get settled. To help him get settled, Archie gave Peyton some of his blankies and stuffed animals.

Fast forward from that first season to now, we have since hosted Christiano "The Italian Stallion" Aiello, Kaiden Wiltsie, Ethan Makokis and Travis Verbeek. Each player has a connection with Archie that will last a lifetime. They bonded over mini sticks, video games, movies, board games, playing on the ODR, going to the sliding hill or runs to DQ or the candy store.

This experience has enriched our lives in ways I can't explain. It is to a point now that our house feels like it's missing something in the off season. We still keep in touch with the billets and their families, chat on the phone or exchange text messages throughout the year, and meet up with them whenever possible.

This year, we are excited to meet our next billet as Travis Verbeek has aged out. It's pretty neat that it sounds like we will billet a player with a connection to our first billet, Peyton. Hockey is a small world!

If you have ever considered billeting, take the plunge. Work with the Wolverines and tell them what you need to fit in your home. We have always been up front about what will work for our family from the players age, ability to drive etc. The billet coordinator has always been so accommodating to meet our needs.

Archie now has 5 big brothers and we're about to welcome number 6! Go Wolverines!

The Britt's

We began billeting Wolverine hockey players back in 2020, and it’s been pure joy ever since.

What started as a way to support young athletes has turned into one of the most meaningful and memorable parts of our lives. These young men arrive as strangers, but within days they become part of our family—joining in nerf-gun fights, mini-stick games in the basement, driveway hoops, and backyard rink battles like they’ve always been there.

They become instant role models for our kids, showing them what dedication, teamwork, and heart really look like—on and off the ice. We’ve watched our own children learn to cheer a little louder, be a little braver, and love a little deeper because of the bonds they’ve formed with their billet brothers.

The house gets louder, meals get bigger, and our hearts get fuller. We laugh together, share victories and disappointments, and celebrate milestones as if they were our own.

These players teach us just as much as we teach them, and the connection doesn’t end when the season does. Summer vacation plans now include detours to visit former billets, and holiday messages from across the country are just part of our new normal. In such a short time, they become woven into the fabric of our lives.

We started billeting to help players chase their dreams—but in the process, they’ve helped shape ours, too.

The Schmidt's

We are the Schmidt family, this season will be our fifth season billeting for the wolverines and we love it! We can’t say enough good things about the experiences we have had over the past 4 seasons. If you are thinking about billeting, we would highly recommend it.

We have opened our home to 14 permanent players and multiple temps and affiliate players in the past 4 years. All of which have left a positive impact on our family. We have got to extend our family through all these kids, gaining extra grandparents, siblings and moms and dads.

These boys have left a positive impact on our son Max and we always look forward to following their hockey dreams long after they have left our home. We have got to watch Teydon Trembecky chase his dream to play in the WHL, leading him into the Winnipeg Jets camp this summer, Mason Hartley who is going on to play U sport hockey for Victoria, Jack Franklin who will be at Simon Fraser university this upcoming coming season and Dylan Ruptash who is moving on to play D1 at the U of A this season. We also got to follow Jackson Bohn’s European career and still manage to sneak in a visit when passing through Cranbrook in the off-season.

These boys have no clue the impact they leave on us and Max after every season, the house feels empty and strange when they aren’t here. Max’s looks forward to a new season every year. So if you have a desire to try out opening your heart and home to these players, I would recommend it. If you have questions and wanna reach out to us please feel free.

The Schlosser's

We began billeting at the start of the Covid season. It was an interesting time, but it did allow us to open our home to our first billet - a young man from Ontario that needed a place to stay. It was a great start to our adventure, as Cathy loves to cook and bake; not only for our billets, but often for their teammates who pop by for some of Cathy's legendary cookies and home made meals.

Several years later, we have had boys in our home from Alaska, Boston, Sherbrooke, Fort Mac, Vancouver, Sherwood Park, and St. Albert just to mention a few. Of particular note was a young man named William Grimard, a goalie from Quebec. Our favourite memory of him was taking him skating on the outdoor lake in Jasper. Watching the joy on his face as he skated in the Rocky Mountains explained perfectly how we take in the children of total strangers. At the start of the next season, we went to see him play in Montreal, met his parents, and stayed at their home in Sherbrooke after attending his birthday party - mostly in French.

Every young man we have met has a special place in our hearts. Many of them stay in contact, come back to golf with us, text and call, meet for drinks all over Canada, and love to receive a care package from Cathy. Even once we had a billet who was traded to another AJHL team, and as their team came here for a game, we met him at their team bus and gave him his favourite pre game meal! Many of them have become very good friends with our son Jack, and as they leave the team, stay in contact with him - really exemplifying the impact of the experience for all of those involved.

