On this episode of The Tewanee Joseph Show, co-hosts Tewanee and Koru Joseph interview professional lacrosse player Adam Charalambides. Charalambides shares his journey in the sport, detailing his late start after transitioning from hockey to his high school years at the Hill Academy, his extended collegiate career at Rutgers University—where he navigated two ACL injuries—and his current pro career with the Vancouver Warriors in the NLL alongside various summer league teams. Throughout the conversation, he discusses the mental and physical transitions between college and professional athletics, emphasizing the importance of individual accountability, family support, and mental sports performance. Looking forward, Charalambides reflects on his evolving leadership role, offers advice to young athletes on consistency and compound effort, and outlines potential future pursuits, including coaching, personal training, or entering trades like firefighting or plumbing.
Tewanee (00:01)
Welcome to the Tewanee Joseph Show. I’m Tewanee Joseph and joining me as always is co-host Koru Joseph. Today we’re talking about lacrosse leadership, resilience, and what it takes to compete at the professional level. We are excited to welcome professional lacrosse player Adam Charalambides to the show. Adam, thank you for joining us.
Adam Charalambides (00:20)
Yeah, thanks so much for having me guys. Pumped to be here.
Tewanee (00:23)
Now, Adam, before we get into your career, how are you doing today and what has life been like, you know, lately between training, competing, and everything happening on and off the floor?
Adam Charalambides (00:33)
I’m good. a lot of full weeks of schedules here the last few months. summer’s always busy with training athletes. also did some junior A coaching, some private coaching on the side and then played for the North Shore Indians this summer in senior B. So it’s been a full and really exciting summer.
Tewanee (00:53)
For listeners who may be getting introduced to you for the first time, how would you describe yourself as a player and as a person?
Adam Charalambides (01:01)
Definitely a two part answer here. as a player, I’d say I’m pretty competitive. I try to play pretty tough, pretty gritty. you know, try to play with an edge and you know, try to be a really good teammate in terms of, being a synergistic teammate and supporting the people around me and, you know, trying to keep everyone in that present moment because there’s a mental side to our game that is really beautiful and just try to be that energy around the team.
And then as a person, just try to, you know, some basic pillars, try to be a good person, treat people the way you want to be treated. try to show up with some golden retriever energy when you have it. And yeah, just be, you know, I wear many hats, so being a loving partner, support a brother, a good son, a good grandson. so yeah, just try to be family oriented and have some some good values as well.
Tewanee (01:49)
I really noticed that I was fortunate to spend some time with you on the bench for the North Shore Indians this past summer. And all of the things that you’ve talked about are, you know, the way I described is you come from really good teachings. And I think those teachings really shine through both, you know, you as a person is I got to know you off the floor, but also on the floor as well. And your competitive is just at the highest level, but also you as a person, you’re always trying to make people better. And I think that what we talk about a lot in our culture is chinch and sweight, like holding and lifting each other up. So
It was really great to to to witness that and bear witness that in in you as a player and but as also as a person. Now, Adam, take us back to the beginning. Where did lacrosse first enter your life and who helped introduce you to the game?
Adam Charalambides (02:31)
For
sure. really quick, appreciate the kind words there. And you know, I’ve had really good mentors, coaches, and sports psychologists as well. So I’ve learned many lessons from many other good people. So just trying to pass it along. to jump into the next question there, lacrosse started a little late for me on average, so I was my dad’s Greek, so played soccer pretty young, and then it was hockey and soccer for a bit, and then handful of my
Hockey friends wanted me to come over to La Crosse in the summers. one of my hockey teammates, Brad Ranson, gave me like an STX beginner stick. it had like a cheetah die job for some reason. I’ll never forget that detail.
Tewanee (03:11)
Yeah.
