The Black Sticks Men are about to start their build-up to the Paris Olympics — a campaign they're calling their Everest.
Currently in Malaysia, they want to start the climb back to the lofty hockey heights of 50 years ago, where the national men's side won the country's first and only Olympic gold at the Montreal games in 1976.
"We've got an Everest theme and it's linked back to Sir Edmund Hillary," coach Greg Nicol said.
"Hopefully it gives the guys a little bit of inspiration. Maybe it's the little one per cent that inspires someone to go the extra mile — do one more rep, do one more run, do one more something — that essentially gets you up the mountain."
Their first assignment before making it to base camp at the games is competing in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup over the next week, where they'll play six games over nine days in 30C-plus heat and 80% humidity.
"It's pretty brutal," Olympic hopeful Dom Dixon said. "I'm probably one of the lucky ones — I'm a goalkeeper so I don't have to run that much!"
Nicol called the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup competition "great preparation for Paris".
"It won't be as humid as this, but it will be as hot as this," he said.
"The task of repeating day after day is probably the biggest thing. At the Olympics we do play back-to-back and at this tournament it is perfectly set up.
"The team that has the resilience and ability to get up and play the next day at A level are the ones who will be successful at the Olympics."
The Black Sticks Men at Stadium Azlan Shah. (Source: Supplied / Hockey NZ)
They'll be without some of their most experienced players this week due to European club duties, but three players have been given the call up — a chance to make a late Paris selection bid.
"The last few Olympics there's always been one or two bolters," Nicol said. "The door is still open."
Debutant Scott Cosslett is excited by the prospect.
"Anything could happen, injuries could happen. I could play really well," Cosslett said.
"I'm pretty fortunate with the opportunity I have right before the Olympics."
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