Almost 300 players will be in Canberra over the next two weeks at the championships.

Run over three age groups, 17 and under, 19 and under, and 21 and under, all games will be at the Netball ACT centre in Lyneham.

The 17 and under action starts today and ACT coach Melinda Clarke said her team was keen to start the competition well for the home teams.

The 17s team finished seventh out of eight teams last year and hasn't finished above six for years.

''The girls are talking about top-four, we'll see what happens but certainly we will aim to go better this year at home,'' Clarke said.

The 17s competition starts today and finishes on Monday, while the 19s starts this Saturday and runs to next Thursday.

The 21s, the premier part of the nationals, will start on Tuesday.

This year the 21s competition will have more on the line than simply a national title.

It will be the final chance for players to push for selection in the Australian 21s team for the World Youth Cup in the Cook Islands later this year.

Australian 21s coach Simone McKinnis took an initial squad to Jamaica last month, where it won a three-Test series, but the final squad will be selected after the national age championships.

The tournament will have games in morning and afternoon slots. Play today will start at 8.30am with the final game starting at 7.30pm.

NETBALL AUSTRALIA NATIONAL

AGE CHAMPIONSHIPS

At the Lyneham netball centre: 17 and under matches start today, with semi-finals on Sunday and the grand final on Monday, 19 and under matches start Saturday, with semi-finals on April22 and the grand final on April23, 21 and under matches start April21, with semi-finals on April25 and the grand final on April26. More details are available on www.netball.asn.au