A guide for parents and players — choose the right path for your athlete this season.
Recreational basketball with no tryouts. Sort-outs are used to balance teams, not to determine selection. House League is the right path for players who want to play, develop, and have fun without the commitment of competitive travel basketball.
Players practise once per week and play weekend games against other Ottawa-area House League clubs. Teams are formed by age and gender after registration closes and coaches are confirmed; the number of teams each season depends on registrants, coach volunteers, and gym availability.
Practices typically begin in September; games run from October to March Break. A reversible numbered jersey is provided to every player.
All House League teams are formed after Competitive team selections are completed. Full refunds will be provided to all fully paid registered players we are unable to place onto a team.
The following House League divisions all share the standard House League fee schedule:
U12/11 House League Program receives a $50 reduction because OSBA uses a costing model with officials that results in a savings at this registration level.
The $9 OBA insurance fee applies against all registrations and is paid once to Small Ball, U10 Development, House League Program, Competitive players, and Spring Programming.
The $31 OBA membership fee is applied only to House League and Competitive registrations.
Throughout this document, you'll see these $40 in Ontario Basketball Association fees listed alongside OSBA's own registration fees so you can see exactly what each organization is charging. Tap the + on any Ontario Basketball Association fee line to expand the breakdown.
The House League Program is organized into the following four divisions, grouped by age:
For players born in 2015 or 2016.
For players born in 2013 or 2014.
For players born in 2011 or 2012.
For players born in 2008, 2009, or 2010.
Practice times are tentative and will be confirmed once gym contracts are finalized.
Do not register if one of these nights conflicts with another program for your child. We try to accommodate families, but team balance comes first and we won't reshuffle teams for individual scheduling requests.
Every House League player participates in sort-out sessions. Sort-outs are not tryouts — every registered player is on a team. Coaches and convenors use the sessions to evenly distribute skill levels so games and practices are fair and developmental.
Sort-outs will be held at Steve MacLean Public School and St. FX High School. All House League sort-out sessions take place on Saturdays. Tap any session below to expand the details.
Players attend an individual skill evaluation session. Evaluators assess core basketball skills including dribbling, passing, shooting, overall effort, court awareness, and general readiness. These evaluations are used to help create balanced teams for the next stage of sort-outs.
Players are placed on temporary teams for ~45-minute inter-team games officiated by junior officials. This mini-tournament format lets evaluators observe players in game situations; teams may still be adjusted after this session to improve balance.
Players continue inter-team play in a mini-tournament format. Final adjustments may be made based on balance, skill level, effort, and game play. Teams are not considered final until after this session.
Final rosters will be submitted, published, and available in Team RAMP on or around October 19–20, 2026. Regular season gameplay begins the first weekend in November.
House League teams play against OSBA teams and other clubs across the National Capital Region. Game schedules and gym locations are posted in early October, once team counts are finalized. House League teams do not travel outside the Ottawa area.
House League games are played on Saturdays or Sundays. The regular season includes 12 scheduled games, beginning the weekend of October 31 – November 1, 2026 and ending the weekend of February 27–28, 2027.
Game weekends:
No Games / Break Weekends:
The House League Holiday Tournament is typically scheduled on one of the following weekends:
Exact scheduling will depend on gym availability and division structure.
Playoffs are scheduled across two weekends:
Final scheduling will be confirmed in consultation with the EOBA.
Games are played on either Saturday or Sunday at OSBA gyms, provided contracts are secured. Expected OSBA gym locations may include:
As part of the Eastern Ontario Basketball Association, teams may also play at partner-association gyms:
No child should miss the season because of cost. Several organizations offer registration support to qualifying families — apply if you need help. More on the OSBA Financial Assistance page.
KidSport Ottawa offers three grant programs to help kids get in the game:
Their Opportunity's flagship sports subsidy removes the financial barrier to grassroots sports. Families must meet Revenue Canada's Low Income Measure (LIM) thresholds.
Growing Up Through Sports. Eligible families must meet the following criteria:
Quick answers to common questions. Tap any to expand.
OSBA offers four pathways: Small Ball, U10 Development, House League Program, and Competitive.
All House League Program and Competitive players pay the Ontario Basketball Association fees.
Yes. House League is OSBA's recreational pathway. There is no tryout, but players attend sort-outs to help create balanced teams.
No. Sort-outs are used for team balancing only. They are not used to decide whether a player makes a team.
U12/11 House League players pay $50 less because OSBA uses a costing model with officials that results in a savings at this registration level.
Pre-Season Tune-Up Sessions are an optional skills add-on for U11 through U19 House League Program and Competitive players. They help players prepare for sort-outs and the start of the season after summer play. The fee is $75.
No. Both House League Program and Competitive players may register for Pre-Season Tune-Up Sessions.
Some House League Program divisions play within OSBA gyms on weekends rather than travelling. This currently includes U16 Girls, U12/11 Boys, U14/13 Boys, and U16/15 Boys.
