Which age group is my child in?
Canadian youth basketball groups players by birth year. Kids move up every season: last year's U13 is this year's U14, so always check which season an age group refers to.
Four digits, between 2007 and 2022.
Full table
Each cell is the earliest birth year allowed: players born that year or later can play in the group.
| Group | 2025-26 | 2026-27 | 2027-28 |
|---|---|---|---|
| U9 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
| U10 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| U11 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 |
| U12 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
| U13 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
| U14 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 |
| U15 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 |
| U16 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
| U17 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
| U18 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 |
| U19 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
How each sport groups kids
Each sport groups kids differently: soccer and hockey by birth year, basketball by school year in some provinces, tennis and skating by stage. These are the 2026-27 rules published by the national and provincial bodies.
National rulesCanada Basketball
Level or stage
| Group | Birth years | Format and length | Ball / gear | Key rules |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mini-Basket 3 on 3 | — | 3v3 half court, no 3-point shot; 4 players per team · 10 minutes (as published) | Size 3 ball, 8-foot hoop | Canada Basketball's mini-basketball rules shrink the game for beginners: 3 v 3 on a half court with a size 3 ball and an 8-foot hoop, and player-to-player (no zone) defence. Source |
| Mini-Basket 4 on 4 | — | 4v4 cross-court with a regulation 3-point line; 6 players per team · 12 minutes (as published) | Regulation size 5 ball, 9-foot hoop | The next step up: 4 v 4 played across the court with a size 5 ball and a 9-foot hoop; defence is player-to-player. Source |
British ColumbiaBasketball BC
Birth year (age on December 31)
| Group | Birth years | Format and length | Ball / gear | Key rules |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U11 | 2016 or later | — | — | BC club basketball groups players by birth year. At the BC Youth Provincial Basketball Championships (Jan 8–10, 2027, Langley Events Centre) U11 is open to players born in 2016 or later. Source |
| U12 | 2015 or later | — | — | Birth-year based: U12 at the January 2027 BC Youth Provincial Championships is for players born in 2015 or later; younger players may play up. Source |
| U13 | 2014 or later | — | — | U13 at the January 2027 BC Youth Provincial Championships is for players born in 2014 or later. BC high-school basketball is organized by school level (Junior, Senior) rather than birth year, so a child can be in different groups for school and club. Source |
| High school: Junior and Senior (AAAA, AAA, AA, A) | — | 5v5 full court | — | BC high-school basketball is organized by school level (Junior, Senior) and school size class (AAAA largest to A), not by birth year; the 2025 girls' provincial championship ran Feb 26–Mar 1 at the Langley Events Centre. Coaches must be on the school's roster and complete concussion-awareness training every two years. Source |
| High school rule modifications | — | 5v5 full court · 30-second shot clock, full reset when the ball hits the ring; 18-second reset after a frontcourt foul/violation; 10… | — | BC School Sports plays with a 30-second shot clock (full reset when the ball hits the ring) and a 10-second rule to cross half court; a frontcourt foul or violation resets the clock to 18 seconds. Source |
QuébecBasketball Québec
School year / grade
| Group | Birth years | Format and length | Ball / gear | Key rules |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atome | Born Oct 1, 2013 – Sept 30, 2014 | — | — | Québec uses an October 1 – September 30 birth-date window (close to the school year), unlike the calendar-year groups used in most other provinces. These are the 2026-27 Circuit Basketball Québec (CBQ) categories; FIBA rules apply. Source |
| Benjamin | Born Oct 1, 2012 – Sept 30, 2014 | — | — | Benjamin covers two birth years, counted from October 1 to September 30 (CBQ 2026-27). Source |
| Cadet majeur | Born Oct 1, 2010 – Sept 30, 2012 | — | — | Cadet majeur covers two birth years, counted from October 1 to September 30 (CBQ 2026-27). Source |
| Juvénile | Born Oct 1, 2008 – Sept 30, 2010 | — | — | Juvénile (the oldest youth category) covers two birth years, counted from October 1 to September 30 (CBQ 2026-27). Source |
Applies to Canada Basketball and the BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick associations. Basketball Québec uses October 1 to September 30 birth windows, and some independent tournaments (especially US-run ones) group by school grade. Check the birth years the organizer lists before you register.
Grades follow the BC and Ontario school-entry rule (age 5 by December 31 for Kindergarten); some Alberta boards use a different cut-off. Other sports (hockey, soccer, swimming) use different rules.