Our philosophy of being billet parents is that we are simply providing an environment that Cathy best describes as a "soft place to land". We act as surrogate parents, discussing the game they just played, if that's what they want. If they just want to have a good post game meal and a laugh before bed, that's okay too.

To anyone hesitant about billeting - don't be. If your son was playing a sport halfway across the world, you would want to know that they are safe, well fed, and cared for. That's why we do it 🙂

Derek Schlosser and Cathy Hearn

The Radcliffe's

We are the Radcliffe’s. We have been billets for the Wolverines since their first season in the AJHL (2012/13).

Over this time, we have met some wonderful boys and families. This program has given us a link to our community and opened a world of new experiences.

Our oldest grandson was only 3 when this journey began. The first 2 seasons he was still learning about the game “Grandma why is Riley (the goalie) all by himself? Can’t he play too?” Then as he got older came the sword fights and shouts of “chase me!” – Thank you, boys, for entertaining him. Now the little guy is in high school and proudly wears his Wolverine gear to class in Spruce Grove.

Our other grandchildren also enjoy spending time with the guys. One of our granddaughters can’t wait to meet her new friends each season (although explaining why they had to leave us at the end of each season is difficult) “Honey they are going home to their mommy’s” has been the best explanation.

Being there to support the guys is not a chore. We really enjoy the cooking lessons and spending time together. Admittedly the guys have been a great support to us as well, we have had a couple of tough years with the loss of a parent and a close uncle, as well as having 3 grandchildren hospitalized. The players, their families and the entire organization have been very supportive and loving. When 2 of our grandchildren came home, the guys were there to greet them. I’ll never forget how they raced upstairs to hold the new baby. When we lost Papa, they were there to give hugs and support. We are proud to say we have 40+ sons and counting.

This experience has show us that there is always another bowl of love to share. Thanks guys, for all the love and we look forward to your future endeavors.

The Bates

We are one of the more recent billet families as we opened up our home in August 2023. We decided to try billeting on a temporary basis for the extra players that come to camp every year thinking that if we didn’t love it we could just help out at the beginning of the season. Well, that lasted about a day once we met our first billet, Lucas. We discovered that it was nice to have kids in our home again! Unfortunately, we experienced the inevitable sadness that sometimes comes when he was moved from the team. We were quick to say that we would take another player and we were fortunate that our next billet, Matthew stayed for the rest of the season.

Last season we decided to take 2 players and what a great decision that was!! Mason and Tyler became strong billet brothers from the get go and it was double the fun for the whole season. Our dog, Molly was instantly attached to the boys as well!!

I think the thing that we love about billeting is that it is a very rewarding way for us to give back to the community that has welcomed us so wholeheartedly. We were diehard hockey parents with our own kids so it gives us a little bit of that joy back! We were a bit worried that we wouldn’t be home enough to provide what the players needed for meals or transportation but that hasn’t been the case at all. As long as there is food available they are pretty self sufficient and even cooked for us sometimes!! It is pretty easy for our boys when things run out as they can just stop by the store!!

Being a safe and supportive place for the boys to come home to for the season is really all that matters! By being there to listen and commiserate after a hard loss, celebrating after the wins and just hanging out enjoying “family” time we are giving them a meaningful experience that they will probably always remember! I know that these boys and their families will forever hold a very special place in our hearts!!

The Shaw's

After moving to Whitecourt in 2019 we decided to try billeting in 2020 with the intent of being a temporary home. That quickly changed after we got our first player. They come in as strangers but it doesn’t take long before we’re sharing laughs around the dinner table, cheering them on at games, and supporting them through the ups and downs of the season.

The players have been incredible role models for our own kids, showing them the value of dedication, hard work, and kindness. With three kids of our own fully involved in hockey, having a billet player in the house adds even more excitement to our already busy, rink-filled life. Our kids look up to them, learn from them, and build friendships.

Over the years we have had players come into our home from Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and some from the United States. We’ve even took a summer vacation down to Colorado to visit two of our former billets Breckin DenHartog and Colby Browne.

Billeting is more than just providing a room and meals to a hockey player — it’s about opening your heart and home to a young athlete who is away from their own family. For many players, living with a billet family is their first experience being away from home.

Opening our home to billet players has been one of the most rewarding experiences for our family and we can’t wait for this season to start.