Frequently Asked Questions

Member and League Fees

What does the $30 membership fee include?

The $30 fee gets you membership to the Cutting Edges Association for one year. This enables you to participate in club events, as well as to spare for teams.

For those wishing to join a team full-time, it also gets you access to the application process.

What's the total cost for a season (membership + league dues)?

See the Cost & Financial Assistance page.

How and when do I pay league dues, separate from the $30?

With some exceptions (i.e. new players who aren’t sure which league is the best fit for them) we’ll send an e-transfer request for league dues in July.

What's the cost to spare?

The cost to spare is $30 per game, paid after the game by e-transfer.

Can I get a refund if I don't get a full-time spot and don't want to spare?

If you’re set on a full-time spot and we’re not able to find you one, you may request a refund of your membership fee before the start of the season.

Keep in mind though that you won’t be able to access association resources (events, socials, practices) or spare for teams. A great way to up your chances of getting a full-time spot in future seasons is to spare for a team, as that gives you priority for a spot over brand new members.

Can I get a refund if I get injured mid-season?

Unfortunately the association isn’t able to refund member or league fees in the event of injury or other reasons that prevent you from playing.

Process and Timing

When exactly does registration open and close?

Registration opens June 6th at noon and closes on June 13th at noon.

Can I register after June 13?

Yes, you can still register to become a member of the club as a spare, and optionally join the waitlist for a full-time spot.

How do I edit my registration after submitting?

If you need to make a change to your registration, email registrar@cuttingedgeshockey.ca.

When does the season start? How long is it?

See the Leagues & Skill Levels page for more information about the seasons.

Spots, priority, tier definitions

How are applications for a full-time spot granted?

After registration closes on June 13th, spots will be awarded in the following order.

Full-time players from last fall or summer seasons.
Paying members from last year who were not on a full-time roster (spares).
New players, as well as those who played more than one year ago and were not a member last year.

Why are we changing to an application approach for full-time spots?

In the past, registration could take days or weeks to fill up, but in recent seasons they’ve filled up in days or even hours.

Based on feedback from members in the year-end survey, we wanted to make registration less stressful, as well as prioritize returning players. An application-based approach allows us to find out exactly how many players at the different skill levels want to play full-time, take some time to figure out how many and what teams to run, and then grant spots, with priority given to returning players.

The goal is to get a full-time spot for as many players as possible. The tradeoff is you’ll need to wait a couple of weeks to find out your status.

I was full-time last fall and/or summer, am I guaranteed a spot?

While we’re prioritizing spots for returning players, in the event that we don’t have enough spots for everyone, we’ll use time registered as a tie breaker.

For this reason, it’s still beneficial to register as early as possible, especially for goalies, whose spots have been quite limited in the past.

I was a spare last year, am I prioritized over new members?

Yes! Spares from the prior fall and/or summer seasons will be second in line for full-time spots.

I’m a new member, how likely am I to get a spot?

We are thrilled with all of the new interest in the Cutting Edges and LGBTQ+ hockey generally.

Unfortunately it’s impossible for us to say how many new members we’ll be able to make spots for. We’ll do our best to field as many teams as the organization is able to support.

The best thing you can do is register as early as possible. If you don’t get a spot this season, sparing will give you priority for an application for a full-time spot in future seasons.

What if my preferred league is oversubscribed but the other isn't?

Once registration closes, we’ll do our best to find a spot for you in your preferred league. If you’re next up on the waitlist, but a spot is only available in the other league, we may reach out to you to see if you’d like that spot, if we believe that league is a good fit for your skill level.

Can I say I’m okay with either league?

Yes! New this year, you can choose “Either” in the league selection of the form. We’ll choose a league for you based on need and skill level.

I was full-time in ASHL but want to switch to ARCHL (or vice versa), does that change my priority.

Choosing a different league won’t change your likelihood of landing a spot. We’ll do our best to accommodate changes. In some cases we may reach out to discuss the switch with you, and if space doesn’t allow, may ask you to remain in your existing league for this season.

