Bobcats Housing Program Information
Players on the New York Junior Bobcats Hockey Club are between the ages of 16 - 20, with the majority of them being 18 and 19 years old. For some, this will be their first time far from home and they will need a stable home environment for their stay on Long Island. It is the commitment of the New York Junior Bobcats to provide this for our players.
When a family requests to house a player, the Housing Supervisor or Team President meets with the family in their home. This allows the team representative to meet the potential housing parents and their children, as well as address any questions the family may have. The Housing Supervisor meets with the Coach and General Manager before the season to determine where to place each player. Consideration is given to such things as interests beyond hockey, player's preferences regarding smoking or non-smoking, general lifestyle compatibility and transportation. Some families may wish to house more than one player, and while some players enjoy living with a teammate, others do not so we also consider this when placing players in homes.
The housing family agrees to provide room and board for the player - this means that nutritious food be available to the player, either for the player to prepare or the housing parents to prepare for the player. They also provide the player with his own room. Housing families are encouraged to treat the player as 'one of the family' and not just a 'renter'. As for the player, he should participate in family activities - including chores. He should have his own phone card, as long distance phone calls are not to be charged to the housing family. The player is also expected to follow team and housing program rules, and the housing family is expected to support the Coach's team rules. The housing family may have their own specific rules. Those additional rules or expectations are communicated to the player and to the team.
The Housing Supervisor schedules activities for the players and the housing families throughout the season. Housing parents may attend a monthly Housing Parents meeting.
As you think about what it costs to house a player, consider the following:
This is not a 'money making deal'
There is a monthly stipend to help with the grocery bills.
Season tickets are provided for the family.
Lasting friendships are developed
Generally, housing families, players and the player's family develop very special bonds and remain close long after the player has left the Bobcats program. Many housing families attend the try-out camps, come to home games and often attend many of the away games. They are very supportive of the players both on and off the ice.
If you are interested in housing a player, please contact the Bobcats at (516) 677-9075 or by email through our web site feedback tab www.nybobcats.com
Host Families
Some Bobcats players are housed in our community by ‘host families’. The team’s Housing Supervisor, coordinates placement and manages the program on a day-to-day basis. Most housing families have children currently or formerly involved in youth hockey and enjoy the opportunity to help a Bobcats player while at the same time having a young man around who will serve as a good role model for their own or other children in the community. Players are treated as members of the host parents’ family and quickly become part of the family and of the Long Island community. Living away from home for the first time can be a very rewarding experience for players. Host families and player families both report that participating in the housing program is also rewarding for them as families. Strong friendships are formed between players and families. Many maintain close relationships in the future.
Living away from home is an important part of a player’s social and emotional development. It forces players to be accountable and responsible for their actions and sensitizes them to the needs and experiences of others in their surroundings. As per NCAA rules, a monthly fee is charged to each player. Their payment of their own housing fees protects players’ amateur status. Additionally, the fees help housing families with the added expenses of hosting a player.
