Serbia are completing their first week of preparations in Novom Bečeju for July's U18 European Championship for Women in Slovakia.

Coach Zoran Kovacic, who led the country to gold at last year's event in Novi Sad, has 19 players in his group - five each from club sides Vojvodina NIS Naftagas and Radivoj Korać.

Germany coach Alexandra Maerz knows her team's chances of remaining in Division A at the 2008 Termosteps U16 European Championship Women will rely on a trio of players who helped the side to promotion last summer.

Under Maerz, Germany finished second at the 2007 U16 Division B tournament, losing to Italy in the title game after having already sealed a place in the top division for this year.

Spain coach Jose Ignacio Hernandez will not have the biggest side at this year's Termosteps U16 European Championship for Women.

But don't think for a minute his team won't be competitive in Katowice, Poland, from August 8-17.

Farhiya Abdi is one of the promising young basketball players in Sweden who will figure prominently this summer when the Scandinavian country attempts to reach the podium at the Termosteps U16 European Championship for Women.

Abdi is a huge a fan of Lauren Jackson and Diana Taurasi and got to watch both win the EuroLeague Women title in April as members of Spartak Moscow Region.

France Under-16 women's coach Arnaud Guppillotte has gathered 12 players at the INSEP, France's sports academy, for a training camp.

The workouts are being held from May 15-18 with Guppillotte weighing up some of his options ahead of this summer's Termosteps U16 European Championship (August 8-17) in Poland where the young Les Bleues will take on Lithuania, Turkey and Latvia.