Martyn Thomas, who is one of the driving forces behind Cheltenham’s phenomenal success on the national water polo stage, didn’t have to think twice when asked to name his unsung sporting hero.

“My son Michael,” he said. “I know people will say I may be a little bit biased but I really believe he is.”

Of course, it is all too easy to put our sons and daughters on a pedestal, so, for all you 'doubting Thomases' out there, please read on.

Martyn is the director of coaching at Cheltenham Swimming and Water Polo Club and has been involved in water polo all his life while 34-year-old Michael has been captain of the water polo team for the past three years.

Martyn said: “Michael has been playing water polo since the age of eight. He’s represented Cheltenham at all levels and since he’s been captain of the first team Cheltenham have completed a hat-trick of British League titles.

“What he does is amazing. He’s a qualified doctor and dentist, lives in Churchdown and works as a pathologist in Coventry.

“He gets up at 5.15 to go to work and when he’s finished work he goes straight to water polo training. He trains Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and plays matches on Saturdays. He’s never home before 9.30pm when he’s training.”

Michael, who is married to Stephanie, trains at Pittville Pool and GL1 in the winter and Sandford Park Lido in the summer and is a Great Britain international.

Because of his medical studies he was unable to play for Great Britain in the 2012 London Olympics, but, says Martyn, that has done nothing to lessen his reputation in the sport.

“He has the entire respect of the water polo world,” said Martyn. “He’s not a superstar but he does all the graft between the defence and the attack.

“He’s non-stop up and down the pool. Goalscorers get all the headlines but he just keeps on grafting at the very highest level of the game.”

Michael’s decision to bypass the 2012 Olympics was “massive”, says Martyn.

“They formed a Great Britain training squad in 2007 which would train in Manchester,” Martyn explained. “But they said they wouldn’t take anyone who was training to be a dentist, doctor or vet because of the intensity of the courses.

“So Michael had to decide between being part of the Olympic training squad or putting his career first. It was a massive decision and in the end he had no choice but to put his career first.”

Martyn believes this will be Michael’s last season at the highest level. “He cannot maintain the lifestyle and he wants to go out at the top,” he said.

Not that his retirement will signal the end of the Thomas dynasty as his brother Joel, 29, is also a top player, having captained Great Britain juniors, played for Great Britain seniors and been a key part of Cheltenham’s success over the past few years.

“It’s been my life and both the boys’ lives,” said Martyn. “They’ve been brought up with water polo and they’ve committed a huge amount of time to it.

“They were training six times a week even during their GCSEs and A-levels but the sport had a positive impact on their studies. It taught them discipline which they were able to apply to their work and you find that is the case with a lot of players.”

Joel is living in London where he is studying dentistry and Martyn, 68, who retired three years ago as assistant headteacher at Churchdown School, is delighted with how his boys have turned out.

“I’m massively proud of their achievements academically and their international recognition in sport,” he said. “To maintain their training as well as have some sort of social life – they’re both married – I couldn’t be happier.”

Proud dad, yes; biased dad, certainly not.