Around the OHL: Billet families, part of almost every junior hockey journey

On this episode of Around the OHL, hosts Jake Jeffrey and Mike Stubbs are taking a behind-the-scenes look at one of the cornerstones of junior hockey: billet families.

This week, the guys are talking with the McGonigal family, who currently billet London Knights forwards Luke Evangelista and Connor McMichael. Angela, Kevin and their son Owen have also billeted former OHLers Robert Thomas and Nicolas Mattinen in the past.

They chat about the roles of billets, the relationship with the player and their family, and the kind of supports they provide throughout a season. There are plenty of ups and downs in junior hockey; Angela and Kevin talk about how they manage them.

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Also, how much food do they go through? A lot, with daily grocery store visits to ensure the fridge is fully stocked.

Knights assistant general manager Colin MacDonald also joins the show. He’s in charge of setting up Knights players with their billet families and making sure things are running smoothly once they are there.

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Jake Jeffrey is the morning anchor on Global News Radio 980 CFPL, assistant coach and general manager of the Strathroy Rockets, and co-host of the Around the OHL podcast.

Mike Stubbs is the radio voice of the London Knights and host of London Live from 1 to 3 p.m. every weekday on Global News Radio 980 CFPL.

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Follow co-hosts Jake Jeffrey and Mike Stubbs:

 Twitter: @AOHLjake, @stubbs980

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