Adam Charalambides (03:13)
you know, we were taking hockey pretty serious at a young age, so it kind of was like an offseason sport that was fun and competitive and just kind of kept me, in shape and
you know, enjoying the growth process of another sport and there’s a lot of overlap between the hockey and the lacrosse guys. So, you know, it was a kind of about spending time with friends as well. Yeah, it was Brad Ranson and yeah, I was you know, didn’t really start getting too competitive with lacrosse till about sixteen, seventeen, kinda as the windows for hockey felt like they were closing a little bit. Felt like there was a little bit more opportunity for lacrosse and then
Yeah, went to prep school my senior year of high school there at the Hill Academy. and then that really kind of set the path for the rest going forward.
Tewanee (03:56)
You know, I think for so many lacrosse players out there, lacrosse at a certain point stops feeling like just a game and you know, it kind of becomes like a community or family of people. Was there a moment for you when you realize this is more than just a sport for me?
Adam Charalambides (04:11)
Yeah, probably that’s senior year. there was a group of us from my hometown who was four of us who are all kind of commuting together down to Vaughn, Ontario, back to Georgetown and you know, being on the same path and then, you know, our families coordinating rides, meals, kind of going the extra mile and it takes a village to push a kid through some competitive sports and you know, mom was on board, dad was on board.
You know, you got aunt and uncles chipping in with rides and things like that and you kinda just like you know, you don’t really realize it as a young kid, it’s just who’s taking me to my sport. But looking back as an adult, you really realize how invested kind of the family was and everyone else was, and it really does become, yeah, like you said, more than a sport and then through watching lacrosse highlights on YouTube and things of that nature, the goal eventually turned to really trying to earn a scholarship and
go down and play in the States. just ’cause that kind of seemed like the next level of highest pursuit of our sport in terms of what I was playing with a mix of box and field. and yeah, just that senior year, just four of us commuting an hour each way, having laughs, pushing one another and, you know, pursuing the same goal of trying to earn a scholarship really stepped it up to another level.
Tewanee (05:23)
Now explain to us a little bit where Georgetown is located and situated because for our listeners, they may not know like playing lacrosse on the West Coast, it’s you know, your longest ride is probably an hour. Maybe you have to take a ferry over to Victoria if you’re playing in the WLA. But where’s Georgetown located? And and I think some of the rides even for games must be, you know, two hours, three hours, five hours. But where’s Georgetown located situationally in Ontario?
Adam Charalambides (05:47)
it’s in the Greater Toronto area. It’s roughly like forty five minutes an hour outside Toronto. Brampton and Milton are two pretty big landmarks that it’s like kinda roughly in between. They roughly make a little triangle. and yeah, like you alluded to, some of those junior A games, driving up to Peterborough or some junior A games driving up to Kanawake or Akasne or
what’s that other one? Gloucester, like Ottawa area. those
Tewanee (06:14)
Yeah.
Adam Charalambides (06:15)
were yeah, it could get up to five, six hours. So a lot of volume in terms of teams in the east there.
Tewanee (06:21)
You know, you you mentioned about playing hockey and and playing lacrosse. I remember talking to to Wayne Gretzky a number of years ago and we were just we were at a press conference together and it was just something he just brought up. He’s like, you know, I just told him where I was from and you Squamish Nation and you know, lacrosse is a big part of my life. And and it was for him a a lot of athletes, particularly the seventies and eighties and those types of things. So would have been my uncles, you know, maybe your parents’ ages or uncles and and older.
played lacrosse and hockey because there’s you know a lot of similarities in terms of you know you know five on the floor together or on the ice and then you have a goalie. But the one thing he said to me that stood out was I don’t like these plastic sticks these days, Tewanee. I I I like the wooden sticks. And did you get a chance to play with wood sticks at all when when you were growing up?
Adam Charalambides (07:07)
never formally in a game, but I have been able to mess around and been fortunate enough to kinda feel the history of that. Then also a little bit like lineage back too when it was called like stickball, I believe, and it was the smaller, just rounder one. had the chance to see some of those older sticks as well. So yeah, some really cool pieces as well.
Tewanee (07:26)
For sure.
When you were developing as a young player, what parts of your game came naturally and what parts did you really have to work at?
