Every season the Rockets Hockey Club teams seek families local to the Bridgewater area to billet players that live outside of the NJ/NY metro area. What is a billet family, you ask? Billet families are the backbone of Junior Hockey.  Each season, players aged 16- 20 come to the Rockets from all over the US, Canada, and Europe to continue their dream of playing hockey at the next level. Enter the billet family. Billet families provide a caring, supportive, family environment to be the home away from home for each of our players.  Billeting can be a very exciting and rewarding experience for those willing to open up their homes. 

Some Frequently Asked Questions about our Billet Program:

Does the billet family have to provide transportation for the player(s)?

• No, many players come to NJ with their own cars and will drive themselves to/from the rink each day. Those without cars will be placed in billet homes along with teammates that can help to drive them, or placed near another billet family in the area and carpools will be arranged.

What is the player's typical schedule like?

• The players' season runs from early September-late March. 

• The teams generally practice/play 6 days a week, with one off day. The schedule varies dependent upon the team, but the players are generally at the rink during late morning/afternoon for about 3-4 hours a day.  

• The game travel is primarily in the NJ/NY/PA area, with some games in other Northeast states. Teams travel several weekends a month, and overnight travel may be necessary for showcases or out of state games. 

• The teams have a holiday break in November and late December to coincide with Thanksgiving and Christmas/Hanukkah. The majority of the players travel home to spend this time with their families when possible. 

What is the responsibility of the Billet Family?

• Billets essentially become a second family for the player(s) living with them. They will join your family for meals and other activities when schedules permit. While in your home, the player(s) must have access to a private living area in the family's home, as well as access to shared spaces and utilities (i.e. laundry, wifi, etc). Since many players may be completing high school or college courses while in-season, it is also recommended that the player(s) have the ability to have a quiet workspace in the home for homework. 

• Players can share a bedroom with a teammate, but not a member of the billet family. 

• To offset the cost of groceries and other living expenses while the player(s) is/are at the billet home, each player provides the family with a $600/month stipend. 

• All players living in billet homes are given a set of guidelines to ensure that the players and families have respectful and productive lines of communication. These guidelines outline team policies, curfews, billet payments, and other important topics to help both the player and billet family navigate their season with clear expectations. 

How do we become a Billet Family?

Anyone interested in getting more information or speaking with our Billet Coordinator to apply for the upcoming season, please contact:

Colleen Funk

colleen@rocketssportsgroup.com