The young members of the Tayside Primary Schools basketball Select Squads for boys and girls under 12 teams head off early on Sunday morning to take part in the annual competition at the Meadowmill Sports Centre.

Among the 11-strong boys team, led by head coach Steve Rose of Whitehills Primary and assistant coach Scott Finlayson of Forfar Basketball Club, are Gavin Thomson and Gregory Rose, both primary seven pupils at Whitehills.

The 11-strong girls team, led by head coach Robin Paterson of Fintry Primary School, Dundee and assistant coach Caitlyn Tadden-Paterson of Menzieshill Madson, include Iona Townsley and Murron White, primary seven pupils at Whitehills Primary, and Eilidh Collins and Jennifer Greenhill, both of P7 at Letham Primary School.

Revealing details of the PS (Under 12) Basketball Select Squads for 2008, Chris Dodds, basketball development manager, SportTayside & Fife, commented: "Both teams' coaching staff have commented that the decisions this year were tougher than ever due to the standards of primary school players that Angus and Dundee schools and teachers are developing.

"We wish our Tayside boys and girls basketball select squads good luck and a fun day out."

Comprehensive

Primary Schools Basketball now operating throughout Angus and Dundee, now well into its fourth year, is one of the most comprehensive in Scotland.

The Primary School Basketball Development Programme runs from grass roots and recreational kids right up to producing potential performance players to represent the region.

Each school year, attendance at basketball festivals in Angus and Dundee total over 1200 Primary School boys and girls between P5 and P7, with many more enjoying basketball in curriculum or Out Of School Hours clubs (OOSH clubs).

The full Primary Schools' Basketball Development Programme now includes taster sessions, PS Teacher CPD Coaching workshops, OOSH clubs, Cluster / Festival programmes, Area Festival Finals, Area PS Development Squads, Tayside & Fife PS Final and Tayside PS Select Squad.

Chris continued: "There is also very strong evidence that the success of our Primary Schools Basketball is also having a spin off effect on our secondary schools basketball teams.

"In 2007/08 school competitions, Arbroath High School, Webster's High School, Forfar Academy, Monifieth High School and Grove Academy all got to basketballscotland National Cup or Plate (consolation cup) semi finals and finals for S1 and Under 14 (S2) age groups.

"Some schools reached multiple semi finals or finals: Grove Academy were runners up in S1 Boys and S1 Girls Cups and Monifieth Boys U14s won the National Plate, ironically against Forfar Academy!

"This is an excellent achievement for both primary schools and secondary schools in Angus and Dundee, and reflects the work that is being put in to basketball in the area by all concerned.

"Several of these players are continuing to improve in the Tayside & Fife U14 Basketball Talent Development Programme.

"Not only is it pleasing to see them stay in the game and get better, some of them will shortly be attending the Scotland U14 trials and I am sure that a few players will have the chance to be selected for National recognition; ultimate proof that basketball is on the rise again in Tayside Primary and Secondary schools and that our pathways are working."