Many years after being exposed to the sport while studying as a student in Canada, Navarre's Melissa Bibby has reached some dizzy heights in the sport of ice hockey.
Bibby, now 36, was a recent member Australia's winless division (2) world championships campaign in Finland.
Australia struggled to match it with their more fancied opponents in the annual tournament, this year held in Vierumaki, but Bibby was pleased with her personal efforts.
``I was pretty happy with my fitness and performance in the training camp and tournament,'' she said.
Australian has now been relegated back to division (3) following their disappointing performance in Finland for next year's world championships.
However, the Sydneysider's disappointment was quickly swept aside when she claimed national success with New South Wales last month.
The NSW team completed an undefeated carnival with Bibby a consistent contributor with three goals and three assists.
Bibby has become one of the the region's most successful sportswomen after only taking up ice hockey at the age of 24.
``I did an exchange in Canada and got exposed to it there,'' she said.
``Netball wasn't that exciting after that.''
She relates the popularity of ice hockey to that of football back here in Australia.
``It's like a cultural activity over there,'' she said.
``They go for a skate where we go for a kick of the footy.
``It's kind of like the number one sport over there in terms of passion - they love it.''
After two years studying sports science in Canada, Bibby moved back to Melbourne at the age of 26 but then shifted to New South Wales to pursue her ice hockey career in 2002.
``It's better up here as far as hockey goes,'' she said.
Is she surprised at how far she has come since running around on the netball and tennis courts at Navarre as a youngster?
``I wouldn't say I was surprised because I have worked pretty hard at it,'' she said.
``I think if you put in the effort your performances are going to come.''
Believing she still has a few years left competing at a high level, a winter Olympic dream is still not out of reach.
``That would be the dream, but unfortunately it is a team game and you have got to rely on everyone else and we have got a pretty small pool (to get players from) in Australia,'' she said.
Bibby said the gap between the USA and Canada and all other nations was quite significant and with just eight teams selected for the women's division, the decision to fund a qualifying tournament en route to the Olympics was hard to justify.
``Stranger things have happened,'' she said.
Australia is yet to have a women's team at the winter Olympics since it was introduced in 1998.