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.