Coach's Guide to Judo Canada Junior Judo U8-U21 2026-27

U8, U10 and U12 have no weight classes. For the older divisions in 2026-27:

• U14 male: -32, -35, -38, -42, -46, -50, -55, -60, -66, +66
• U14 female: -30, -33, -36, -40, -44, -48, -52, -57, -63, +63
• U16 (Juvenile) male: -38, -42, -46, -50, -55, -60, -66, -73, +73
• U16 (Juvenile) female: -36, -40, -44, -48, -52, -57, -63, -70, +70
• U18 (Cadet) male: -50, -55, -60, -66, -73, -81, -90, +90
• U18 (Cadet) female: -40, -44, -48, -52, -57, -63, -70, +70
• U21 (Junior) male: -60, -66, -73, -81, -90, -100, +100
• U21 (Junior) female: -48, -52, -57, -63, -70, -78, +78

For novice divisions in U16, U18 and U21, and for U14, organizers may instead group judoka whose body weights differ by no more than 15% of the lightest participant's weight.

Source: Judo Canada Age and Weight Division Standards 2026-2027 (June 28, 2026) and Sanctioning Policy & Tournament Standards 2026-2027, section 7.

• Pools: the mandatory format for U10 and U12 is round robin pools of 3 or 4 competitors ideally, and exceptionally 2 or 5.
• U8: a "Judo Festival" format with no formal judging is recommended at sanctioned events, scheduled so parents can watch.
• No weight classes: children are grouped or paired by closest weight, with a maximum 15% weight difference (measured against the lightest participant in the group).
• Gender: mixed for U8. Separated for U10 and U12, although U10 can be mixed in exceptional circumstances with parental agreement.
• Hybrid groups: at the tournament director's discretion, U9 (born 2019 and 2020, U10 rules) and U11 (born 2017 and 2018, U12 rules) can be used.
• Prizes: all U8 and U10 participants should receive a prize, and all U12 participants should be awarded a medal.

Source: Judo Canada Age and Weight Division Standards 2026-2027 and Sanctioning Policy & Tournament Standards 2026-2027, section 7.

For all ranks in U8, U10 and U12:

• Drop techniques that start on one or both knees are prohibited.
• All Sutemi-waza and Makikomi-waza are prohibited. Actions that start as a Makikomi or Sutemi are not scored, but actions that start with an allowed technique and end as Makikomi-waza because of the opponent's reaction are scored (U12 rule).
• Head locking with a grip over or around the neck is prohibited in tachi-waza (no Kubi-nage) and in ne-waza. No neck squeezing is allowed in Kesa-gatame: the arm may surround the neck, but joining both hands to add pressure is a squeeze.
• Kansetsu-waza and Shime-waza are not allowed.
• Sankaku-gatame and Sankaku rollover are not allowed.
• Counter-rotation techniques against one-legged throws (for example against Uchi-mata or Harai-goshi) are not scored.
• Kumi-kata (grip) is allowed only at the front of the judogi: the gripping hand cannot fully cross the frontal plane of Uke's movement. A grip behind the back around the shoulder or lower back is allowed if followed by an immediate and continuous attack.

Penalties: in U10 and U12 these actions are not scored and the referee explains why to the judoka and coach. In U10 no Shido is given for a first-time offence. In U12 the referee gives a warning first, and a repeat is penalized with a Shido.

Source: Judo Canada Sanctioning Policy & Tournament Standards 2026-2027, sections 7.1.3, 7.2.3 and 7.4.3.

In U14 the following are not allowed and are penalized by Shido:

• All ranks: head locking with a grip over or around the neck in tachi-waza (no Kubi-nage), Kansetsu-waza, Shime-waza, and Sankaku-gatame or Sankaku rollover (impossible to tell whether it is applied as an Osae-waza or Shime-waza).
• Novice divisions only: drop techniques that start on one or both knees, and all Sutemi-waza and Makikomi-waza. Actions that start as a Makikomi or Sutemi are not scored, but actions that start with an allowed technique and end as Makikomi-waza because of the opponent's reaction are scored.
• Scoring: counter-rotation techniques against one-legged throws (for example against Uchi-mata or Harai-goshi) are not scored.

Source: Judo Canada Sanctioning Policy & Tournament Standards 2026-2027, section 7.5.4.

• U16: Kansetsu-waza (joint locks) are not allowed. Shime-waza (chokes) and Sankaku-gatame or Sankaku rollover are not allowed for yellow and orange belts.
• U18 and U21: Kansetsu-waza, Shime-waza and Sankaku-gatame or Sankaku rollover are not allowed for yellow and orange belts. Sankaku is restricted because it is impossible to tell whether it is applied as an Osae-waza or a Shime-waza.

Source: Judo Canada Sanctioning Policy & Tournament Standards 2026-2027, sections 7.6.4, 7.7.4 and 7.8.4.

At all sanctioned events, white belt judoka of any age group cannot compete (white/yellow counts as white belt). White belts in U8 club events, and in U10 and U12 club events, are limited to Ne-waza only bouts.

Belt divisions for 2026-27:

• U12: yellow belts may compete against orange belts at most, and orange belts against green belts at most.
• U14: Novice is yellow and orange belts (yellow may compete against orange at most). Advanced is green belt and higher.
• U16 and U18: Novice is yellow and orange belts. Advanced is green belt and higher.
• U21: Novice is yellow to green belts. Advanced is blue belt and higher.

Source: Judo Canada Sanctioning Policy & Tournament Standards 2026-2027, sections 6.1 and 7.

