Crystal Cup team registration deadline extended while organizers look for volunteers

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Prospective teams looking to enter the Peace region’s pond hockey extravaganza have a few more days to assemble a lineup.

Organizers of the Crystal Cup Pond Hockey Challenge have extended team registration until Friday, February 13th from an initial date of February 6th, according to a post on the event’s Facebook page.

The event initially just featured men’s teams, but now has women’s, over-40s’ and children’s competitions in six age categories.

Crystal Cup co-founder and organizer Neil Evans spoke to Energeticcity.ca about final preparations for the event, which will take place from February 20th to 22nd on the surface of Charlie Lake.

The event will also offer on-site concessions, a toboggan hill and ice skating areas for the public.

“[We are] hoping everyone can get out there this year and just come check out the whole site,” said Evans. “The amount of work that goes into it with the effort from the volunteers is something we’re very proud of.”

Evans added the event is looking for volunteers. He said in its first year, the tournament had just 15 volunteers, but that list has grown as the event gets bigger.

“Now that it’s become almost a festival in itself, with lots of different things to do and see on site, we require an army of volunteers,” said Evans. “Any given day while we’re doing setup, we could see anywhere between 20 and 40 people that are all helping organize and set up the event.”

Initially part of the City of Fort St. John’s High on Ice Winter Festival (now known as Winter Fest), the tournament has been hosted on its own weekend since 2014.

This year, as a special guest, the Crystal Cup will welcome internet hockey personality Pavel Barber, known as @heybarber on Instagram.

A former player, Barber is a stickhandling expert whose trick shot exploits have generated 927,000-plus followers on Instagram. Evans said Barber got in contact with organizers via a previous special guest, former NHL player and actor Terry Ryan Jr.

“He was more than excited to come out to our event,” said Evans of Barber. “I don’t know exactly what was passed on to him, but he was excited to come out and be part of it, be part of the community.”

On February 6th, Evans was a guest on an episode of Moose Media’s This Week in the Peace, where he spoke about his expectations for 2026’s edition, as last year, warmer temperatures hindered ice conditions.

“We are hoping for some nice, smooth ice,” Evans told co-host and Energeticcity.ca’s assistant news director Caitlin Coombes. “We are at the mercy of Mother Nature. You never know what you’re going to get.”

Prospective players have until 5 p.m. on Friday, February 13th to register. Teams for the adult draws cost $400 per team, while a youth entry costs $25 per player.

Registration is available at the tourist information centre in the Pomeroy Sport Centre at 9324 96th Street in Fort St. John. 

To volunteer, contact organizers through the Crystal Cup Pond Hockey Challenge’s Facebook page or visit the event’s website.