Five Summerland Steam players will need places to stay while they play for the Junior B team this season.
Gregg Wilson, co-owner and general manager of the team, said a total of 13 players on the team are from outside of Summerland. While billet homes have been found for most, more accommodations are needed.
The team will have a different composition than last year, when the majority were local players.
“In the past, we’ve had a lot of Summerland kids,” he said.
Billet players need a bedroom and a bed, but they do not need transportation to and from their games.
In exchange, the host families receive $500 a month.
The Steam’s first exhibition game is this evening, against the Kelowna Chiefs.
On Sept. 8, the Steam will play an exhibition game at home, when they will face off against the Osoyoos Coyotes. The game begins at 7:30 p.m.
The regular season will begin Sept. 11.
Wilson said the team has 28 players at present, including 14 who were part of the last season’s team.
The coaching staff will trim the roster to 22 or 23 players.
“We’ll be very competitive,” he said. “Our goal is to be better than last year.”
In the last season, the Steam advanced to the division finals, losing in six games to the Coyotes.
For this year, Coach John DePourcq will continue in his role as the head coach, with Wade Parker as assistant coach. Jordan McCallum has been added as the second assistant coach for the team.
Mike Rigby has been named as the new assistant manager for the team, while Jessica Slivka will be the team trainer.
Wilson said the coming season includes 120 practices and a total of 70 games.