'We’re super excited to come back and see them in the fall,' Royals’ Wilson brothers have made a home-away-from-home with their billet family in Victoria.

One of two pairs of brothers on the Victoria Royals’ roster, Anthony and Wyatt Wilson of Swift Current, SK have the unique situation of playing on the same team.

Anthony, the younger of the two, joined the Royals organization via the 2020 WHL Prospects draft, while older brother Wyatt was signed to Victoria’s roster after the team acquired his rights in a trade with the Swift Current Broncos last summer.

Now that they were wearing the same jersey, it made sense that they would be billeted together and were graciously taken in by Kelly Lazaro and Todd Higdon for the season.

Hosting the Wilson brothers has been a rewarding experience that both Higdon and Lazardo won’t soon forget:

“We expected being billets would be a unique experience but we were unprepared for how much and how quickly each player and their families would become a part of our family and eventually our hearts,” said Lazardo. “To be part of this journey and provide a home away from home for them has been a privilege, filled with exciting times, wonderful memories and a lot of laughter around the dinner table.”

While Wyatt and Anthony could always count on the support of one another, having a stable and supportive place to call home in Victoria has been indispensable to their success:

“It's like a home away from home,” said Wyatt. “They welcomed us into their home with open arms and we’re super grateful for that and we’re super excited to come back and see them in the fall…For some guys it’s tough coming from different provinces and different countries, they do a great job, we can thank them enough and they’re a huge part of the team.”

Anthony added that his parents have made fast friends with their billet family:

“Our parents were out here a lot, coming over for supper at the billets, it was great,” said Anthony. “[They] have made life-long friends with each other, it’s been awesome…It’s so important to make you feel welcome. It builds into your game too, they make you feel welcome at home and helps build confidence coming out into a new city.”

If you would like to join in the rewarding experience of hosting a Royals player in your home, you can inquire on the team’s website at: victoriaroyals.com/billets