National Progression Programme 2026/27

National Progression Programme: Players Born 2010-2012

Basketball Scotland will deliver a National Progression Programme this season for players born between 2010 and 2012. The programme will bring together a larger pool of athletes than last year, giving more players access to high-quality coaching, an appropriate performance environment and individual development support.

Aligned with the Great Britain performance pathway and informed by feedback from athletes, parents, coaches and clubs, the programme will build on existing foundations to create a more connected development experience.

Player development is the primary purpose of the programme. As the programme progresses, players will be selected from this wider pool to form the teams attending the Home Nations or Aspire Tournament. Competition selection is one possible outcome, but players who are not selected for these events will remain part of the programme and continue to access its benefits. This includes coaching feedback, work-ons, the Athlete Development Series, physio signposting, mentoring and appropriate exposure opportunities.

TAG: Progressing into the National Progression Programme

TAG (Team Around the Game) will now provide the route into the U14 element of the National Progression Programme for players born in 2013 or 2014. TAG is an exposure opportunity for Division 1 SBC teams, giving players the chance to experience the pathway while allowing coaches to observe their development, performance and approach to learning over time. Players who do not attend TAG will have the opportunity to attend an exposure day in March.

Players born in 2013 or 2014 may then be invited to join the National Progression Programme at the end of April, following the conclusion of TAG activity.

Development Camps and Competition Preparation

The programme will initially involve a broad pool of players born between 2010 and 2012, with players born in 2013 or 2014 joining at the end of April. Bringing more athletes into the programme than last year will allow the coaching team to provide meaningful development opportunities, understand individual strengths and needs, and support progress over time. The programme structure will remain flexible and may include different training groups where this best supports player numbers and development needs.

Coaches will gather information through testing, observation and feedback to understand athletes’ strengths and development needs. This will help track progress, guide programme planning and inform competition selection.

As the programme progresses, players will be selected for the teams attending the Home Nations or Aspire Tournament. Preparation for those events will include an increased focus on tactics, playing roles and working together in competition, while player development will remain central to the wider programme.

Camp Dates and Club Connections

All camps will take place at weekends or during holiday periods to support attendance from athletes and club coaches.

Club coaches play an important role in each athlete’s development. We want to strengthen the connection between club and National Progression Programme environments through clearer communication and opportunities for coaches to engage with programme activity.

By working together, we can help athletes understand their development priorities and apply their learning throughout the season.

Event

Dates

Venue

Camp 1

28th-30th December

Playsport

Camp 2

9th- 11th April

Playsport
(10th @ Ally McCoist Centre)

Camp 3

24th and 25th April

Playsport

Camp 4

8th and 9th May

Playsport

Camp 5

29th and 30th May

RPC, Dundee

U15 Aspire Tournament

4th-6th June

NBPC, Manchester

U14 Home Nations

11th-13th June

Playsport, East Kilbride

U17 Home Nations

25th-27th June

Archers Arena, Cardiff

Our Commitment to You

Basketball Scotland will provide clear communication throughout the programme ensuring all athletes and families understand schedules, expectations, selection decisions and the opportunities available to them.

After each programme session, athletes will receive work-ons identifying what they should focus on before the next session. Athletes will be required to record their work and progress and provide this information to the coaching staff, allowing coaches to acknowledge the work completed and provide ongoing feedback. The Athlete Development Series will provide additional education to support development beyond the court.

Alongside the on-court programme, athletes may access:

  • Physio signposting to help athletes identify appropriate support when required
  • Mentoring opportunities to learn from experienced people within the game
  • Exposure opportunities within appropriate performance and development environments

Where required, Basketball Scotland will also provide supporting letters to schools or local facilities to help National Progression Programme athletes request access to suitable court time for their development.

What We Expect from Athletes

Participation in the National Progression Programme is a shared commitment. Athletes will be asked to sign and follow a player agreement, demonstrate the programme's talent behaviours, communicate clearly and promptly with coaches and Basketball Scotland staff, and lead by example both on and off the court.

Athlete Development Series

We plan to introduce an Athlete Development Series alongside the on-court programme, providing workshops to support players beyond their basketball skills.

Proposed topics include:

  • Clean sport and anti-doping education
  • Ahead of the Game
  • Nutrition and recovery
  • Mindset and resilience
  • Responsible use of social media
  • Understanding the next steps in the player pathway

The series will support all athletes across the programme and aims to build the knowledge and confidence needed to manage a performance environment, with athlete wellbeing central to its delivery.

Further details about the workshops will be shared as plans are confirmed.

How We Will Measure Success

Success will be measured by the programme's ability to help athletes progress towards positive destinations, whether within the performance pathway, the wider game or other sporting, educational and personal development opportunities.

We will also collect and review demographic information across the programme to understand who we are reaching, identify barriers to participation and make informed improvements to access and inclusion.

Player Eligibility

Eligibility requirements remain unchanged.

To be considered for Basketball Scotland National Progression Programme activity, players must meet the following requirements.

British Passport

Players must hold a valid British passport to be eligible for selection.

For U14 programme activity, players who do not currently hold a valid British passport must provide evidence that they are actively working towards obtaining one.

Connection to Scotland

In addition to holding a British passport, players must meet at least one of the following criteria:

  • The player was born in Scotland.
  • The player has a parent who was born in Scotland.
  • The player has been continuously resident in Scotland for a minimum of three years immediately before selection, or the relevant competition deadline where specified.

Players Based Outside Scotland

We recognise that eligible players may be based out with Scotland. Players who meet the eligibility criteria may be considered regardless of where they are currently based, subject to availability and selection decisions.

Meeting the eligibility criteria allows a player to be considered but does not guarantee a place in the programme or selection for competition.

Commonwealth Games: 3x3 Eligibility

Commonwealth Games selection falls under Team Scotland and the Commonwealth Games Federation eligibility framework.

Basketball Scotland will communicate Games specific eligibility requirements and selection information separately when relevant to a Commonwealth Games cycle.

Costs and Financial Support

The cost of the programme is still to be confirmed and will be communicated as soon as possible.

We are committed to making the National Progression Programme as affordable and accessible as possible. Scholarships will be available to support athletes with programme costs.

Expressions of Interest

We welcome expressions of interest from players born between 2010 and 2012 who demonstrate a commitment to improving, a positive attitude and a willingness to learn and contribute to a team environment.

Players will be asked to provide a club coach endorsement within the expression of interest form. We value the role club coaches play in each athlete’s development and strongly encourage them to attend camps with their players. This helps connect learning within the National Progression Programme to ongoing development at club level, while providing opportunities for coaches to learn and share practice.

For players born in 2013 or 2014, TAG (Team Around the Game) will provide the route into the National Progression Programme. Players may be invited to join the programme at the end of April following the conclusion of TAG activity. Players who do not attend TAG will have the opportunity to attend an exposure day in March.

Players Expression of Interest:
National Progression Programme – Fill out form

Coaches Expression of Interest:
National Progression Programme- Coaches – Fill out form

Expression of interest for the 2026/27 programme will close on Friday 30th October at noon.

Sponsorship

If you're interested in sponsoring our National Progression Programme, we'd love to hear from you. We're committed to keeping costs low while enhancing the player experience, and we're open to discussing both financial and in-kind sponsorship opportunities.   

Questions

Any questions should be directed to honor.campbell@basketball.scot