That is certainly not the case with Fife Flyers' netminder Blair Daly.

Having made his senior ice hockey debut in front of around 2000 people at the age of just 15, Daly already has six years experience behind him.

Not only that, he has already won more titles and accolades than most players accomplish during entire careers.

Over four seasons at Fife, the ex-Edinburgh goalie has racked up an astonishing 21 team titles, and at least one player of the year award at the end of each campaign.

And season 2008-09 saw Daly join the list of famous Flyers such as Jimmy Spence, Les Lovell, Gordon Latto and Steve Moria in winning The Fife Free Press Mirror of Merit award for the second time.

Being thrown in at the deep end as a raw teenager has helped Daly mature into an accomplished netminder that defies his age.

"I made my debut at 15 down in Sheffield against the Steelers in a crossover game between the Elite League and the BNL," he recalled. "It was quite a rowdy place, a big arena with a lot of fans. It was pretty scary.

"I was very, very nervous. My coach Tony Hand just said go out and do my best, and not to think about it too much.

"I was on for the last period. Their very first shot of the period was a goal so I was a bit nervous after that, but once I got into it I was alright."

Daly's route to that night in Sheffield started when he chose to give up playing football for Craigmount High School in Edinburgh to concentrate on ice hockey.

"The games clashed so I chose ice hockey, even though I didn't have much of a clue about it," he said.

"I had to learn all the rules, in fact I'm still learning them, but it just clicked with me.

"I watched the NHL on the television and I liked the contact and the rough side of the game. It looked like a lot more fun than football."

Daly progressed through the age groups at Murrayfield Ice Rink before eventually making his debut for the Capitals, but future appearances for the Edinburgh senior side were few and far between.

"They brought in Ladislav Kudrna from Hull and went up to 11 imports when they joined the Elite League, so you had to be really, really good to get a chance," he said.

"Everyone was shocked when we went EIHL. We wondered if we were every going to get a chance, and that's why a lot of people left."

Daly's talents were being wasted in the Murrayfield junior side when he contacted a friend at Fife Ice Arena.

"I knew Martin Grubb through my junior days and he'd always been asking me to come to Fife," he revealed.

"I was getting bored and unhappy at Edinburgh so I got in touch with him and he said I was more than welcome to come along and have a meeting with Todd.

"I spoke with Todd and he was happy for me to come to training and see how I felt. I went to a few sessions then he offered me the job."

Daly started a mini exodus of frustrated young Edinburgh talent across the Forth.

"I was the first to come across, then Lewis Christie came for my second season, and the season after that Dan McIntyre and Lewis Glasgow joined," he said.

"I told them it was a really good bunch of guys in Fife, a good league, loads of ice time and a good place to make a name for yourself.

"Lewis Christie went to Belfast from Fife, so he's proved that."

Daly's first season at Fife ended in a Grandslam, but he enjoyed the season just past more, despite losing out on two titles.

"At first I was only getting 20 shots a game but now I'm facing 40-odd shots," he said. "The league's a lot tougher than when we won the Grandslam and I prefer it that way.

"I like to get as many shots as possible and save as many as I can. It keeps you involved and it's a bit more exciting.

"The hardest part about playing for Flyers is trying to stay in the game when you're quiet for 10 minutes then all of a sudden you're facing five or six shots in two minutes."

Daly identified the Celtic Cup play-off final win over Dundee as his best performance of the season past.

"I saved John Haig's one-timer at the back post, and then saved from him again one-on-one at the other post two minutes later," he said.

"Those were two big saves that turned the game around."

Daly, who recently returned from a two week break in the Dominican Republic, will now weigh up his future over the summer.

"I'd like to see myself back at Fife but you never know," he said,
"There's always the Elite League or the EPL, but it would very much depend on what was on offer and where it was.

"I doubt I'd leave Fife for another club in Scotland. It's the best club I've been at, and it's a great bunch of guys, but again, you never know.

"Playing in the NHL would be my dream but it's never going to happen.

"Having said that, I'm sure one of the Brits that played on one of the Elite teams is going to an NHL camp with Chicago Blackhawks this summer. You never know who is watching you."