Old Boy's Olympic Dreams
Thursday, 08 March 2012
Old Boy, Edward Scott, left the School in the summer of 2006. Currently based in Barcelona where he plays in goal for a Spanish water polo team, he is also part of the GB team and here he offers his thoughts on the forthcoming Games.
How is your preparation coming along for the Games?
Preparation for the Games is going very well. Our national programme is organised so that all players are based in European clubs playing in professional leagues. Personally I am based at a club called CE Mediterrani in Barcelona. I train with the team three times a day and play in the Spanish premier water polo league on Saturdays. Playing at such a high standard has improved my own game considerably, and I hope to continue improving up until London in the summer. The GB water polo team meet up through the year to play different international fixtures, but we will all be centralised in Manchester once European leagues finish for the season in May.
What would you consider to be a success in terms of the final position of the team?
The teams goals for London are to play competitively with the best teams in the world. Great Britain is no longer the powerhouse of water polo it once was in the early 20th century, and other European countries have begun to lead the way in the sport. That being said, we are a constantly improving nation, with some good results in recent times. To play at the Games and achieve good competitive performances is the primary aim. But if this can be done, winning matches followed by a better overall ranking will be achieved.
Another big aim of London is to inspire as many people to start playing water polo as possible - it is such a great opportunity to advertise our fantastic sport on the world's greatest stage, and something I'm looking forward to greatly. I hope very much that the games can be used as a platform for our sport to grow, so that once again we can be one of the top countries in the world.
Looking back on your time at Bolton School, how did the school support and encourage you with your water polo?
I cannot speak highly enough of the support and encouragement given to me by Bolton School whilst studying there with regards to my sporting career. The school granted me leave of absences to compete in international competitions, and even re-arranged dates of important A Level exams to allow me to play in the Commonwealth games of 2006. This was a culmination of help by the headmaster at the time - Mervyn Brooker, and also my subject teachers who gave me their full support and help if needed.
From a sporting point of view I was privileged to have great coaching whilst at school in the form of Simon Jones and Mike Yates. Their combined experience and knowledge of the sport from their own water polo careers benefitted me greatly as I progressed through school, and the advice they gave me was invaluable.
