It is guys like Luke Pickering who help remind you what sport is actually all about.
The 20-year-old student has been named in the Ice Blacks alongside three of his Dunedin Thunder team-mates and good friends Mitchell Frear, Connor Harrison and Regan Wilson.
Thunder coach Janos Kazsala will assist Ice Blacks head coach Andy Kaisser, lifting the Thunders' contingent to five.
It is the first time Pickering has been able to make a trip away with the Ice Blacks, but not because he has not been selected before. Up until now, the Ice Blacks' programme has either clashed with his university commitments or been out of reach financially.
While the Thunder train like professionals, professionals they are not. Players pay their own way in this sport. Trips cost money and the Ice Blacks' bid for glory at the division 2 world championship in Spain next month will set each member of the squad back about $4000.
''I made a decision quite early for this trip and put some money aside,'' Pickering said.
''I was quite fortunate, actually. I had a lot of help from sponsors. I wrote up a letter and went around a lot of people in Queenstown and kind of begged them to help me out and a lot of people did.
''Also there are grants available ... I've got to chip in a little bit but I've managed to get a lot together, which is a massive help.''
Pickering moved to Dunedin to pursue a commerce degree at the University of Otago but grew up in Queenstown. His good friends Frear and Harrison are also from Queenstown and the trio have known each other since they were 5.
What started out as a bit of fun at the ice rink 15 years ago has blossomed into a series of fantastic opportunities.
While Pickering has not travelled with the Ice Blacks, he has been to Chinese Taipei with Frear and to Romania and Mexico with Harrison while on tour with national age-group teams.
Now the three young men will get to represent their country together and Pickering is optimistic about the Ice Blacks' prospects.
''Apart from Spain, there is no team which we haven't beaten before at this tournament, which is encouraging. We looking for gold and I think it is realistic.''
Pickering's role in the side is to get forward and create scoring opportunities. He handles the puck well but passing is his greatest strength.
''I'm coming in new to the team so I just want to play well and put some points up and actually be a contributing player instead of being on the bench. Being in the top two lines would be pretty key for me.
''I tend to get a lot more assists than I do goals. It is almost more rewarding to have made the play or pass than to be the person who puts it in.''
During the session, the Thunder squad trains Monday, Tuesday and Thursday night. On Wednesday there is a compulsory team gym session and Saturday and Sunday are game days.
That leaves Friday as the only day off. It is taxing and Pickering has already decided he will ''have to buckle down and study next year'' and will not be able to play for the Ice Blacks.
But no matter what direction his life takes after university, Pickering is determined to keep playing in the New Zealand league.
