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ZG-Vitrmooma-num-y,ms.zms creating a home Billet families create a home away from home for young hockey players BY Anni lament Chronicle say it September 2014. len Ked‘ fig“ Imenecz did something weird. She “f: ' . ‘ gave her house key to a strang- 4_ er. Little did she know that stranger “A would eventually become a member ofher family. ‘ Then-lfivyear-old Kyle Betts, wide-eyed and bushy-tailed from Flesherton, arrived at the house he would call home for the next 10 months. His new parents, len and 3 Mike. his siblings Ryan. 15, and Syda ne_\'. 9. and family dog Hi, welcomed I) the stranger. That night. he played - ”f on the trampoline with Sydney and ' played hockey video games with . Ryan; he was at home. Bens. a centre. was there for one » . purpose: to play hockey with the _ " Waterloo Siskins and work his way “i: 7» toward a scholarship playing the “3 ' . sport he loves. ' .â€" “l‘m from a small town with a j “if population of like 700. so moving to ' a big city â€" well. what seemed like V‘ a big city ~ the family helped big time with the transition that way,“ “mum ‘a'd 59“? who lus‘ fimshed “ls fir,“ The Kedmeoecz family â€" Jen. Mike, Sydney and Ryan â€" are billeting a Waterloo Siskins player for the third year in a row. For them. the billets are more Easé’amm the Powell Riv“ Kings 1" than visitors â€" they become part of the family. e "I'm not really sure what I expect? end ofthe telephone, kept both Ryan and Sydney in check. institute and Sydney had a play the time, stepped right in. ed.” said Bens. adding that he was Ien's decision to start billeting Ryan had some extra help with his mate. The energy that was brought happy to hear the family had kids. players came soon after the family homework at Bluevale Collegiate Eventually, Betts had to leave. by the trio of trade deadline pick- Especially with athletes. the home business. German Auto Tech. start- He did stay until lune to finish up ups, sparked by lean's play on the situation is of the utmost importance. ed sponsoring the Siskins. The fam- some courses, but just like that. he ice, is what brought the Siskins back “You have to be comfortable at ily was looking for ways to get more was gone. A member of their family to contention. Since the family was home and things need to be good involved with the team. so ien talked moved away. hosting lean, they were that much there first.” said Betts. who admits it to her friend, a former billet sister. "There were definitely a few doserto the teamandtheycould feel was a little difficult to get used to llv- about doing it. .. tears when he left.” said len. "But the energy building. ingin someone else's home at first. Her husband. Mike. wasn't can 5 it's going to be a lifelong kind of That season ended with an Betts did eventually reach his goal timed, but when [en told him of the relationship.’ improbable trip to the Cheney Cup he committed to (iomell Universi potential for log opportunity for this ’ The 2015-2016 season was a little final against the Stratford Cullitons. ty on a NCAA Div. lscholarship He'll young player, he caved. bit different. but exciting nonethe- and a Sutherland Cup semifinal anend his first year starting in 20177 “The thing that really got me was ' less, The family staned off billeting appearance against the Caledonia "That was a huge pan of his life,’ ‘What if it was Ryan who had this . Jesse Hewak. from Oshawa. At the Corvairs. said len. 'We were pan of a big time opportunity, but missed out on it?" begnning of the season. the Siskins While that season will go down as where he had to make some big deci said Mike. at were losing Big time. just a record on a score sheet. for the sions.’ The term adoption. the famâ€" ' The mood was a little different Kedmenecz family.it's memories. Stories like these are not 110mm ily says, can be a bit misleading. around the team. Players' parents “Those guys are all like family to mon in Waterloo Region. Typically speaking. the players who started scheduling vacations during us now. It was an incredible thing to With four junior hockey teams descend upon Waterloo for hockey the first round ofthe GOML playoffs, be a pan of,“ said Mike. in the area A the Waterloo Siskins. are driven and focused on that one under the assumption they wouldn't Siskins billet families are paid Kitchener Dutchmen and Elmira goal. With two games a week. plus ”You have to be make it at all. Si 10 per week to provide the basic Sugar Kings, along with the OHL's three practices and school on top of Health concerns with his mother necessities for the players ~ a bed Kitchener Rangers fl don-m of teen that, there isn't much time for the comfortable at home forced llewak back to Oshawa. That room. Internet and nutritious meals. age players are billeted in family teenagers togetinto trouble. and things need to be made room for the season saviours len, the billet coordinator for homes msthe region. Betts, the optimal example of , in Lucas Goodman. Anthony Pulâ€" the Siskins. is looking For seven billet I?" is the billet Coordinator for what a billet should he in their eyes. 800d therefirSt‘ licino and Conner lean. who led the families for this coming season. the Siskins. which means she finds actually helped the family in many me charge for the sinking Sisldns. For more information on how to homes for players and deals with ways While it was a bit of extra on “an“! with Wk-MMT family With the spare bedroom open at become a billet family. email lennl l oncerned mothers on the other responsibility for the parents. Betts the Kedmenecz's house, lean, 19 at fengermanautotechca.