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Billets, families, and players from the Prince Albert Raiders gather for a team photo during last year's parent/billet weekend. (Image Credit: Mark Peterson/Prince Albert Raiders)
Home away from home

Prince Albert billets share stories of longstanding connections

Jun 18, 2026 | 6:01 AM

While hockey season is still a few months away, preparations are underway for the upcoming season. That means the search for billet families is on for the likes of the Prince Albert Raiders, Mintos, and Northern Bears. 

Between the three teams, there were 54 players from outside of Prince Albert last year that needed homes to stay in during the 2025-26 season. But it’s about a lot more than just offering kids a place to rest their heads during the hockey season.

Brooke Wozniak has been billeting with the Raiders since the 2021-22 season and has hosted players like Max Hildebrand as well as Brock Cripps last season, and she said that you extend your family by welcoming a player into your home. 

“Next summer we’ll probably go visit [Brock] there, and even just typical like sharing TikToks and reels and letting them know that we’re thinking of them. That kind of thing we do too. Honestly it’s the same communication as if it was my own son gone out to B.C. now, and Max, it was super easy because he was in Martensville, so we’d see him at Berry games and all summer we’d see him basically.” 

Tammy Logan is the billet coordinator for the Mintos and has been billeting since 2007, and housed the now graduated Barret Berger last year. She said that her kids have grown up with billets coming in and out of the house over the years, and that has helped her kids grow up with a role model right in their own home. 

“When they were little, they idolized them, they wanted to hang out, they were playing mini sticks, they would go to the games. Then now as they get older, they become friends, and for a while they were going to school together. Now my sons are older, but they still touch base. The other day I ran into my billet that I had last year, and he starts chatting with me and saying, ‘oh yeah, I was talking to Waylon’, and they make those connections and those bonds as well.” 

Candice Dawson has been a billet for the Prince Albert Raider Northern Bears for 12 years. That time included when her daughter, Paige, played with the team and has housed players like goaltender Maggie Schell last season.

She said that the connection formed with their first billet is still going to this day even as the family has grown larger. 

“One of our very first billets actually, we’re still in contact with her parents who we’ve been in contact with ever since. They’ve had kids. We’ve went and watched their boys play hockey. They’ve watched our kids play hockey. So that’s exciting to see them grow and develop as well into adults.” 

When people are asked about billeting, the biggest reason people say that they can’t do it is because of the time commitment. Wozniak thought the same when she got into billeting with a household that already had three kids running around, but she said it’s proven that they have more time than they thought. 

“I can tell you it’s 100% worth it. It’s an experience unlike any other, and it just makes the home even more complete. These kids are just wonderful additions to have come into our houses. So I say, yeah, everyone needs to try it.” 

If you’re interested in billeting for any of the three teams, you can reach out to the Raiders office here, you can reach the Mintos via email at mintosu18aaa@gmail.com, and you can reach the Bears at panorthernbears@gmail.com

nick.nielsen@pattisonmedia.com