SEVEN years ago, basketball was hardly played at Droitwich Spa High School. Now the school boasts the national champions and some of the best young players in Worcestershire.

Basketball is the fastest growing sport at the Briar Mill school and shows few signs of letting up.

The current U16 team (year 11), which has been together since they joined the school four years ago, is the specialist sports college's flagship team.

They have just finished an unbeaten competitive season, which has seen them win 14 matches and be crowned national and county champions

Coach Danny Hilditch said: "We have won the county cup four times with this year 11 team.

"I think it's got to be one of the best now. Year 11 is by far and away the most successful school team.

"We have been beaten but we must win 90 per cent of the games we play."

And Hilditch, assisted in the coaching by Andy Duffy and Jamie Broughton, believes the team is untouchable.

"We have only been beaten once in four years," he said. "Teams just won't compete with them for the next two years - they are just too good. They have six county players in the squad."

Team captain, Chris Dobbs, has been in the position since the team was formed but his side's success comes as no surprise to him.

Chris, who also plays football and cricket for the school, said: "We have got a good team spirit and we are quite able.

"We have always been one of the best in the county if not the best, so it was only a matter of time."

But success does not stop there as the U13 (year eight) team, captained by Chris Higgins, won the district and county cups, while the U14s (year nine), captained by Lewis McKenzie, were runners-up in the district cup.

Year ten captain, Ayrron Brown, also took his team to district cup glory, proving the school has talent in the sport at all ages.

Their abilities are also recognised by outside parties because players are scouted by Avoncroft Valley Spartans an their Wychavon coach George Fraser-Barker.

Basketball began to take off as a sport at the school in the early 1990s when Richard Bassett, no longer at the school, became head of PE.

It continued to gather pace when Mr Hilditch joined in 1995 and is now the most popular sport at the school and across Worcestershire.

Hilditch added: "This year has been the most successful and I think basketball is the fastest growing sport in the county.

"It suits our weather conditions as we don't get fixtures cancelled like in football and rugby."

Part of the school's success comes from its desire to constantly improve as well as nurture new talent.

The school runs basketball coaching clubs between 7.45am and 8.45am throughout the week and, in addition, team members train at least three times a week.

Potential players are also drilled in the sport as soon as they come to the school in their first September.

Mr Hilditch said: "The majority of kids when they get here in year eight have never done basketball. We hammer them in year eight and this year they won all their games."

Players are also encouraged to work on their game and to pass on their expertise to younger pupils.

"Andy Hall and Chris Dobbs in year 11 are qualified referees and are looking to take their first level coaching course," Danny said.