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 rulesTennis Canada
Level or stage
| Group | Birth years | Format and length | Ball / gear | Key rules |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red stage | — | 1/4 of a full court, lower net · Games to 11 or 15 recommended (FAQ: 11, 15 or 21); timed rounds of 20-30 minutes are typical | Red ball (oversized high-density foam or felt), 19-21 inch racquet | Kids 8 and under (also 1.0-level teen/adult beginners, who use a 27-inch racquet). Serve can be overhead or underhand: the first serve is overhead, the second may be underhand, and it may land anywhere in the opponent's court. Source |
| LTAD stages: Active Start → Fundamentals → Developing → Consolidating →… | — | Kids' tennis (smaller courts, slower balls) moving to full-court tennis in the Developing stage | — | Tennis Canada's development stages by age (boys/girls): Active Start 0–5/6; Fundamentals 5–8 / 5–9 (focus on fun); Developing 9–12 (moves players from kids' tennis to full-court tennis); Consolidating 13–15 / 12–15; Learning to Perform 16–18 / 15–18. Source |
| Orange stage | — | 3/4 of a full court, lower net · Shorter sets or timed rounds of 20-30 minutes recommended | Orange ball (about 50% compression of a yellow ball), 23-inch racquet | Kids 9 and under (also 1.0-1.5 teen/adult players, 27-inch racquet). All other basic tennis rules apply. Tennis Canada's FAQ says U9 Advanced Tour events are played on an orange court. Source |
| Green stage | — | Full court, regular net height · Standard tennis scoring | Green ball (about 75% compression of a yellow ball), 25-26 inch racquet (Tennis Canada FAQ: 23-25 inch) | Kids 10 and under (also 1.5-2.0 teen/adult players, 27-inch racquet). All basic rules of tennis apply. Tennis Canada's goal is for children to train and play full court with the green ball by about age 9, then move to the regular yellow ball when ready; juniors should play in their own age category and only play up when they win easily there. Source |
British ColumbiaTennis BC
Birth year (age on December 31)
| Group | Birth years | Format and length | Ball / gear | Key rules |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U9 (Rising Stars, orange ball) | 2017–2019 (2026 groups, as of Jan 1, 2026) | Orange ball on a 3/4 court; compass or round-robin draw, at least 3 matches · One set to 6 games, no-ad, or a 35-min timed match (7-point tiebreak at 6-all) | Orange ball | Rising Stars (ages 7–10) prepares players for the U12 junior provincial structure; players must have played at least 3 Rookie Tour events to enter. Source |
| U10 (Rising Stars, green ball) | 2016–2018 (2026 groups, as of Jan 1, 2026) | Green ball on a regular full court · One set to 6 games, no-ad, or a 35-min timed match (tiebreak at 6-6) | Green ball | At U10, Rising Stars matches move to the full-size court with the green (low-compression) ball. Source |
| U12 | 2015–2016 (2027 events); 2014–2015 (2026 events) | Singles and doubles; full court · 2-Star: two tie-break sets, no-ad, 10-point match tiebreak instead of a third set | — | BC junior tennis age groups are two birth years each and change on January 1 (e.g., the February 2027 indoor provincials use U12 = born 2015–2016). Players may play up to two age categories higher, except players born in 2017 or later. Source |
| U14 | 2013–2014 (2027 events); 2012–2013 (2026 events) | Singles and doubles; full court | — | Tournament levels run from Rookie and Rising Stars through 2-Star, 3-Star, 3.5-Star, 4-Star Selection Series and the 5-Star Junior Provincials. Source |
| U16 | 2011–2012 (2027 events); 2010–2011 (2026 events) | Singles and doubles | — | Two birth years per group; the group is set by birth year for the whole calendar year. Source |
| U18 | 2009–2010 (2027 events); 2008–2009 (2026 events) | Singles and doubles | — | Top junior group; strong juniors can also enter Junior ITF events. 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.