If you’re thinking of switching leagues but aren’t totally sure, you can reach out to Dave at hockeydev@cuttingedgeshockey.ca for assistance.

How many teams will there be?

Tentatively we are planning three ASHL and two ARCHL teams. That could change based on the number and makeup of registrants.

League fit & skill

I’m not sure which league to pick based on my skill, what should I do?

First, if you haven’t already, check out the Leagues & Skill Levels page.

If you played in a previous season, you can choose the league you last played in. Returning players are welcome to apply to switch leagues if they feel the other league might be a better fit for them.

For new players who are on the bubble (generally scored at a 3 or 3.5) you may want to consider other factors like number of games and where they’re played when selecting a league. New this year you can also select “Either” on the registration form, and we’ll place you based on where we think you’d fit best and to balance out the teams.

Not sure? Reach out to hockeydev@cuttingedgeshockey.ca before registration opens and we’ll help out!

Will my level be reassessed before placement?

We will hold one or more evaluation skates closer to the start of the season. We’ll use these skates to evaluate your skills. It’ll also give team captains insight into the strengths of each player, which they’ll use to draft teams.

It’s especially important for new full-time players and spares to attend these skates, so that managers can get familiar with you.

I haven't played in 10 years — am I a beginner again?

This is different for everyone! Hockey is a bit like riding a bike, but a lot can change in 10 years.

A good rule of thumb is to evaluate your skill level based on when you last played, and then drop down 0.5. So if you were a 4.5, you might be more of a 4 today.

After registration

When and how will I be notified about my spot?

After registration closes on June 13th, the board and registrar will take about a week to figure out placement. We’ll email everyone about their status shortly after that.

If I'm waitlisted, can I still spare?

Yes! By becoming a member of the Cutting Edges, you’re able to register to spare. Sparing is a great way to get familiar with the organization and meet new people. If you don’t end up getting one of our full-time spots, becoming a spare gives you priority access to registration for the following season.

If I decline a spot, what happens?

If you want to decline your spot, please let us know as soon as possible, so that we can give it to someone else. As a member of the Cutting Edges, you’ll still be able to register to spare.

How and when do I get added to BenchApp?

You’ll receive an invite to join BenchApp after registration closes.

New to Cutting Edges or Hockey

I've never played hockey, should I register for ARCHL?

To play for the Cutting Edges, you should have good foundational skills. This means decent skating, passing, and shooting skills. You should rate yourself as a 1.5, or ideally a 2.

There are lots of resources available to help you get ready for team play. You can learn more here.

If you’re able to register for a learn to play class this summer, then you may be ready for fall season, in which case you might want to apply for a full-time spot. Otherwise, we recommend registering for the club as a spare, and then joining a learn to play class in the fall. The club also runs practices that you’ll be able to attend as a member.

Successful new players have often followed this formula successfully (take classes, spare later in the season), and then apply for a full-time spot in the following summer or fall seasons.

What gear do I need? Rough cost to get started?

See the New to Hockey page.

Where can I learn to play in Vancouver?

See the Skills Development page.

What's the vibe — competitive or social?

The vibes are immaculate across all of our teams! Teams at all levels are there to both have fun and to compete.

Are there practices?

Yes, we’ll be holding practices leading up to and during the season. More information will be provided closer to, via email and on BenchApp.

Logicstics

Where are games played? Which rinks?

ARCHL plays out of various rec centres in Vancouver (Kitsilano, Hillcrest, etc.) while ASHL plays all games out of Scotiabarn in Burnaby.

What time of day / week are games?

See League & Skill Levels

What's BenchApp and do I need it before registering?

BenchApp is a mobile app that we use to manager rosters, accept spares, announce events, and more.

You don’t need BenchApp to register. You’ll be invited after registration before the start of the season.

Do I have to attend every game?

Due to high demand for full-time spots, we expect players to attend most games. If you aren’t able to attend at least 80% of games, you may want to consider signing up as a spare.