Days after completing his first year on a sports scholarship at Lindenwood University in Missouri, Alasdair Campbell was back at home and captained Dunfermline to victory in the Scottish Under-21 Cup.

Already recognised as one of the best youth players in Britain, there is little doubt that a bright future lies ahead for the 19-year-old, and it is Scottish water polo that is set to reap the benefits.

Alasdair toyed with the notion of trying to pursue a place in the British Olympic team for the 2012 Games in London. But he decided it was too big a gamble; a risk not worth taking.

Instead, he will spend another three years studying for his a computer science degree in America before coming back to Scotland and seriously commit to spearheading an upsurge in the sport in his homeland.

Alasdair proved that he had a chance to make the Olympic team when he was chosen to represent GB at last year's European Youth Qualifying Championship in Slovenia.

"I really did think about trying for 2012," he reflected. "But that would have meant moving to Manchester (site of the new National Training Centre) and living and training there full-time.

"I gave it serious consideration, but finally decided it wouldn't be worth it. I might not make the team, Britain are never going to win a medal in 2012 and I also had to accept that I am never going to make a living out of water polo.

"I could spend the next four years in Manchester and then be left with nothing really to show for it."

In America, he is the star of the Lindenwood team. "California is the real hub of the sport, and it would have been nice to be based out there," he said. "But I have really settled in at Lindenwood. We won our division and even managed to hold our own in a tournament on the west coast.

"The facilities are great and we train early every morning - from 5.15 until 6.45. It's been a very enjoyable first year."

While the Olympics and British senior honours might have been banished from his mind, Alasdair has every intention of boosting the sport in Scotland.

He should be leading the side that will compete in the 2010 Commonwealth Championships in Singapore - and he is hoping a similar event will be staged in conjunction with the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Another target when he returns to Scotland full-time in 2011 will be to help Caledonia (a composite side of Dunfermline and Menzieshill) make a serious mark on the British National League.

By then, Alasdair's twin brothers - Darren and Christopher - should also be ready to perform at senior level. The two boys are just 14, but they have already helped Dunfermline win the Scottish Under-21, Under-17 and under-14 Cup s this year.

They were also in the side that won the British ASA Under-16 Cup in Manchester, and have been selected for special training as members of the GB National Academy.

Of course, it is no coincidence that the three young Campbells are making such a significant mark. Their father, Brain, is the enthusiastic coach and secretary of the Dunfermline Club while Uncle Dougie was one of the best in Britain before he moved to Australia.

"Water Polo is developing well in Scotland, and I want to become as good a player as possible," summed up Alasdair. "What we really need is a good squad of 20 players, and then we can really take on the big league clubs in England."

EB
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