Before You Sign Up: 10 Questions to Ask a Youth Sports Club

There are plenty of youth sports clubs in Greater Vancouver, but their websites rarely tell you everything. These ten questions work for basketball, soccer, volleyball and most team sports. Print them out and bring them to a trial class or information night.

As Volleyball BC's guide for families puts it, parents are the consumers here, and it's worth doing your research before you commit.

1. What is the full cost?

Canadian Tire Jumpstart's 2025 national survey found that registration is usually only 20–35% of what families spend on youth sport. Ask for the full-season total, not just the registration fee:

• Tryout fee
• Registration or club fee
• Uniforms, training wear and required gear
• Tournament fees: included or charged per event?
• Travel and hotels for out-of-town games
• Whether quoted prices include GST/PST

2. What's the refund policy?

What happens if your child is injured, you move, or they want to stop mid-season? Volleyball BC says each club's own financial and refund policies apply and that it doesn't step into fee disputes. BC Soccer's own registration fees are non-refundable. Get the refund policy in writing before you pay.

3. What checks have the coaches completed?

Ask:

• Have coaches had a criminal record check, and does it include a vulnerable sector check? How often is it renewed?
• Have they completed Safe Sport training?
• What NCCP training do they have, and are they "Trained" or "Certified"?

Requirements vary by sport. Basketball BC, for example, requires member club coaches to have passed a criminal record check within the past five years and to complete the Coaching Association of Canada's Safe Sport course.

4. How often and where are practices?

• How many practices a week, and how long?
• Is the venue fixed, and how far is it from home?
• Does the schedule change often? Does it ease off during exams?
• Can my child also play another sport or on a school team?

5. How is playing time decided?

Younger age groups usually aim for everyone to play. Competitive teams may give more minutes to stronger players. Knowing the club's approach upfront avoids surprises mid-season. Canada Soccer's Grassroots Standards, for example, say grassroots players should play at least 50% of each match.

6. How does the tryout and team selection process work?

• How many sessions, and what's the fee?
• Who evaluates, and what are they looking for?
• When and how will we hear the result?
• How long do we have to accept an offer?

Some sports set rules for this. The BCSPL requires written offers by email and generally gives families seven days to respond. Volleyball BC sets a province-wide offer signing date. Signing or paying part of a fee may count as accepting, so be sure before you pay.

7. How does the club communicate?

• Where do announcements go: email, an app, a group chat?
• Who do I contact about my child's development, and how?
• Is there a formal complaints process, ideally with someone independent of the club's leadership?

8. Do you have a safe sport policy and follow the Rule of Two?

• Is the club's safe sport policy published on its website?
• Do coaches follow the Rule of Two: never alone with a child, and messages go to a group or include parents?
• How are travel, hotel rooms and rides handled for away games?

The Coaching Association of Canada describes the Rule of Two as having two responsible adults present and keeping settings open and observable.

9. Can my child try a class first?

If so, watch the whole session. Notice how coaches speak to kids, whether the kids are engaged, and whether the space is safe. Ask if you can talk to a family from last season.

10. What happens if my child isn't selected?

• Is there a development team or training group?
• Is the tryout fee refundable?
• Will coaches give feedback on what to work on?

Not making a team isn't the end. Knowing the next step keeps the door open for next season.

One more tip

Record each club's answers in the same table so you can compare. If a club is vague about fees or refunds, or pressures you to "sign today or lose the spot," slow down.

Next steps

• Read fee reports and parent reviews on club pages across our site.
• Subscribe to tryout reminders in our calendar.
• After you join, come back and leave a review to help the next family.