If you are getting your children registered for sports, you’ve probably wondered when the youth basketball season starts.
Youth basketball leagues tend to operate in the fall and spring seasons. Your child’s season length will vary depending on your location and whether your child participates at school or through a separate league.
This article will look at all aspects of youth basketball, including the game’s length, the season’s length, and the rim’s height for various ages. Let’s start with how old kids are when they start playing basketball.
What grade do kids start playing basketball?
Children can start playing basketball in kindergarten or first grade, at around five or six years old. However, children at this age should use a smaller basketball and likely won’t be playing on a team. When a child reaches seven or eight years old, they will have an easier time grasping the rules of the game and learning skills like dribbling.
Once a child enters fifth or sixth grade, around 11 years old, they may begin playing basketball competitively. In addition, they can participate in clinics at this age to help them better develop their basketball-playing skills.
Finally, travel youth basketball leagues are usually open to children in at least 5th grade. Travel leagues are often more competitive and require more of a time commitment.
How many youth basketball games are in a season?
The number of games a child will play during a youth basketball season will vary based on age, however, most young children might not have actual games and instead focus on practicing and learning new skills.
However, as children get older, they will have more weekly games, especially when participating in tournaments. For this reason, the number of games per season will vary depending on how far they go in championship games.
If there is a tournament, a 6-year-old may play 8 or 10 games throughout an 8-week-session. On the other hand, older children may play as many as 20+ games in one youth basketball season.
How long is a youth basketball game?
The duration of youth basketball games will vary depending on how old your child is, although this. In general, games will be between 20 – 40 minutes. Youth basketball uses a running clock and only stops for timeouts and halftime.
In addition, youth basketball games don’t usually have overtime and can end in a tie. However, if overtimes are permitted, the game’s length will increase.
This table from the NBA’s Youth Guidelines page provides recommendations for length and frequency of both games and practices. This can be used as a foundation for your children’s youth leagues.
| Age | Game Length | # Games / Week | Practice Length | # Practices / Week |
| 7-8 | 20-28 min | 1 | 30-60 min | 1 |
| 9-11 | 24-32 min | 1-2 | 45-75 min | 2 |
| 12-14 | 28-32 min | 2 | 60-90 min | 2-4 |
| 9-12 | 32-40 min | 2-3 | 90-120 min | 3-4 |
How often do youth basketball teams practice?
Youth basketball teams typically have one or two practices during the week and play games on the weekend. If there is a tournament, you can expect your child to play in several competitions throughout the weekend.
The more competitive a team is, the more practice they will have each week. For example, a travel basketball league will have more practices weekly than a recreational or school team. If you are creating a league and want some general advice on where to start, the table above can be of some use.
What skills do kids learn in youth basketball?
If your child is new to youth basketball, you’re probably wondering what skills they will learn. Here is a rundown of basic skills your child will work on as they begin playing basketball.
- Dribbling – one of the first skills a child will learn is how to dribble, bouncing the ball with one hand.
- Shooting – while they might not make it at first, children will learn how to shoot towards the basket.
- Catching and Passing – children will learn how to pass the ball back and forth with their teammates
- Rebounding – players begin learning how to gain possession of the ball after the opponent misses a shot
- Defending – players learn how to keep their opponent from scoring a point
- Jumping – youth basketball players learn how to shoot and block shots while jumping
What height is the rim in youth basketball?
The rim height will vary depending on the age of the children playing. Here is a basic outline of what your child should expect in youth basketball.
- 6-foot rim for kindergarten, first, and second grade
- 8-foot rim for third and fourth grade
- 9-foot rim for fifth grade
- 10-foot rim for sixth grade and beyond
While the height of the rim will vary per league, you can always find lower rims for younger ages, whether they are at your local rec center or even for sale at a sporting goods store.
Playing on lower rims allows children to develop proper shooting form as they grow; if a 6 year old were to try and shoot on a standard 10-foot rim, they would likely try and throw the ball underhand as opposed to shooting overhand, since they do not yet developed the muscle to put sufficient force behind the ball.
Are there tryouts for youth basketball?
Most youth basketball teams will have tryouts, whether your child participates at school or in a county league. In addition, travel leagues will have more extensive tryouts as they are much more competitive than a traditional team.
How big is the ball used in youth basketball?
The ball and court size will vary depending on the child’s age. Here is an overview of what to expect as your child begins playing youth basketball. Remember, your basketball court may vary slightly.
| Age Bracket | Ball Size | Court Size |
| 5-6 | Size 4 | 50’ x 42’ or smaller |
| 7-8 | Size 5 | 50’ x 42’ |
| 9-11 | Size 5 | 74’ x 50’ |
| 12-14 | Size 6 | 84’ x 50’ |
| 14+ | Size 7 | 94’ x 50’ |
The table above is focused on the size of the basketball for male players. There are different size basketballs made for females, so it is important to keep in mind if a girl is looking to get into basketball.