History - BC Hockey

About - History

Organized hockey in British Columbia began at the turn of the twentieth century. BC Hockey (formerly British Columbia Amateur Hockey Association, or BCAHA) was formed in 1919. The constitution was modeled after that of the Saskatchewan Amateur Hockey Association, and the first meeting was held in November of 1919.

Due to the very limited access of artificial ice (there were only three rinks in all of BC) teams played with seven players apiece to give more players the opportunity to play. However, the following year the organization adopted the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA, now Hockey Canada) regulations which called for six players per side.

Throughout the 1920s, the organization steadily grew and became a leadership in hockey both within the province and in the country, a role that continues to the present day.

Originally focused on senior hockey, in 1932, the organization voted to begin registering midget and juvenile age divisions. Unfortunately minor hockey registration didn’t begin until 1934 due to financial difficulties in 1933. In the late thirties, the popularity of minor hockey grew, foreshadowing that it eventually serve as the foundation of the Association.

Minor hockey and the Association continued to grow and evolve, and in 1951, registration reached 2,368 (this did not include house teams).

Membership expanded into the USA in the fifties and the Association implemented the Mutual Aid Fund to assist minor hockey players who were injured during play. BCAHA also brought forth the idea to the CAHA of holding a nation-wide Minor Hockey Week, which was adopted and exists to this day. During this time, BC also became the first province to ban body checking in minor hockey, which was permitted under CAHA rules.

In the 1960s, it became evident that the popularity of senior hockey was decreasing. But, minor hockey was continuing to grow, with 108 registered teams.

The sixties also saw the creation of a referee organization. Minor hockey registration surpassed 15,000. Helmets became required and the golf shot (know today as the slap shot) was banned in minor hockey.

The late sixties and early seventies saw the rise of Juinor B, including a team in Spokane, WA.

In the seventies, the Association also began to not only be considered a leader in the development of hockey but also in sport, in general, by other organizations in the province.

A position within the Association was formed with the specific job of overseeing the development of players, coaches and officials. As the organization grew, the offices were moved from the basement of the Secretary Manger to a office space on Fort Street in Victoria.

Registration continued to grow, forcing the creation of a regulation that declared that any member Associations with more than 250 players in any age division in minor hockey would be required to register two teams in such division.

A tier system was later adopted for Midget, Bantam and Pee Wee divisions, and the “Best Ever” (now called “High Performance”) Player Development Program, initially financed by the provincial government, was implemented and remains to this day.

In the 1980s, it became apparent that the Association had become a full fledged business operation. And in the nineties Hockey Canada implemented a nation-wide insurance program for minor hockey.

Today, BC Hockey oversees approximately 55,000 players, 4,500 referees and well over 20,000 volunteers with a commitment to excellence in providing a safe and fun learning experience for all members. With current programming augmented by exciting events such as the 2006 World Junior Championships and the 2010 Winter Olympics slated for Vancouver, BC Hockey will continue to be at the forefront of bringing exposure and opportunity to amateur hockey in British Columbia.

For a more through look at BC Hockey’s history, refer to the links below:

1910s & 1920s | 1930s & 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s & 1990s