Adam Charalambides (07:36)
I would say the qualities that naturally matched hockey kinda came along. So like read and reacting, identifying two on ones, things of that nature kind of felt like they came a little bit easier, but definitely the stick skills was like my slowest thing to pick up being a late starter. you know, can remember countless nights playing wall ball at the local school that was close to me, just aiming at one brick.
And it was a pretty unforgiving place that I played because if you missed the ball, you were due for like a fifty yard, hundred yard run. So it really kept you honest in terms of keeping your eye on the ball and seeing it go into your stick, especially as a young developing player. You know, I really had to like watch myself catch it early before you can finally just like let it come behind your head naturally.
And then yeah, I’d say just everything stick skills was the hardest part, which, you know, there’s no substitute to like developing those skills. It’s just reps, time and thankfully a handful of good teammates and mentors. I remember, we had a lot of talented players come out of Halton. And I remember I would always try to like ask some questions and pick some brains, cause you know, the twister shot and being able to change things with your body language was like so new to me and it felt like some guys were picking that up at like
fourteen fifteen and I was just developing a you know, a good sidearm, a good overhand, just trying to have the fundamentals down. So being a little bit late, I was very curious to learn from my teammates and try to hopefully to ask not too many questions.
Tewanee (09:00)
No, was there was there some and we talked earlier about, you know, lacrosse being community and your family really playing such an important role? And it’s like that in I believe all sports, you know, when you have the support from from family and volunteers and coaches that are volunteering. Is there is there a particular anecdotal story, you know, from coaches or teammates or family members, you know, when you’re having conversations about the game, or sometimes maybe I remember growing up and sometimes I’m searching for some answers, or I I wanted to have an answer or two.
You know, how can we you know, pay play better as a as a team together? How can we connect more? Is there something that stands out to you over the years, you know, whether it’s a coach, a teammate, a family member, you know, who helped push you along and help really believe you and build that confidence in you?
Adam Charalambides (09:43)
For
sure. I mean a handful of really great people have run through my brain there. Matt Haynes was a big one. used to spend a ton of time at his house. his dad was our coach. his older brother was on the junior B team. So even just playing like mini lacrosse, I was still getting a little bit of coaching there over in their backyard. So learning to do things a little bit better kind of through twelve, thirteen, fourteen. And then Kevin Dance, former NLL player.
Tough as nails. He was my coach for a few years through midget, and he really, you know, just pushed me to like be better and just like compete hard. And I don’t know, I felt like I was always dropping a lot of passes and just like was kind of missing like the offensive flow part of the game. and he really kind of leaned into helping me with that part of the game. And then yeah, going into my senior year, a pretty big mentor for me was our offensive coach at the Hill Academy, Merrick Thompson.
my parents divorced my senior year. So that was kinda hard to navigate as a seventeen year old. And you know, he really put his arm around me and helped me navigate that like tough personal moment and just kind of really had me, you know, be able to talk with him about it personally. It was honestly like a psychologist in a way, but it was really just being a good guy and a coach. Just had giving me the space to talk and then
with that kind of love for sport, it just makes you want to lean into it that much more for a guy who’s like willing to spend the time with you and you just want to be the best version of yourself for your team, for your teammates and then for your coach. so yeah, and then, you could keep going further now. now that it’s into the pro leagues, you know, Coach Mulowski is pretty special in terms of the way he what he expects and the way he pushes his players and it’s been a player pleasure development relationship with him over the last three years and
Excited for the future as well.
Tewanee (11:34)
you’re a left handed offensive player. How did your offensive identity develop over time?
Adam Charalambides (11:40)
Yeah, I think when we split to kinda O and D in that midget year, I landed on the front door and from there you’re an offensive player. So, you know, trying to be the best version of yourself for the team is, producing offense, moving the ball and taking some shots. And then, through my junior career was fortunate enough to play on some teams where it kinda had to know, be a contributing part to the offense. And you know, I think year over year you just try to hone your craft.
