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As part of their development to U18 age grade level, a squad of 30 Scotland U17 team members will set off for Valladolid in north-central Spain tomorrow (2 July). The players, management and support staff will spend an intensive fortnight at the camp where the focus is on technical, tactical, mental and physical (strength and conditioning) training.
“It’s an 8am start each day for physio and gym work, an enforced rest in the middle of the day given the climate, then training again at 6pm,” says Bryan Easson, Scotland U17 Head Coach. “Added to that there are unit sessions, group sessions and one-on-one goal setting sessions with the coaches – it’s an intensive programme, designed to teach the players how to be professional athletes and to give the coaches an all-round idea of the players.” The camp – led by Scotland U18 Head Coach, Grant McKelvey, with strength and conditioning from Val Houston – acts as the transformation period for the young players from the U17 to U18 development side, where they will move into the hands the U18 coaching team following a further assessment camp in September. Notes to Editors: • This is the third year that Scotland’s under-17 squad has benefited from the facilities at Valladolid. • The 30-strong squad includes 12 players new to the group – due to injury, unavailability and deselection – since their successful participation at this year’s Millfield Festival. • The camp is run through Cumbernauld College with funding from the European Community programme, the Leonardo da Vinci Trust (the criteria of which prohibits team travel within a team’s own country). • Catch up with the Valladolid training regime via a players’ blog on the Scotland U17 web site. Scotland U17 Development Squad Robin Hislop (Hawick Wanderers) Prop Gavin Robertson (Earlston HS / Melrose) Prop Alex Allan (Sedbergh School) Prop Struan Cessford (High School of Dundee) Prop Jack MacFarlane (Gourock HS / Greenock Wanderers) Hooker Ryan Hood (Strathallan) Hooker George Turner (Stewart’s Melville College) Hooker Fraser Wem (Hampton School / Wasps) Second row Craig Ferguson (East Kilbride) Second Row Sean McDevitt (High School of Glasgow) Second Row George Barnes (Chesterfield) Second Row Mitchell Eadie (Filton College) Back Row Malcolm Peacock (George Watson's College) Back Row Matthew Walker (Boroughmuir) Back Row Andrew Nagle (Jed Thistle) Back Row Adam de ste Croix (Boroughmuir) Back Row Murray McConnell (Lenzie Academy / West of Scotland) Scrum Half Johnny Adams (Aberdeen Grammar School) Scrum Half James Munro (Edinburgh Academy) Scrum Half Fraser Gillies (Edinburgh Academy) Stand Off Jack Bradford (Worksop College) Centre Michael Crawley (Stewart’s Melville College) Centre Murray Beckwith (Marr College) Centre Mark Bennett (Cumnock RFC) Centre Jamie Urquhart (Dollar Academy) Centre Stewart Hogg (Hawick Wanderers) Centre Douglas Day (Paviours RFC) Centre Harris Jones (Robert Gordon’s College) Back 3 Aidan McCall Hagan (St Aloysius’ College) Back 3 Ross Inglis (Calderside Academy / Hamilton) Back 3 Management Grant McKelvey Head Coach Alex Duncan Assistant Coach David Ross Assistant Coach David Butcher Assistant Coach Kirsty Mackay Operations Manager Julie Morrow Physiotherapist Valerie Houston Fitness Coach Derrick Spiers Assistant Fitness Coach Roddy Deans Analyst |