For sanctioned events in 2026-27:

• U8: a "Judo Festival" format is recommended, with no formal judging.
• U10: 2 minutes of continuous time. Bouts end after 2 ippons. One referee may judge, and no Shido is given for a first-time offence.
• U12: 2 minutes of stopped time, no golden score. Bouts end after 1 ippon.
• U14: maximum 3 minutes, no golden score.
• U16: maximum 3 minutes, golden score allowed and unlimited.
• U18 and U21: maximum 4 minutes, golden score allowed and unlimited.

If there is no technical score, or equal technical scores, at the end of a U12 or U14 bout, the competitor with no Shido or fewer Shidos wins. If Shidos are level, the referee(s) decide.

Source: Judo Canada Sanctioning Policy & Tournament Standards 2026-2027, section 7.

• U12 and younger: weigh in wearing judogi pants and a t-shirt, with no exceptions and no weight tolerance.
• U14 and older: weigh in in underclothing only (boys: underpants and optional t-shirt; girls: underpants and bra and optional t-shirt). Socks, jewellery and body piercings must be removed, athletes may not remove their underclothing, and a 0.2 kg tolerance covers the weight of the underclothing.
• Honour system: may be used for U14 and younger divisions, with weights sent in kg with the registration. Organizers may then run random weigh-in checks as set out in the event technical package.
• Scale: each athlete steps on the scale once, for no more than 60 seconds.
• Missing weight: at pre-registered events an athlete who misses the weigh-in is removed from the draw. An athlete who does not meet the weight requirements is offered a change of weight category unless the technical package does not allow it, and no refunds are made.
• Two age divisions: an athlete in two age divisions in the same weight category on consecutive days does not weigh in again for the second division.

Source: Judo Canada Sanctioning Policy & Tournament Standards 2026-2027, section 5.3.

• Loss of consciousness from Shime-waza: a competitor in the U18 division or younger who loses consciousness because of a Shime-waza cannot continue in the tournament and is not eligible for repechage or for entry in another division on the same day. (In U21, Senior, Ne-waza and Veteran events it does not cause automatic withdrawal.) Any athlete who loses consciousness must be assessed by the medical personnel before continuing.
• Concussion: a competitor suspected of a concussion is withdrawn from the competition and must follow Judo Canada's concussion protocol. The withdrawal applies to the full event (all divisions, all days), and the athlete must follow Judo Canada's Return to Play protocol.
• Medical authority: the designated tournament medical personnel have the ultimate authority to withdraw an athlete, and a medical withdrawal is confirmed on the medical withdrawal sheet.
• Medical visits: in U18 and younger divisions the number of medical visits during a bout is unlimited. Blood situations and minor injuries follow the current IJF rules.

Source: Judo Canada Sanctioning Policy & Tournament Standards 2026-2027, section 5.6.5.

Under the 2026-27 sanctioning policy:

• National Open Championships: provincial or territorial coaches must be Certified Competition Development coaches. Assistant coaches must be certified Dojo Instructors.
• Other "A" sanctioned events: coaches must be at minimum trained Competition Development coaches, and assistant coaches at minimum trained Dojo Instructors.
• Provincial or territorial "B" and "C" events: the minimum recommended level for a head coach is certified Dojo Instructor, and assistants are recommended to be at minimum trained Assistant Instructors.
• Local club events: community coaches may assist in coaching athletes from their community clubs.

The tournament organizing committee is responsible for validating certifications.

At club level, Judo Canada's recommended minimum standards are a certified NCCP Instructor as head coach, technical director or dojo shu, and trained NCCP Assistants as assistant coaches.

Source: Judo Canada Sanctioning Policy & Tournament Standards 2026-2027, section 5.2.2.4; Judo Canada Standards NCCP guideline (2023).

The Dojo Assistant (DA, former NCCP Level 1) is the entry coaching certification. It prepares you to help deliver practices for judoka of all stages, with an emphasis on those under 14.

Prerequisites

• Minimum age of 16.
• Minimum rank of green belt, with a working knowledge of the Judo Canada kyu syllabus techniques for 6th through 3rd kyu.
• A Sterling background check for all candidate coaches aged 18 and older (or an equivalent check if the province or territory requires one).
• The "Respect in Sport for the activity leader" e-learning module.

Training: NCCP Make Ethical Decisions (delivered by the Coaching Association of Canada from April 1, 2026), Module 1 (Safety and Liability; Know Your Sport; Teaching & Learning theory, 6 hours in class) and Module 2 (Teaching & Learning Judo, 6 to 8 hours on the tatami).

Supervision: assistants under the age of majority must work under the direct supervision of a certified instructor.

Status: completing all modules gives Trained DA status. The practical evaluation (needed for Certified DA) is not obligatory, and Trained Assistants can go on to the Dojo Instructor courses. Certified status is valid for 5 years and is renewed with 10 professional development points per 5 years for an Assistant (20 for an Instructor).

All program leaders (dojo shu, technical directors, community coaches and similar) must also take the Respect in Sport online training.

Source: Judo Canada NCCP Policy, March 2026.

• Dress code: at all sanctioned events coaches wear long pants, shoes, and a shirt, t-shirt, golf shirt or polo, with no hat. At other events coaches must dress appropriately.
• Behaviour: coaching behaviour must follow the IJF regulations at "A" and "B" sanctioned events, and a record of offending coaches is kept on a standard form.
• Safe sport: at sanctioned events all Safe Sport related policies are enforced, including the Athlete Protection Policy, the Code of Conduct and Ethics and the Event Discipline Policy.
• Hansoku-make: a competitor disqualified by Hansoku-make for an unethical action contrary to the spirit of sport is disqualified from the entire event (all age groups, all days).

Source: Judo Canada Sanctioning Policy & Tournament Standards 2026-2027, sections 6.2 and 6.3.