Whether it’s learning adding different type of releases to your shot, shaving a second off your release or a half second or, you know, working on various moves, whether it’s the hitch, the face dodge, your inside roll, so whether it’s footwork. and yeah, I just loved the, you know, I think I grew up competing against my brother and I just love the the, you know, trying to score, trying to win kind of idea. And I think that just landed me on the front door. Probably ’cause I like to shoot as well, but
Just year over we year hammering away on your craft.
Tewanee (12:35)
Absolutely. And I think it’s so important because you’re honing like every game you play, you’re learning something new, learning something different. You’re taking from other players, you know, you’re sharing, playing off the ball, playing on the ball. Those are such an important part of really life and everything. And, you know, as you were mentioned earlier, you chose to the path of lacrosse. I just wanted to corn, I wanted to ask you a couple of questions just about, you know, Rutgers and your college lacrosse. And now you went to play on at Rutgers, and that became a major chapter in your story.
what made Rutgers the right right fit for you?
Adam Charalambides (13:06)
That’s a great question. I’d say a few different things. I was looking for like a big school. Like I wanted to go to football games and basketball games and get a big time school experience per se. was at the time was pretty set on that I was trying to pursue finance and kinda go the Wall Street route a little bit. So having a quality business school was kind of top of his mind as well. And then like most Canadian players,
scholarship is kind of a situation that we’re all managing. So, between those three major pillars it kind of just fell in place. And you want to be, you know, a really great coach and a good teammates and kind of you feel out the visit process and the head coach. And, you know, once I connected with Coach Brackett Rucker is really just like fell in love with the place and he was a really great communicator and just, painted what the path was gonna be. And yeah, it kind of just
with what I was trying to do and yeah things all fell in place.
Tewanee (14:00)
College lacrosse can be a huge adjustment physically, mentally, and academically. What did that experience teach you about preparation and discipline?
Adam Charalambides (14:10)
I think biggest thing is there’s no shortcuts. I remember my freshman year, one on ones, went up against a senior, normal dodge, get to my strong hand, one cross check, put me right on the ground. And I just remember I don’t know if it was a coach or if it was one of the players watching, but I’d so much just like bullied and I was like, Yeah, like there’s a size jump, like jumping up ponds here, you know. You’re not the big fish in your local hometown anymore.
So yeah, for me it was everything had to come along, you know, footwork, bigger, faster, stronger, weight room, all the components that make you a competent athlete. And you know.
College Across is pretty unique in terms of you, it’s kind of like football where you play like once a week. Sometimes there’s a midweek game. there’s so much preparation from fallball, little bit of that winter break, spreseason, and then you’re playing like 14 games in the spring, sometimes 16, 18, depending if you go deep in the playoffs. But like the amount of prep you do versus like game gives you such a good framework, I’d say, in terms of like how you should.
Maybe not live your live your life a little bit, but you know, it’s a really good framework in terms of like how much you play versus like compete or sorry, how much you prepare versus you compete. And yeah, it’s just like you cover every facet, like watching film. Ruckers, you know, touches all the boxes in terms of performance. Like they got a nutritionist, dietitian on staff, they’re making sure you’re fueled properly. You know, we got film rooms, you’re watching film before practices, weight room, PTs, personal trainers, so like
and then we also had a sports psychologist at Ruckers, which was like a whole nother layer of what is elite performance and like how to really hone in your mental to be present and be able to do your be your best self in the present moment. so yeah, just from like the entire experience and then where I was as a eighteen year old freshman to where I left as a twenty five year old seventh year senior, really taught me there’s you know, there’s no shortcuts and
What you do in the dark always kinda comes to light and that’s kind the framework that we have in sports. But you know, in terms of just a habitual framework, like what you do every day is eventually like come to light, right? Like every day is about winning the day and about the little inches and college lacrosse really like encapsulates that ’cause it’s such a grind and then a short spring season.
Tewanee (16:28)
You’re listening to the Tewanee Joseph Show, co-hosted by Koru Joseph. Today’s guest is professional lacrosse player Adam Charalambides Coming up next, Adam’s pro path, where he played, what the past summers taught him, and what advice he has for next generation of lacrosse players. And now for some incredible indigenous music.
