Heard
the one about the English girl with Irish
parents who won gold for Scotland? Loretta Cusack(left with the gold
medal at the 1985 British Open) winces upon mention of her 1986 silver
medal, won four years before her Scottish success, under the auspices of the
Commonwealth Games Council for England. "It's a bad word on the tongue," says
the former judo champion of the land of her birth, whom she represented the last
time this country held the Games.
While the comment is offered in jest, it hints at a substantial shift in
allegiance. Cusack, now 44 and retired from competition, has had something of a
volte-face since her Edinburgh triumph. Her time is now dedicated to nurturing
young Scots who can emulate her Commonwealth achievements in Glasgow.
Last night marked the official opening of Auchenharvie Judo Club in Stevenston,
an anomalous organisation conceived by the former world and double European
champion. Its individuality can be found in its structure. Membership is not
required, resulting in a
rare accessibility and an amorphous collection of competitors.
The focus is on the future. With the facilities available to all, the main aim
is to identify at least one Ayrshire athlete for the 2014 Games.
"It's about trying to give everyone the opportunity to take part regardless of
where they come from and what they can afford," says Cusack (2nd from left
outside Buckingham Palace before meeting the Queen prior to the 1992 Barcelona
Olympics), whose enthusiasm and profile has attracted sponsorship sufficient
to source an international-quality mat and 20 judo suits, which have already
proved beneficial in the six weeks since the club started. "The Games in Glasgow
give the kids something to aim for and I'm setting them achievable goals, like
medalling in 2014," she says. "Judo is one of the strongest sports in Scotland
and we've got a bunch of kids with character
-
they can fight. You cannot instill that competitive edge in someone so what I'm
trying to do here is nurture the talent we've got and try to help them fulfil
their dreams."
Cusack (left with the gold medal at the 1981 British Open) has previous,
too. As well as running a business teaching kids judo in Edinburgh private
schools, she is involved with the Great Britain squad looking ahead to the
London Olympics in 2012 and played a major role in The Edinburgh Club, a
collective so talented that it "seems to be the Olympic squad at the moment".
Having moved to West Kilbride in May, she has severed ties with the Leith
organisation but still talks fondly of the work being done there. One skinny wee
kid, in particular - Euan Burton - has gone on to win world and European bronze
this year after linking up with Sir Clive Woodward, the British Olympic
Association's elite performance director, and is a contender for an Olympic
medal in Beijing.
"I remember Euan as a wee boy who I threw all over place but now I just stand
there looking up his nose," chuckles Cusack. "It's nice to see someone I
remember as a gangly wee boy now becoming an Olympian. "Kids can look at that
and see it's achievable. If there's no history of success, it's difficult to
make them believe they can be world or Olympic champions but that's why The
Edinburgh Club is so successful because world, European and Olympians are
training together every day and driving each other on to improve. "When your
team-mate is world champion, your target-setting is based on them. Ultimately,
it is all
about being one of the winners."
That attitude has served Cusack well. After her self-confessed faux pas in 1986,
she met husband Billy (on the right coaching at the 2005 Rotterdam Europeans)
and competed for Scotland in 1990, winning in Auckland to a soundtrack of
disgruntlement from those who felt she was depriving a native Scot of the chance
to compete. Returning with one of just two golds won by the team silenced the
snipers. "After winning, I was adopted very quickly," she admits with a grin.
"I took flak beforehand but I'd been here for four years, was married to a Scot
and went through the trials but I was still English with Irish parents.
Afterwards, though, the Scots changed their mind and I've been here ever since."
Indeed, she proudly boasts of how her 11-year-old son, Scott, is a Caledonian
patriot who dreams of wearing blue in both judo and rugby in 2014. His hopes,
though, like so many rests in the hands of others.
While the currency of medals has ensured judo is well-supported financially,
much of that is poured into delivering success in the short term. What of those
who come along to Auchenharvie Academy with dreams of standing on the podium in
Glasgow and making their naturalised coach proud?
rare accessibility and an amorphous collection of competitors.
-
they can fight. You cannot instill that competitive edge in someone so what I'm
trying to do here is nurture the talent we've got and try to help them fulfil
their dreams."
about being one of the winners."
