2025–26 was our first season running standalone U10 Girls and U12 Girls divisions in the Central Venue League. Female-only playing spaces where girls set the pace, learn alongside their peers, and see other girls and women all around them in the game.
Girls aged 7–15 can compete in proper, standalone girls’ divisions alongside the Mixed competition – and this season there are three of them. Here’s what that means in practice.
Same sport, same league, different room. Girls in the U11, U13 and U15 divisions play a full season of fixtures against other girls’ teams – with the same referees, same venues, same week-to-week rhythm as every other CVL division.
Why it matters. In mixed-gender basketball at these ages, boys are often physically larger and more confident ball-handlers. A girls’ division isn’t about separation – it’s about pace. Girls develop the game in an environment where they’re the ones driving play, calling shots, and leading their teams, without the dynamic a mixed court sometimes creates at younger ages.
Mixed is still there too. Plenty of girls play in the U10, U12 and older Mixed divisions – and always have. The girls’ divisions are an additional place to play, not a replacement.
Older age groups. U15 Girls is new for 2026–27, taking the girls’ pathway up another age band. Above that, U16 and U18 players of any gender play in the Mixed divisions. Whether the girls’ pathway extends further is an open question for the committee as participation grows.
Following a recent committee decision, girls registered with a national league team are no longer permitted to play down in boys’ Mixed CVL divisions – including at playoffs. The rule supports a level playing field across the league.
Most clubs with girls’ teams are concentrated around north Surrey and the Kingston area, but the list is growing every year. Browse the full clubs directory filtered for girls’ teams to see who’s near you.
These clubs field one or more girls’ teams in the Surrey CVL this season. For contact details and the most up-to-date listing, use the filtered clubs directory.
Kingston Lions finished top of both girls’ regular-season tables in 2025–26 – the first clubs to lift these brand-new league trophies.
Our work in Surrey sits alongside Basketball England and FIBA’s national campaigns to grow girls’ and women’s participation across every level of the game. If you want to go further than your local club, these are the places to look.
FIBA’s flagship grassroots girls’ campaign, delivered in the UK by Basketball England. Female-only sessions for girls aged 6–15, now in its fourth year in the UK and running at over 40 clubs across England.
Learn more at basketballengland.co.uk →A national network of ambassadors – of any age or gender – breaking down barriers for women and girls in the game. Players, coaches, officials and volunteers all welcome. If you’re 16+ and passionate about the women’s game, apply.
Become an ambassador →Basketball England’s talent pathway runs from the Aspire programme at age 8, through regional and national camps, up to U14/U15 England Girls selection and eventually Great Britain. Talent from Surrey is already on that pathway.
Explore the pathway →Reading Rockets – a long-standing Surrey CVL club – was selected by Basketball England as one of the 40+ clubs delivering FIBA’s Her World, Her Rules programme in 2025–26. That includes weekly girls-only sessions for ages 8–16 and clinics in local schools, designed as a proper pathway for girls who want to keep playing after the campaign finishes.
If you’re thinking about starting a girls’ session, adding a girls’ team, or becoming a voice for the women’s game in Surrey, here are the places to start.
Basketball England selects clubs and organisations each year to deliver HWHR sessions. Partners receive resources, funding contribution, and a place in the national campaign.
Register interest → 2Open to anyone 16 or over with a passion for the women’s game. You get a toolkit, branded kit, and support to run events and champion girls’ participation in your area.
Apply via Basketball England → 3If your club wants to enter a girls’ team in the 2026–27 season, or you’d like to understand how the U11, U13 and U15 Girls divisions run week-to-week, drop us an email.
Email the CVL team →Absolutely. The girls’ divisions are developmental by design – plenty of girls join having never picked up a basketball. Clubs train during the week and play on Sundays; new players are welcome throughout the year, subject to each club’s capacity.
The girls’ divisions are U11, U13 and U15, meaning players who are under that age at a cut-off date at the start of the season. In practice that spans roughly ages 7 to 15, and the CVL’s youngest Mixed division is U10.
Specific age eligibility and cut-off dates are set in the CVL Handbook. Your club can confirm whether your daughter is eligible for a particular division.
The U11, U13 and U15 Girls divisions are girls-only – every player on every team is a girl. This is a distinct competition from the Mixed divisions, which are open to players of any gender.
Many clubs run both, so a girl can play in either – or both – depending on the club’s setup and what she wants.
The girls’ pathway now runs to U15. Above that, the U16 and U18 divisions are Mixed only, and plenty of girls play in them every season. Whether to extend separate girls’ divisions further is a question the SBA committee will review as participation grows.
At national league level, there are girls-only competitions (WNBL, WEABL) that run through older age groups – see the England Talent Pathway.
CVL games run on Sundays from late September through to May, at four venues across Surrey: Chessington Sports Centre, Three Rivers Academy Hersham, Tadworth Leisure & Community Centre, and St John the Baptist School Woking. Finals day is held at ACS International School Cobham.
Each club trains separately during the week – normally at their home venue or a local school hall. Training times and locations vary by club.
For games: basketball kit (shorts and top), basketball shoes (indoor court shoes with non-marking soles), a water bottle, and enthusiasm. Clubs provide match jerseys.
Costs vary by club and include a Basketball England player licence (paid to BE directly), plus a club subscription that covers training and match fees. Your chosen club will explain the breakdown when you contact them.
Yes. Clubs always need volunteers for table officials (scoring and timing at games), team management, and fixture logistics. Full training is provided for table officials – see the officiating pathway.
If coaching is where you’d like to go, Basketball England runs Level 1 and Level 2 coaching qualifications. Discounts are available through initiatives like All Girls Ambassadors if you’re specifically looking to support the women’s game.
Find a club with a girls’ team in the Surrey CVL, or email us directly if you’re not sure where to start.
