Leighton’s fleet eager to make waves

Fran, 30, is the captain of the first GB British women’s team, while father Norman is the man who has driven the host nation to a return to the Olympic arena.

As player, coach, referee and administrator, no one has done more to champion the minority sport than Norman Leighton, who first got people playing water-polo in a municipal pool in Rotherham in the late 1980s.

More than two decades on and of the 26 players who will represent Team GB over the coming weeks, Leighton believes 90 per cent of them have at some time come under his guidance. It is no boast, more a source of pride that the hard work he and so many have put in will be rewarded on the grandest stage at London 2012.

From daughter Fran to Leeds-born Adam Scholefield – who played on so many of Leighton’s national championship-winning Rotherham Metro teams – the pioneer of water-polo in Yorkshire has helped so many people achieve their Olympic ambition.

“I’m absolutely over the moon for Fran and all the players I’ve worked with,” says Leighton.

“I just cannot believe it has happened. I get a bit of a lump in my throat just talking about it.

“It doesn’t get any better than the Olympics and I hope both teams do themselves justice.”

Leighton will be down in London to watch his daughter in all five pool games.

He is also serving as a ‘Games Maker’ for the duration of the Olympics.

In his current capacity in the water-polo heirarchy, Leighton is employed by the Amateur Swimming Association as director of talent and development.

“I’m basically in charge of getting the kids to the door of the world class programme and from there, someone else yanks them through it,” he says.

“As soon as we realised we’d got the Olympic Games we began working towards making the dream become a reality.

“The world-class programme in Manchester became a funded programme, coaches became full-time and it lifted off from there.

“For the athletes it’s been easier but it’s still difficult. Fran, for instance, is not full-time, she still has to work a part-time job and we as a family also have to pitch in to help out.

“It’s far from glamorous because there’s little or no sponsorship for the sport, other than the funding.”

Many of the 26 men and women who will represent Great Britain progressed under Leighton’s stewardship, either in his current capacity, or before, then when he was junior and then senior men’s coach.

There are also those with whom Leighton shares a bond from their Rotherham Metro days, Scholefield being a case in point.

“Norman is a great guy and an incredible coach,” says Scholefield, 27, who began life at his local club in Morley and now plays professionally in Hungary.

“Norman started Rotherham Metro from scratch.

“He is Rotherham Metro. He did everything from manage the club finances to coaching the team.”

Leighton is equally forthcoming in his praise of Scholefield.

“Adam had a natural talent but also a determination to improve on what he had,” he says.

“I remember one time, when he was only a teenager, his mum and dad couldn’t take him to training so he caught a train and ran all the way from Meadowhall to the pool in the centre of Sheffield to make the session.

“He was so keen to make sure he didn’t miss even a 90-minute training session.”

That dedication has reaped the ultimate reward now he is one of the chosen 13 to represent Great Britain, along with another West Yorkshireman Ed Scott.

The task of the men’s team at London 2012 is a daunting one.

“We’re in the ‘Group of Death’ with the top four teams from Beijing,” says Scholefield, whose team begin their Olympic campaign against Romania on Sunday, July 29.

“We’ve got a game every other day for the first 10 days so we’ll have to knuckle down and focus.”

They also meet Serbia, the United States, three-time defending champions Hungary and Montenegro.

“It’ll be a real achievement if we finish in the top four and qualify.”

Scholefield and Scott are in the first GB men’s water-polo team since 1956, while this is the first women’s team to represent this year’s Olympic hosts.

Whatever the target, the continued growth of the game for both sexes is of paramount importance. Leighton adds: “In truth, this Olympics has probably come four years too early for where we are in our development. The European teams are professional and semi-professional, while we are only amateur.

“But we have now got full-time coaches in place. And if we do well in the Olympics we might open the door to more funding which would help our sport grow even more.”