Welcome back to the Tewanee Joseph Show. Now, Adam, let’s move into your professional career. What was it like making the transition from college lacrosse into the program?
Adam Charalambides (16:57)
Yeah, it was a definitely a big transition. it kind of turns from team based training to a little bit more a lot more individual responsibility. I think you have a pretty laid out path in terms of, you know, your time you train, time you have yoga, time you do your mental work, time you watch film. Like there’s so many things that are crafted into your schedule as a college athlete versus now as a pro. being we’re in the NLL too, like
my rookie I worked for the Canucks in sales, selling tickets for the for the Warriors and yeah, it just really raised the challenge of like managing my schedule and took me some time to figure out like when I was gonna work out. Like I tried doing it after work for the first couple months and kind of learned that that was less effective than waking it up and having it scheduled in the mornings or utilizing lunch breaks.
And then yeah, it’s definitely a different experience in terms of travel. And then yeah, you’re you’re with a whole new team. The level has been raised. for me I had stepped away from box lacrosse for about five years. I did the one ACL, then I did the other ACL, and then I was kind of just using those summers to like rehab my legs, my knees, calves, hips, all those things surrounding the knees, to going back to Canada and playing summer ball. I was staying in Jersey summers.
so yeah, going into pro, it was just everything was faster, everyone was stronger, cross checks were a lot harder, and then it kind of a rediscovery process of getting my box across skill and gameplay back. And the next layer of it was deciphering and figuring out what works at the pro level, what is now, you know, considered a junior skill no longer works with bigger, faster, smarter defensemen and better goal well.
Tewanee (18:39)
Yeah, for sure. It it really sounds like a lot has changed between the two. If you were to pick one thing, whether it’s the speed, the physicality, the preparation or responsibility, what would you say was the biggest kind of leap into it?
Adam Charalambides (18:56)
I would say the individual responsibility was the biggest challenge for me. Like I said, I jumped into a full time job and that just kind of was another added challenge in terms of navigating X number of hours of your week are already taken up now. And there’s all these boxes that you want to check in terms of X number of training hours, X number of skill work hours, X number of recovery hours, you know, that’s different for each individual and
And then a honorable mention would have to be like the physicality and just the gameplay of the defense. Like real tough to get to the middle. Guys aren’t like selling or getting sold on shot fakes as easily. you know, a move that once works, like guys are able to recover and maybe like get your stick from a trailing position. So yeah, just I’d say those two. Individual responsibility, but then also just the overall gameplay of the defense and the challenge of it.
Tewanee (19:43)
Now you’ve been a part of the Vancouver Warriors in the NLL for a number of years now. What does that experience meant to you, especially playing professional lacro box lacrosse in a passionate market like Vancouver?
Adam Charalambides (19:55)
Yeah, it’s been special. you know, the last five years have been quite the stepping stones, kind of like slowly climbing up the graph here in terms of regular season performance and fandom has kind of climbed with that along the way. yeah, it’s you know, lacrosse is a big part of my life and teammates are kind of my best friends and it’s just been really special getting to play with some of these guys and know, as an adult
what you appreciate kind of starts to change. So me as a 30 year old it’s pretty special to have teammates with kids and who are really good dads and you know are really you know good in their careers and it’s just pretty special to be around these guys who have like navigated life in such a effective, positive way. And you know, those magical moments where you see them waving at their kid during warm-up or getting to meet them after and they run right up to their dad.
just pretty cool and I’ve learned a lot from the older guys and then on the flip of that, you know, we got some young guys on the team as well that are just hilarious and ball and just really make the locker ton of fun. So just thankful for my teammates for the overall experience.
Tewanee (21:02)
And for the audience, can you walk us through the different places you’ve played from your early teams to Rutgers to the N L L and the Summerfield lacrosse opportunities?
