North Battleford product, Owen Lamb was able to live his childhood dream playing for the North Stars, winning two championships in three years with the club, while sharing the experience with his family by his side. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Celebrate good times

North Stars’ barbecue offers final celebration of season

May 9, 2019 | 5:44 PM

The Battlefords North Stars capped off their 2018-19 championship season Wednesday evening with one final barbecue celebration, offering fans and community members a meet-and-greet with the players before they head their separate ways for the summer.

President of the North Stars’ organization, Shandon Reichert, said the night was a well-deserved celebration of a successful season by all counts.

“The boys exceeded all expectations and we’re very proud of them, and we think the community’s very proud of them as well,” Reichert said.

Many families and billet families alike shared in the evening, including Sherry Funk billeted both defenceman Ryan Granville and goaltender Adam Dmyterko this season.

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Stars’ goaltender Adam Dmyterko (left), and defenseman Ryan Granville (right) pictured here with billet parent Sherry Funk at the team’s year-end awards banquet. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

Funk said she had never previously been to a North Stars’ game ahead of this season, but after housing a couple of the team’s players, couldn’t help but enjoy getting drawn into the action.

“It was awesome to have them around,” Funk said. “Just going to the games to watch them and listening to the games on the radio – everything that happened this year was just so exciting and seemed to only build.

“I have to give a lot of kudos to the parents that brought these kids up the way they are,” Funk continued. “Just taking them in from there, it is hard to put into words this season and actually winning and being champions, it was incredible.”

Being a first-year billet is something Jeremy Pethick and Dani Williams remember well.

Billet parents for six years now, Jeremy can still proudly name every North Stars’ player the family has taken in over the years, since they began welcoming players into their home.

“It’s always a rewarding experience being a billet parent,” Pethick said. “Just being able to experience every up and down with them and have them in our house, they’re just like another kid to us.”

About Chad Duran, specifically, the family’s billet this season, Pethick had only appreciation and well wishes for the 20-year-old when reflecting on his time within the family dynamic. He noted that Duran was always great with the kids, and more than happy to watch the house while the family was out of town.

Stars’ netminder Chad Duran, pictured here with billet parent Jeremy Pethick and his two kids, Sienna and Ryder. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

The appreciation, however, was mutual, with Duran calling the opportunity to stay with the family, “better than [he] could have hoped.”

“They are super amazing people and from the second I got there they just kind of took me in as their child right away,” Duran said. “Even games I wasn’t playing, they were asking what I wanted for a pre-game [meal]. They really cared about me and I’m really going to miss them.”

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Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1