That is somewhat the role Nelson Yorston is filling in the Otago men’s softball team this year, though.
Now in his seventh year, he has been one of side’s top players for a long time.
In a largely new-look team, few others have been around longer.
That is fine by Yorston though, particularly given the side’s success this year.
Last month it went to Invercargill and beat Southland to win the Bates Shield for the first time since 2009.
That has it going into this weekend’s Jefferies Cup in Christchurch full of confidence.
The step up at that South Island tournament — particularly against Canterbury — is significant.
It is a step Yorston looks forward to though, even more so after having missed last year’s tournament with a broken hand.
"I enjoy it, playing at that level," Yorston, who works as a truck driver, said.
"Down here it’s quite different to up there.
"Even the speed of the pitching, just adjusting your own hitting, it’s a big step.
"To go on to further honours like Southern Pride and that, that’s where the fun tournaments go."
A versatile player, Yorston is capable of pitching and playing elsewhere in the field.
However, he may be called on more in the circle this yea, as Mitchell Finnie is now in the Canterbury team.
Finnie was travelling to Christchurch to play in its club competition.
It was a path several of Otago’s top players have taken, notably brothers Ben and Cameron Watts, who are also in this weekend’s Canterbury team.
Yorston said he had considered the idea, as the club competition in Christchurch was a far higher standard.
He gets picked up by Kaiapoi to play at tournaments and has been in the Southern Pride — South Island — team for the past three years, although he missed last year with his broken hand.
Playing at that higher level was what he enjoyed.
However, with a young family — he has an 18-month-old son Quinn, while his fiancee Jade Saville also has children Kavahn (12) and Kaysen (9) Saville-Tonihi — makes that difficult to do every week.
Despite that his motivation has never waned.
Even when the Dunedin club competition dropped to two teams and he was one of its dominant players, there was never any thought of quitting.
"Just passion for the game.
"I’ve grown up since I was 4 years old playing softball. It’s just been the summer sport for me every year.
"If I was to stop it, it just wouldn’t be me."
Otago will face Southland in its opening game tomorrow morning, with Nelson and Canterbury to follow.
The competition then moves to playoffs on Sunday.
Yorston said the team’s goal was to make the final and from there anything could happen against Canterbury.
Otago women will face Southland and Canterbury twice each, on Saturday and once on Sunday.
The women’s team had a close 2-0 loss to Southland in its Henderson Shield match on the same day as the men’s Bates Shield win.