Adam Charalambides (21:13)
For sure. I guess we’ll start a junior. So junior C played for the Hold Mills Bulldogs and then played with them as well, Junior B. And then eventually went up to junior A in my fourth year of junior there. And then missed my fifth year with an ACL injury. Missed the first year of W or major series with an ACL. So that’s seventeen and eighteen. I did back to back ACLs when I was at Ruckers.
And then so yeah, Rutgers started in 2014. That went all the way to 2021, and then drafted fall of 2021, and then have been here with the Warriors since. In between that, I was with the Boston for a couple summers. Never really cracked a full-time job, had like a three-game season and like a two-game season, and then two summers ago, I played a full-time
Carolina Chaos. That was a good summer. We made the playoffs, unfortunately lost quarterfinals. And then this summer started in the PLL and then made my way to the North Shoreans for senior B South lacrosse.
Tewanee (22:19)
Let’s talk about this past summer where you played for the North Shore Indians and what was the focus for you coming into this season?
Adam Charalambides (22:25)
Yeah,
I’d say my focus was, you know, working on my individual game and then also just like enjoying the gameplay. the PL has been a pretty stressful overall experience in terms of like it’s just so competitive. There’s only eight teams. So like, you know, as an offensive player, if you don’t produce, it kind of feels like you’re on the hot seat.
so like that like you know
You can’t really think about it, obviously, week to week, but we’re you know, in a as a as competitive as that league is and as, you know, you see guys getting dropped every week, new guys in the lineup every single week, it’s pretty darn competitive and hard not to think about, like worrying about your spot on the roster, on the starting roster. so yeah, the this summer was just pretty special in terms of just like letting the love for the game show through and just like really enjoying coming to the rank. know.
The team was really special in North Shore. just guys who truly love the game and just guys who like love being around their teammates. So a lot of good smiles and laughs and you know, the team would get together for barbecues and things of that nature and you know, that guy time being around the guys and messing with each other and having good laughs is pretty special and you know the guys who play at the C level and you know, anyone who’s playing Summer Ball like they’re just
just know they love the game. They just like grind to it. You know, it’s hot or traveling. It’s work in the evenings and know, being around guys that love the game’s special.
Tewanee (23:55)
You’ve had to navigate injuries, competition, and constant expectations. What keeps you grounded through the highs and the lows?
Adam Charalambides (24:05)
I’d say a different pillars. So one being just like family. you know, my partner Jenna’s a really big part of my life. So I’m getting to come home to her and we always share a day compress and then family as well. You know, talking to mom, talking to dad, brother and
Yeah, in terms of injuries, definitely a few people I would need to check out. Like after the second ATL injury, naturally a handful of things that came into my mind. Can I be a lacrosse player really pursue this game at the highest level? And coach bracket routers, which was a huge piece for me in that time. Like, you know, scheduled a some weekly meetings with me, so I constantly had to have one on one chats with them. I don’t know if I loved that.
in the first couple weeks post injury because I was quite the crouch and just didn’t really want to see anyone. but you know, being a positive voice in my head and, you know, constantly reassuring me that I was you’re gonna come back from this, you’re gonna be stronger after this, gonna teach you something. you know, really gave me an appeal for the game and then outside of the game as well. Like obviously I missed it, but it’s kind of interesting to ask who are you outside of being a lacrosse player?
Especially as like a twenty year old, twenty-one year old, you know, at that time if they met me on the street within the first couple of sentences, I probably would have told you about the lacrosse wire. it was such an identity piece. Step away from it during those injuries was definitely like life skill in terms of just being able to detach and appreciate
Tewanee (25:47)
now all of that you’ve kind of persevered and and lived through, and you’re really in the prime of your professional career right now at at 30 years old. you have the lived experiences, you have much to look forward to. You talked a lot about being present in the moment, you know, doing all the work. Now, what does leadership look like for you now? not just the scoring or producing, but helping teammates, younger players, and the overall culture. what does that mean to you now?
