Parent Question:"Why can't my 11-year-old play in the U12 division? Also, I'm worried that as my child gets older, they might miss a year of football because of the birth year rules. Can you explain how this works?"Answer:Tackle Football Age Groups – Chilliwack Giants (Chilliwack Minor Football Association) vs. School Football EligibilityWe would like to clarify a few important points for parents regarding flag/tackle football season age group placement and school football eligibility:
- Flag/Tackle Football Age Groups (Chilliwack Giants):
Age groups are determined strictly by year of birth, not your child's current age.
For example, if your son was born December 24, 2013, although he is currently 11 years old and might seem to fit in the Under-12 (U12) group, football rules require that he play in Under-14 (U14) because he was born in 2013. Eligibility is based on the full calendar year (January 1 – December 31), not the child's age at the time of registration or play. - School Football (Middle School / High School):
School football eligibility is based on the football season start, not the grade level during registration.
For example, a 13-year-old currently finishing Grade 8 will be in Grade 9 when the school football season begins in September, making them eligible to start high school football at that time.
Initially, it may seem like your child is losing a year of play with the Giants, but in reality, they are transitioning into High School Football (depending on whether your high school offers a football program). - If Your High School Does Not Offer Football:
If your child’s high school does not have a football program, there are still options available!
The closest alternative for continuing tackle football in our area is Langley Football.
You can find more information and register here: Langley Football Registration
Please reach out if you have any questions!We want to make the transition into tackle football as smooth and exciting as possible for all players.
At this time,
Chilliwack Minor Football Association does not offer programs beyond Junior Bantam, as students generally transition into high school athletics at
Sardis Secondary Athletics or
GW Graham Secondary Athletics.
Chilliwack Giants Minor Football Association🏈 Building Champions On and Off the Field 🏈
For more information, please visit:
www.chilliwackgiants.com📧 Email: info@chilliwackgiants.com
📍 Address: Townsend Park, 45130 Wolfe Road, Chilliwack, BC
