Aspire Programme FAQs

The Aspire Programme is Basketball England’s talent development programme for young players and forms part of the national Talent Pathway. It includes Skills Camps, 3x3 activity, an Inter-Regional Tournament and Super Region opportunities for selected players.

Talent Programme age groups follow the calendar year, in line with FIBA eligibility.

For the 2026/27 season, U13 players must be born in 2014 or 2015, and U15 players must be born in 2012 or 2013.

Players may enter the programme through coach nomination. Eligible players from a previous Aspire cycle may also be invited to return through a direct registration process.

Please check your spam or junk folder first, as programme emails can sometimes be filtered there.

If you still cannot find it, email [email protected] with your child’s name, region and date of birth so we can check their nomination and contact details.

You will receive an email confirming the region your child has been allocated to.

Players are allocated based on where they live and the community or club programme they play for.

Yes. Registration and consent forms must be completed each season so we have up-to-date information.

Please update your details in the Spond App. Please also email [email protected] with your updated details.

Families will be added to, or invited to join, the relevant Spond group using the contact details provided during registration. They will receive an email notification with instructions for joining the group.

No. Joining a Spond group allows families to receive information, updates and registration details. It does not guarantee selection or attendance.

Dates, times and venues will be shared on Spond and published on the Basketball England website here: Basketball England - The Home of Basketball in England

Yes. The fee is £30 for each Skills Camp day attended. Payment should be made through the Spond app before the camp. We do not accept cash or cheque payments.

There are no further Skills Camp fees.

Super Region Camps also cost £30 per day. The Aspire All Star National Tournament will have a separate player contribution if selected.

A refund will not be issued because a player is not selected after attending a camp.

No. We do not currently offer a monthly subscription service, so payments are made as required throughout the programme.

Financial support may be available through the Basketball England Athlete Support Fund for eligible families.

Applications are assessed confidentially based on need and supporting evidence.

More information and the link to the application form can be found HERE.

Please tell your Camp Director as soon as possible which dates your child cannot attend and the reason for their absence. If your child is unwell, they should not attend camp.

Camp days usually last around six hours and include on-court activity, a lunch break and an education session.

Players should bring basketball clothing and footwear, a water bottle, a packed lunch and snacks, and any required medication. They should arrive well hydrated and ready for physical activity.

No. Skills Camps and Super Region Camps are not residential, so parents/guardians will need to drop off and collect their child each day.

Should your child be selected for the Aspire All Star National Tournament, this will be residential.

No. Parents/guardians are responsible for transport and must sign their child in and out each day. Staff

Players should bring a packed lunch. All camps are nut-free environments.

We ask that parents/guardians and spectators do not remain courtside during camp sessions.

Numbers vary by region and depend on the nominations received from community and club programmes.

Boys and girls will train separately.

The Lead Coach will decide how groups are allocated. Players are usually grouped based on ability, physical development and size.

Player assessment takes place throughout the programme. Identification and progression decisions are made over time and are not based on a single camp or event.

Trials take place at the start of the season. Players who do not progress will return to their club with feedback and may be nominated again in a future season.

Yes. Players are expected to attend nine of the 11 Skills Camp sessions, or at least 80% of remaining sessions if they join later. Please indicate the reason for your child’s absence on Spond.

Selection decisions are made throughout the 11 Skills Camp sessions rather than only after each individual camp or at the end of all 11 days. Initial selection takes place during the trial camps. Families will be contacted if their child is asked to return to their club, while selected players will be moved into the relevant Spond group.

Coaches will provide players with feedback during camp activity to help them understand their strengths and areas for development. Feedback may be given individually or as part of group coaching.

Yes. Players who are not selected will receive feedback to help them understand the decision and identify areas to continue developing with their club. Details of how and when this feedback will be shared will be included in the selection communication.

No, the selection process will be consistent across each of the regions.

The first step is to speak with your Regional Talent Manager. If you would then like to take the appeal further, please submit it in writing to the Lead Coach, Regional Talent Manager and Basketball England’s Head of Talent and Performance.

Numbers vary by region, but each region is expected to select around 80 players for the Super Region Camps.

No, this does not guarantee automatic selection. Selection will be based on the level of play and ability during the Skills Camps.

Basketball England delivers Aspire Assist webinars and parent support sessions covering topics such as the Talent Pathway, performance sport, nutrition and athlete development.

The 5v5 and 3x3 Aspire All Star National Tournaments will take place in summer 2027 at the National Basketball Performance Centre, Manchester.

Yes. If the dates do not clash, players should attend both. Where dates do clash, players should prioritise England Talent Programme activity first, followed by Super Region Camps and then Skills Camps.

The Camp Director will be introduced at camp and is the first person players should speak to if they need support.

If you believe there is a safeguarding concern, please email [email protected]

Photography/video consent is included in the registration form. Parents/guardians can opt in or out.