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WHO WE ARE: The 20U Aspen Leafs is a USA Hockey sanctioned Tier-3 Junior hockey team playing in the Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League (RMJHL). The program is the final path of player development for players ages 16-20, and provides young men opportunities to continue their pursuit of hockey to the collegiate and professional levels. Junior hockey is competitively driven and is intended to provide a physically intense training environment, and is the required avenue for players with aspirations to compete in the NCAA or ACHA. Character development is at the heart of the program. Players are taught how to become community leaders and responsible professionals in all of their daily activities. The purpose of the 20U RMJHL is to promote, develop, and administer the USA Hockey Program for junior aged players and teams in the Western United States. One of three sanctioned leagues in the United States, the RMJHL strengthens the mission of USA Hockey, which is to provide a competitive opportunity for the elite player on a local, regional, and national basis. All six RMJHL member teams are directly affiliated with local youth hockey associations. The addition of a 20U team for RMJHL members strengthens the long-term athletic development model (ADM) outlined by USA Hockey and practiced by all RMJHL members. The six RMJHL teams play a 40 game schedule modeled after college hockey. Players practice 4 days per week both on and off the ice, and play a two-game weekend series from October 6 until the final regular season game March 3. The 20U Leafs provides elite local players an opportunity to continue their development without leaving home. As a new elite program, the majority of players are recruited throughout the country and Europe, which requires housing. Following the conclusion of the season, players return home. 3

FREQUENLTY ASKED QUESTIONS: WHAT IS A BILLET FAMILY? Billet is just another way of saying host family. Host families open their homes to a player for the duration of the season (September March). Billets become a second family for these players and lifelong relationships are built during a season. HOW LONG IS THE SEASON? Players report to Aspen after Labor Day weekend. The season lasts until mid-march. DO WE HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A BILLET FAMILY? It is important to our organization that we place our out-of-town players in caring family environments that are committed to providing a supportive home away from home. Opening your home takes time, patience, and a willingness to share. There will be differences to overcome, both cultural and personal, but learning about these differences and celebrating them is a part of the joy of welcoming someone new into your home. WHAT MAKES A GREAT BILLET FAMILY? The best billets are sensitive and patient families. At times it can be overwhelming for a player to be away from home. A thoughtful billet family appreciates that each player is unique, and that communication and mutual understanding takes effort. The best billet families are interested in sharing their lifestyle in a positive and mutually rewarding way. CAN A FAMILY HOST MORE THAN ONE PLAYER? Two or more players can reside in a billet home, and is an ideal situation for transportation and team-building purposes. WHO MANAGES THE PLAYERS? Each billet family will be assigned a member of the Aspen Leafs staff to serve as a direct liaison. Any questions or issues should be directed to this appointed coach. The assigned coach will be in consistent contact with billet families, including visits to the house to ensure that players are acting responsibly and maintaining a cleanly lifestyle. The team is responsible for player logistics including transportation. For the players without transportation, teammates will ensure they arrive where they need to go. 4

BENEFITS AND RESPONSIBILITES: BENEFITS Billet families receive $400 directly from the player on the first of each month. September and March will be prorated. This fee is intended to cover food for the player, not rent money. Billet families receive two (2) Woody Creek Distillers V.I.P. season tickets (20 home games), an $800 dollar value. The Woody Creek V.I.P. room provides complimentary beverages and appetizers throughout the game. Ticket holders are able to watch the game from rink side high top tables. Billet families will receive a new perspective on hockey, as seen through the eyes of your young elite player. Most importantly, you and your family have a tremendous opportunity to make the difference in a young man s life, and make a life-long and lasting relationship. RESPONSIBILITIES Billet families are expected to provide a livable area for each player that provides privacy from the activities of the household and a bed (no couches) with sheets a pillow and blanket. Families are also expected to maintain an appropriate level of food in the house to maintain the lifestyle of a competitive elite athlete. Billet families are NOT expected to cook or clean for players. All players are expected to abide by house rules first, maintain a cleanly lifestyle daily, help with household chores, and clean all messes immediately. Each family will be assigned a member of the Leafs coaching staff as a primary point of contact. Any issues, concerns or questions should be addressed directly with this designated person. 5

PLAYER RULES AND RESPONSIBILITIES LENGTH OF STAY Players will be required to stay in their billet house for the duration of the season. Upon completion of the season, the player has 72 hours to vacate the billet house unless previous arrangements have been made. Staff will not monitor players if arrangements made between the player and billet family outside the scope of the playing season If a player is removed from the team, he must vacate the billet house in 72 hours. The billet does reserve the right to eliminate themselves from the billet pool upon removal of their player; however once removed, the billet forfeits any benefits received. BILLET STIPEND Billets will receive a stipend of $400 per month for each month the player resides at the billet house by the player on the first of each month. If the billet fee is not paid, the delinquent player will be suspended from competition until payment arrangements are completed. Staff should be notified immediately for non-payment. Billets have the right to deny or not require payment of stipend at any time provided they inform Aspen Junior Hockey in writing. VISITORS/GUESTS Only active Aspen Leafs players and members of their family are approved visitors in billet homes. No visitors, players or otherwise, are allowed in the billet house without prior approval of the billet family. Players families are allowed to visit or stay at a billet house only after approval of the host family. No players currently in high school are allowed to spend the night on a school night. The only exception is when the billet must leave town and thus the player must stay elsewhere (see: Billet Travel). Non-players are not allowed to stay at a billet house. A player wishing to stay the night must get approval by both the billet and staff. BILLET TRAVEL Billets are certainly allowed to travel during the hockey season. Please inform the designated staff member of all travel lasting overnight or more. Any player whose billet is traveling for more than one night is required to stay at another billet s house for the duration of their billet s travel. The staff will coordinate. Billets with planned travel of just one night may be allowed to have their billet stay without supervision provided they feel comfortable with the situation and that they inform their designated staff member. 6

PLAYER RULES AND RESPONSIBILITIES DRUGS/ALCOHOL/FIREARMS Any mood altering substances are strictly prohibited at the billet house. Any paraphernalia found at the billet house must be reported to the billet coordinator immediately. Tobacco is strictly prohibited. No firearms are allowed. Hunting with or without billets is a prohibited activity. HOUSE RULES Curfew: All players are required to first abide by billet house curfew rules. Team curfew rules are 10:00 for non high school players, and 9:00 for high school players. On game nights, curfew is midnight. Players returning late from road trips are expected to report directly to their billets as soon as the bus drops the team off. Chores: Players are expected to clean their living quarters daily, clean up any mess from cooking, and regularly take out the garbage. Cooking: Billets do not have to cook for players. Due to the varying and intense nature of the players schedule, it is common that the player may not be available during normal meal times. Should the player miss meals or billet does not prepare meals, there must be adequate facilities and utensils for the player to prepare his own meal. Sexual activity is strictly prohibited in the billet house. COMMUNICATION The Aspen Leafs strongly encourage both the player, the player s parents and the billets to have an open line of communication at all times. If necessary, staff will help to resolve any issues through open conversations and deliberate effort. PLAYER REMOVAL Some issues are simply a matter of clashing personalities that cannot be resolved. In this instance the billet may request that their player be removed from the house. Removal from a billet house usually, but not always, ends in player removal from the team. 7