On Friday, Feb. 9, Warriors head coach and general manager Curt Malawsky met with a group of aspiring media members and discussed what it takes to win in the National Lacrosse League. One of the key points he emphasized going into their matchup against Saskatchewan the following night was sacrifice.
While that night’s game might not have been the outcome Malawsky was looking for, there were some positives to take away in the 13-9 loss. There’s a difference between wanting to win and willing to win,” he said. Players like Adam Charalambides and Keegan Ball were willing to win despite the loss. They stepped up and battled all game, sacrificing the body to get to the middle, with Charalambides picking up a hat trick and Ball being rewarded with a pair of goals for the effort.
However, the willingness to win in the Warriors locker room extends beyond just the floor.
“Last night the conversation was: Is Brett Mydski going to practice?’ Because he worked a 24 hour shift at the Metrotown hall being a fireman. It’s pretty busy there. It’s a juggling act for him to be able to come out and be at his best, and that’s the nature of the NLL. It’s a tough league to juggle your job, your family, and be ready to play on Saturday night,” Malawsky explained following the game”. “The sacrifice from these guys is excellent.”
Commitment is a staple for Coach Curt as one of his major keys to winning games in the NLL. “I’ve noticed that guys have dropped weight, they’ve been committed to fitness, they’re in shape. They’re doing everything they can, they’re sacrificing for the guy next to them, they’re being good pros off the floor. They’re giving everything they got,” he said.
Malawsky is looking for more than just a commitment to the sport; he wants players who take pride in being a Vancouver Warrior. The team’s 2023 ninth overall pick Brayden Laity fits the bill exactly. “I wouldn’t want to be playing anywhere else. As a local kid watching the Warriors the last couple of years since they’ve been in town and even the Stealth back in Langley, it’s been my favorite team forever. Wearing the black and gold is pretty awesome.”
Whereas players like Matt Beers and Mydski balance firefighting duties with their professional lacrosse careers, some members of the team commit time out of their packed schedule to be community ambassadors and help spread the passion for lacrosse. Owen Grant and Reid Bowering are just two that take part in the Warriors Stick To School Program.
“To me it’s super important, that those kids that we see, have so much fun playing the sport. It’s important for us to grow the sport as well,” said Bowering. “The sport itself, lacrosse, it’s still growing. We go there to show face, have some fun with them, teach them history, and to learn a little bit about lacrosse culture. I think it means a lot to those kids.”
All the players and staff in the locker room are passionate individuals who go out and give it their all on and off the floor on a weekly basis. Although the results thus far haven’t gone the Warriors way this season, the team is still growing its identity with this being the first year under Malawsky. As the Warriors continue their rebuild with a young core, the coach and GM will continue to reinforce his three keys to a winning franchise: commitment, sacrifice, and willingness to win.