An initiative to create a lasting legacy for water polo past the London 2012 Olympics will gather pace this weekend and is being spearheaded by recently appointed Regional Development Officers Norman Leighton and Richard Sellers.
Leighton (50), a former club and national player as well as a coach to the sport, has been appointed to cover the north of England while Sellers, a former club player and coach, will cover the south of the country.
The Regional Development Officers (RDO) will work with the regions that make up the Amateur Swimming Association to develop the sport of water polo
“We aim to have better qualified coaches on the ground through our work with the UK Coaching Certificate by using the new syllabus that’s just been introduced,” explained Leighton.
“The aim is to better train out tutors so they can introduce a more complete training programme to our coaches and this is therefore passed down to the athletes which are the future of the sport.
“The position will also involve a talent identification element. While working within the regions we’ll be keeping a close eye on youngsters within the sport to see whether they’ve got that natural ability to be great water polo players of the future.”
The RDOs will also take responsibility for the ASA’s Athlete Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence (AASE) for water polo which involves a group of promising teenagers developing within the sport while continuing their education.
“We shall be looking after 18 students who are all part of the current national water polo programme. They’ll continue to train for a minimum of 16 hours a week while they further their education via a level three NVQ,” explained Leighton.
“They will finish the two-year course as fully-rounded athletes and individuals. We’ll be closely monitoring their progress and provide the support they need to ensure they attain their qualification. They can then take the next step, if they choose, which will be university.”
The athletes will come together for the first time this weekend at a camp in Loughborough where they will be given an overview of the AASE programme.
The programme looks at all aspects of an athlete’s life and they can expect to learn new life skills such as time management and nutrition. Athletes will gather more in-depth detail about their sport while looking at issues such as coaching, officiating and working with the media.
“The AASE programme creates a very professional athlete with the necessary skills to continue within their sport alongside their education,” explained Leighton.
Leighton is excited about his new role within the sport he’s dedicated much of his life to.
“I want to make a difference in developing the level of water polo in Britain. I want to broaden the base and make the sport more accessible while introducing a level of support and quality we haven’t had before,” said Leighton.
“There’s a lot of enthusiasm but we now need to put alongside this the quality of service needed to ensure the sport grows within this country.
“We’ve got the players and programme in place to take us to the London 2012 Olympics. It’s a fantastic opportunity but we also need to ensure there’s a legacy in place to take the sport beyond 2012.”
Leighton, who comes from Rotherham, spent many years as a water polo player at club and national level. He moved into coaching with Rotherham and has supported and coached national junior and senior teams.
Richard Sellers (29), from Matlock, was coached by Leighton at Rotherham before he himself began coaching with Sheffield ladies.
-ends-
Water polo athletes to be introduced to the AASE scheme this weekend (27th/28th January) are:
Isobel Bates (Haywards Heath SC)
Alan Chambers (Invicta WPC)
Fran Clayton (Caterrick WPC)
Lucy Deacon (Haywards Heath SC/Grantham)
Cara Dunsbee (City of Manchester WPC)
Polly Egan (City of Manchester WPC)
Amy Greig (City of Manchester WPC)
Matt Holland (Sutton and Cheam SC)
Rebecca Kershaw (City of Manchester WPC)
Ita Kettleborough (City of Manchester WPC)
Sean King (Invicta WPC/Grantham)
Rebecca Morris (City of Manchester WPC)
Robyn Nicholls (City of Manchester WPC)
Frances Pollard (Haywards Heath SC)
Hannah Rudman (City of Manchester WPC)
Briony Rutlidge (City of Manchester WPC)
Anthony Trafford (Lancaster City)
Jack Waller (Invicta WPC/Grantham)
For further details contact Dave Richards, ASA Media Manager, on 01509 632237, 0778 992 6136 or email dave.richards@swimming.org
The Amateur Swimming Association is the English National Governing Body for Swimming, Diving, Water Polo, Open Water, and Synchronised Swimming. It organises competition throughout England, establishes the Laws of the Sport and operates comprehensive certification and education programmes for Teachers, Coaches and Officials as well as its renowned Learn To Swim Awards scheme. The ASA supports 1,600 affiliated swimming clubs through a National/Regional/County structure. The ASA aims to ensure everybody has an opportunity to learn to swim.
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