Registrations open for Crystal Cup and Sid Davis Youth Memorial December 20th

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Registration for the annual Crystal Cup Pond Hockey Challenge and Sid Davis Youth Memorial hockey tournament will begin later this week.

Spread out across ice sheets in Charlie Lake, the 2025 edition of the tournament will run the last full weekend of February alongside the city’s High on Ice Winter Festival.

Neil Davis, a tournament co-founder and event coordinator, says both events ran concurrently before the Crystal Cup became its own event. 

The showcase first came into existence in 2014, and has “evolved” into hosting both the Sapphire Cup for females and the Sid Davis Youth Memorial for younger players.

Davis says he took format ideas from other popular outdoor ice hockey extravaganzas, such as the World Pond Hockey Championships in New Brunswick.

“I grew up in Fort St John playing a lot of outdoor hockey,” said Davis. “I gathered a few buddies and got everything down on paper, did a lot of research and we came up with the Crystal Cup.”

“For anyone who’s never been out there, it is a very fun event. You don’t need to be a hockey player. You don’t even need to like the cold.”

New for 2025, there will be a separation of a competitive and recreational division for youth. 

According to Davis, the teams are separated by “mimicking” youth hockey divisions: Under-7, Under-9, Under-11, Under-13, Under-15, and Under-18. 

“It’s for the community,” said Davis. “We want everyone to come out and enjoy themselves.”

Registration opens on December 20th, and the rate will be $400 per team. However, a $100 rebate is available for teams who volunteer a minimum of four hours. 

Youth registration will be $25 per child, and Davis says both a winner’s and runner’s up trophy will be available this year.

The Crystal Cup and Sid Davis Memorial Tournaments will run from February 21st to 23, 2025.

More information is available on the tournament’s website and Facebook page.