Moray football starlet selected for elite team
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A MORAY football talent is one step closer to achieving his dream of representing Scotland on the pitch.
Bishopmill Primary’s Josh Black has been selected for the Scottish Football Association’s North Region elite performance school, based at Aberdeen’s Hazlehead Academy.
The 11-year-old won through two qualifying stages and an interview to be named as one of just 16 North youngsters chosen for the special coaching.
Josh, who is already signed for Aberdeen FC’s Under 12 squad, will take up his four-year place at the elite school – one of just seven in the country – after the summer.
On top of his usual lessons, he will spend one period a day with a performance coach, carrying out training and looking at nutrition, diet and strategy.
“The first trial was in January where hundreds and hundreds of players from across Scotland had a big trial festival in Motherwell. Josh went along and played three games and the SFA coaches were there and going round with their clipboards; I suppose marking them,” his mum Fiona said.
“Then, we got an email to say that Josh had been successful and had to go through a second trial. Again, he was successful and so he was asked for interview.”
Josh, who started playing football aged six and was previously a youth player with St Mirren FC, was the only boy in the North region outwith Aberdeenshire to win a place.
Full story in Northern Scot print version.
