Effective 01 September, Badminton Alberta has implemented new names for the junior age classifications. Simply put, the names of each of the four junior age categories have been modified to better reflect the age of the competitors. The old age categories were misleading, as a 12-year old could be competing in the u12 events. The transition to the new classifications will eliminate this from occurring.
Rather than waiting to introduce the changes until 01 January, Badminton Alberta has decided to implement the changes at the beginning of this season, as players would have been graduating to new age categories any way. The new age categories will be:
- to be eligible for u13 - all participants must be born in 2003 or later;
- to be eligible for u15 - all participants must be born in 2001 or later;
- to be eligible for u17 - all participants must be born in 1999 or later;
- to be eligible for u20 - all participants must be born in 1996 or later.
For the duration of 2014 and the entirety of 2015, an athlete can't turn the age of the category in which they are competing.