Curt Malawsky isn’t one to tally his wins.
For the Vancouver Warriors’ General Manager and Head Coach, victories are meaningful because they lead to something greater: developing players into better professionals and people, and winning championships.
It was more than another milestone when he earned his 100th career win as a head coach on December 28th against his former team, the Calgary Roughnecks. It was a testament to years of hard work, sacrifice, and building relationships with players and those within the organizations he’s worked for.
“For me it’s about winning championships and trying to do the best you can to teach the young men how to be good pros,” Malawsky said. “Hopefully, you can help them better their games and be there for them when they need you. I’m just really thankful for a lot of people along the way that supported me – Bobby McMahon and Rob Williams were with me for a lot of my wins, I’m thankful for those guys and their commitment. I’m also thankful for the players and staff in the Vancouver and Calgary organizations. I think it’s just a good overall team effort when an individual milestone like that happens, there’s so many people you think of and can thank to achieve that goal.”
He’s humbled to have been put in a position to succeed by established organizations and worked with great players and coaching staff who have helped him put good teams on the floor.
Malawsky’s coaching journey has been marked by elite preparation, passion, and creating a culture that breeds success. Warriors’ Captain, Brett Mydske credits Malawsky’s core values – commitment, sacrifice, trust, belief and resilience – for helping them create a cohesive unit.
“From day one, he instilled those core values in us. He’s won at every level – Minto Cups, Mann Cups, he’s won at the professional level and at the national level too. It goes a long way and everybody’s buying in,” Mydske said.
Mydske didn’t know before the game that Malawsky was on the cusp of his 100th win. The team approached the game the same way they would any other game, exemplifying the same passion and intensity that Malawsky coaches with.
“I was thrilled to be a part of his 100th win, it is really something special,” Mydske said. “Obviously, Curt’s a pretty humble guy, so he didn’t let anybody know what was at stake, he wanted us to focus on the game, but to be able to get him that against his old team, we’re happy we got to get that for him.”
Success in the NLL takes countless hours of preparation, emotional investment, and a willingness to make tough decisions. Malawsky has always led by example, demonstrating the work ethic and dedication he expects from his players.
“You’ve got to lead by example when it comes to work ethic, preparation, commitment and all the things I believe in, you need to exemplify that and then your players will follow,” he said. “It’s important to be personable too – you need to care about people and get to know people, you need to wear your heart on your sleeve and let people know that you’re real. If you lead with your head and your heart, it will never steer you wrong.”
Given that Malawsky is a people person, he received a flood of texts after the win – many of the messages from people who have played a role in his milestone. When he looks in the rearview mirror of his NLL coaching career, it’s a mosaic.
“I think about the championships that we won, the heartbreak that we had, I think about the players, coaches and owners that gave me opportunities to do something that I love after leaving the game as a player,” Malawsky said.
The wins make everything worth it, but it’s not always glamourous. Every coaching career is filled with moments that test resolve. For Malawsky, the toughest part of the job has always been releasing or trading players who have become family. He acknowledges that while it’s a necessary part of the business, it’s something he has never taken lightly.
“Some of the situations that had to happen as we went along, I did take them personally because I did feel bad for some of the moves that we made,” Malawsky said. “I think in the moment, the disappointment the players had after they got moved or released, I really wore that, and it did bother me as a human being. I struggled to dissociate myself from it and just say ‘hey, that’s business’ because that’s not really who I am. There’s a lot of personal relationships and connections that you have with the players that mean a lot, so when you’ve got to say goodbye, it hurts.”
Achieving success at the highest level requires sacrifice, which is something Malawsky understands well. Between game preparation, travel, and coaching responsibilities, balancing work and family life can be tough. Malawsky says he can have success on the floor because his teammates at home want him to win too.
“When the kids were younger, I was always going to games and coaching, and my wife Gilda has always been really good with it. If you have an easier home life, it makes it easier for you when you’ve got to hit the road or you’re doing video at home or scouting report prep and all that stuff. If you have a good support system at home, I think that really makes a big difference,” Malawsky said.
When all is said and done, his ultimate goal goes beyond wins and losses. He wants to be remembered as someone who gave everything to the sport he loves.
“More than the 100 wins for me, I want to be known as a guy that is passionate about the sport, put a lot of work into it, cared a lot about his players and his staff and the organizations that I worked for,” he said. “I want to grow the game and give back and see the young guys achieve their goals – winning rings, winning championships – and bettering themselves on and off the floor.”
With the win, Malawsky becomes the seventh NLL coach to reach 100 wins. He joins Derek Keenan, Darris Kilgour, Ed Comeau, Troy Cordingley, Paul Day and Mike Hasen. As a player, Malawsky played under Day and alongside Hasen for the Rochester Knighthawks. Before Malawsky, Hasen was the most recent recipient of 100 wins, clocking it last season at the helm of the Knighthawks against the Warriors in Week 4.
Mydske was drafted by Keenan in 2010 with the Edmonton Rush who both were part of the Rush dynasty. Mydske shares how important it is to have coaches like Keenan and Malawsky that continue to grow the game and share their knowledge.
“It just shows that the coaching staff had great mentors when they were players, and they got to learn from them and pass it on to the players nowadays. It’s definitely something I feel fortunate to be coached by a couple of Hall of Famers in that regard,” Mydske said.
The strongest teams that Mydske has been a part of have had great leadership from the coaching staff and everyone is close-knit. The Warriors are a big family, having gone through ups and downs together, and they’re willing to go the extra mile for each other.
“We’re trending in the right direction in that we’ve got a super close group of guys, and I think Curt’s the reason for that,” he shared.
With 100 wins behind him and an exciting future ahead, nothing changes as Malawsky continues to lead the Warriors forward. He remains focused on helping his players, staff and the pursuit of excellence.
Malawsky’s goals remain the same: more championships. For a coach who’s never focused on counting wins, the ultimate measure of success has always been the moments that matter most.
