08/18/2026
Over the coming registration year, BCWA is making several important changes to our membership structure, Club/Team registration process, Registered Participant system, and membership fees.
We know that's a lot of change at once - and we want to be transparent about what is changing, why it is changing, and how these changes will help build a stronger future for wrestling in BC. To review what is changing, please read through the below and review the attached graphics.
First: Club/Team Sanctioning Registration (often referred to as “club sanctioning”)
When we talk about Club/Team sanctioning, think of it primarily as BCWA’s annual club registration process.
Clubs/Teams will register through the 2MEV portal and provide BCWA with the information (head coach contact, NCCP number, criminal record check etc.) necessary to confirm their membership and understand who is affiliated with each organization.
This means BCWA will be asking clubs for more information than they may have provided in the past.
Why?
Because accurate information about our clubs and participants is essential to good governance and good decision-making.
BCWA has two classes of membership: Voting Members and Non-Voting Members. Member (sanctioned) Clubs/Teams are Voting Members, while individuals who have applied for and been approved for membership are Non-Voting Members under the BCWA Membership Policy.
Having accurate Club/Team records will also help us create a clearer and more streamlined process for things like our Annual General Meeting (AGM) and determining who is eligible to participate in BCWA governance (i.e. voting at the BCWA AGM).
This information also helps us understand the sport itself.
We need to know who is participating, who stays, who joins, participant demographics, and patterns of growth so that we can evaluate whether our growth strategies are actually working.
That information can help BCWA make better decisions about events, programming, policies, funding opportunities and services for our members.
Member Clubs and Teams play a vital role in delivering wrestling at the community level, fostering participation, developing athletes, and contributing to the continued growth of our sport.
Second: Registered Participants.
Moving forward, we want a clearer connection between each Member Club/Team and the people registered under it.
Registered Member Participants include athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers, parents, managers, administrators and others affiliated with sanctioned Member Clubs/Teams. Registered Participants will identify the Member Club/Team with which they are affiliated, allowing BCWA to better understand our provincial wrestling community.
2MEV has also made updates to the registration portal this year. The system may look a little different when you log in, but these updates are intended to improve usability and accessibility.
Finally: membership fees are increasing.
We know this is the part members will notice most, and we want to be very clear: we are not increasing fees without reason.
BCWA’s current membership fees are significantly below comparable wrestling organizations and BC sport organizations.
For example, our current fees are:
- 36% below other wrestling provinces for Youth Athletes
- 41% below comparable BC sport organizations for Youth Athletes
- 55% below comparable youth entry rates for School-Age competition
- 25% below other wrestling provinces for Junior/Senior Athletes
- 32% below comparable BC sport organizations for Coaches
- 81% below other wrestling provinces for Officials
At the same time, BCWA is responsible for supporting the development and governance of wrestling across British Columbia - including competitions, coach development and accreditation, athlete development, coach and official training, and safe and inclusive participation.
We have to invest in the organization if we want wrestling in BC to continue to grow.
The Registered Participant Policy recognizes that growth requires investment in strategies, benefits and services, and that Registered Participant fees are critical to BCWA’s ability to develop the sport and deliver its core activities.
Our goal isn't simply to collect more membership fees.
Our goal is to build the capacity to give more back to wrestling.
That means better data to understand our sport, stronger programming, new opportunities for athletes and coaches, better support for officials and volunteers, stronger advocacy, and the ability to pursue funding and partnerships that can help grow wrestling at every level.
We recognize that these changes require an adjustment period. We sincerely appreciate the patience of our clubs, coaches, athletes, officials, volunteers and families as we work through these updates.
We're not just changing how BCWA registers wrestling. We're building the systems and financial foundation needed to support where wrestling in BC is going next.
More information about the registration process, fee structure and timelines will be shared with clubs and members as we move through implementation. Please review the membership policies below for more information on member definitions, what is changing, and year 1-3 projections on membership fees.
Click Here to Open BCWA Registered Participant Policy: https://drive.google.com/file/d/135_nWykHzaaRhW3jVDPJUR1xAHhq0p6e/view?usp=sharing
Click Here to Open the BCWA Membership Policy: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EJsFlKZa9mrwqzGj0RdkR4n9oHaKjetv/view?usp=sharing
Thank you for continuing to invest in and believe in wrestling in British Columbia.
Photos by Tyler Falk-Chalmers
