In 1999 the minor ball hockey associations of British Columbia and Alberta founded the Western Challenge Cup (WCC). At that time there was no National or Western Championships for minor ball hockey competitors so it was decided this tournament would serve as a venue to challenge skilled minor ball hockey players with a chance to compete against other teams throughout BC and Alberta at a higher competitive level.
Since the start of the WCC tournament it has been hosted by Edmonton, Calgary, Victoria, and cities throughout the lower mainland of BC. This tournament has grown over the years with a participation expectancy of a minimum of 32 teams each year. This tournament occurs over a 4 day period usually during the middle of July.
After 2018 there was a vote among the associations to reclassify the competing divisions. As a result and commencing in 2019 the age divisions eligible to play in the WCC are as follows:
U11 Division - players born in 2011 or earlier
U13 Division - players born in 2009 or earlier
U15 Division - players born in 2007 or earlier
U17 Division - players born in 2005 or earlier
U19 Division - players born in 2003 or earlier
The 2023 WCC tournament will be hosted by BHE1 Sports in Edmonton.