Published: Thursday, 8th March, 2007 12:00pm

Scottish Junior Water Polo Player of the Year

by Sportsdesk

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Pic by: Dunfermline Press

DUNFERMLINE"S Alasdair Campbell was presented with the Scottish Junior Water Polo Player of the Year by Ian MacCallum, ex-GB internationalist and now a director of Scottish Swimming, at the annual awards dinner at Carnoustie recently.

He was selected for the first GB National Academy Squad in 2002 and has progressed through the new GB performance structure being selected for the GB Youth Squad in 2004 and the GB Junior Squad in 2006.

It is hoped that players from this squad will form the basis of the London Olympic team should they qualify.

Unfortunately, training camps have been held in England and Alasdair has shown great commitment to attend them at his own expense, with some held during term time.

As a GB youth he gained caps against Sweden and Malta and as a junior he was a member of the team which gained a creditable silver medal behind Australia ahead of Canada, New Zealand and USA in the Pan Pacific games held in Calgary, Canada in December.

The team is currently preparing for the European qualifiers which are being held in Kranj, Slovenia, in early May. Britain has a difficult group which includes France, Slovenia, Portugal, Austria and Belgium with two teams to qualify for the finals being held in Malta in August.

At Scottish level Campbell has competed in National Academy and Youth Inter-District matches and also the junior Home Internationals in Dublin and Newport and was awarded the 2006 Scottish Junior Water Polo Player of the Year.

Domestically he competed as a senior for the composite club Caledonia last season in Division 2 of the National League and also for the GB Junior select team which competed for the first time in the first division of the same competition.

He has represented Dunfermline WPC in the ASA Cup competitions and has been an excellent role model for the many younger players at Dunfermline WPC, taking an active part in their development and refereeing youth district matches.

Campbell first started playing water polo with Dunfermline Water Polo Club more than 10 years ago and is also currently a member of InCAS Swimming Club.