MIDLAND, TX (KWES) - A new season, means a fresh roster for the Odessa Jackalopes and new additions to the Fricker family.
This latest batch of Jackalopes already feel at home, even though they've only been in Midland for 2 months.
Housing young athletes has become a routine for the Frickers the past 6 seasons.
"It's a big family. They have a son and he comes out and skates sometimes. We have like family meals every night so they really took us into their home," said Eric Huss.
Nightly family meals mean a lot of time in the kitchen and a lot of trips to the grocery store.They say can easily go through 12 chicken breasts a night and multiple gallons of milk a day.
"These guys are here, they're training hard and so they need to eat good meals. I think we ate at the table together much more than we would have without them here. So from that standpoint, it's been great and I think our family unit is a lot better for it," said Fricker.
The Fricker family does not just provide a place to sleep and eat each night, they're also some of the team's biggest cheerleaders.
"We go to all the games and I'm always texting them if somebody does something well or gets in trouble. I'm sure they're always checking their phones in between periods," said Degan Fricker. "Oh yeah always," replied Eric.
They even act as caretakers.
"I take care of them when they're sick. He broke his tooth we're gonna check up on the dentist," said Degan Fricker.
At this point, their guest count totals up to over 60 young players from all around the world.
"I text 'em say hi how are you doing? We watch 'em. Sometimes they call us on birthdays. We FaceTime them. Our kids use social media to stay in touch," said William Fricker.
So even when their time in the Fricker home is up, they'll always be part of the family.