Adam Charalambides (26:15)
So
I’ll answer that in a few different settings. So I’d say for the Warriors, it starts with just being the best version of myself so that I can show up and be the best, you know, version of myself, be the best teammate that I can be. so like, you know, every s individual on the team is pursuing that with off season training, you know, going to PT, making sure things are healing up with you’ve got nagging injuries, and then yeah, just showing up.
Camp with a high motor, ready to give it your call. And then from like a coaching standpoint and being a personal trainer, it’s kind of sharing the lessons that I’ve learned along the way and trying to understand the timing of where an athlete is at and what’s gonna resonate. because I’m sure we can all reflect on a time where, you know, whether it was our parents, a coach, somebody had given us good advice, but it
doesn’t really sink in until years later or, you know, even like a decade later until you like really look back and think back on certain things. so just trying to time like offering golden nuggets, you know, to sum it up in a little quote, being a good guest and not a guest. Cause sometimes, you know, people don’t want to hear it. And other times
Tewanee (27:28)
Mm-hmm.
Adam Charalambides (27:29)
kind of be a good relatable person and that’s might be what’s kind of better for somebody in terms of being relatable and being a leader for them.
and then yeah, just anchoring to things that I’ve learned for my college years and then continued mental sports performance. You know, it’s not about staying focused, it’s about refocusing, coming back to the moment. you know, connecting before correcting, you know. We can all teammates, but you know, classic saying, I can’t really think of it now.
Not about how much you how much you care.
Tewanee (28:00)
it’s great to be able to to share these experiences because for listeners, I think it’s important to, you know, not just get insight into you know, individuals, but the human beings that are there and how you sh how you’re shaped and how things form and how you adjust to the you know, not just the game, but to life, really. Koru. If let let’s say a young player is listening, someone who’s very dedicated to the game and they want to reach a higher level, what advice or habits would you give to them?
Adam Charalambides (28:27)
Yeah,
I mean, I’d say it starts with just loving the game. you know, the drive to get better and desire to want to be better has to come from within. and it can be fueled by many different reasons. Like my early reasons for wanting to have my stick better was I wanted to be a better teammate. I wanted to not kill drills in practice and I wanted to be a competent offensive player that could put passes on my teammates’ ears and not have them getting handcuffed or not dropping passes when my teammates passed to me.
and then yeah, just being consistent. Like it’s it’s easy to look at shorter time horizons, you know, a month, couple weeks, maybe even a year, but I really think getting to the next level is about kind of having a longer time horizon. so if you do the right things consistently, day after day, and then you stack that up for years, not just months.
it’ll eventually compound to where you want to be. And, you know, it’s funny where, you know, kids they call kids who are sixteen who really start to flourish in their game in junior very talented, like realistically, that talent was developed because the kid hammered on his craft from like eleven to sixteen. Like he was playing mini sticks with his friends constantly. He was going and playing wall ball constantly. He was shooting, he was always staying after practice to get extra shots.
So I’d say it’s really about the daily inches, you know, stacking up those good habits and then yeah, just long time horizon and doing it for years and years and years.
Tewanee (29:59)
Absolutely. And last question, from Koro and I. What excites you about the next chapter of your life, of your p career, of your life? Is there anything that you’re looking forward to in terms of your next chapter?
Adam Charalambides (30:11)
Yeah,
I mean I’m excited where it’s gonna go. I know lacrosse coaching and personal training and training young athletes will kind of always be a part of my story. I just don’t know if it’s gonna be the whole next piece of the pie or if you know, I’ve been really considering firefighting. possibly, you know, pursuing that, or even like the idea of going back to school for possibly a plumbing degree.
But yeah, I don’t know I don’t know what’s gonna be kind of the main the main piece of the pie, but I do know that this sport and, you know, working with people and being in team sports is something I definitely wanna have be a part of my life for kind of the entirety of it. So
Tewanee (30:56)
Adam Charalambides I would say in our squamish language, Hoichika, thank you for joining us on the Tewanee Joseph Show. And thank you to everyone listening. Stay connected, keep supporting the game, and we’ll see you next time. And now for some incredible indigenous music.
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