The Athlete Arc with Malcolm Chase
- Mar 6
- 3 min read
“Better to be over prepared than under prepared.”
Malcolm Chase said that early in our conversation, and it set the tone for everything that followed.
Malcolm has lived the full athlete journey. From picking up lacrosse in high school in Maine to playing professionally and eventually building RPM Lacrosse, he has experienced nearly every stage of what I call the athlete arc. Competitor, pro, coach, mentor.
That arc is exactly what we explored in this episode.
You can listen to the full conversation here
What stood out right away was how different Malcolm’s early experience in the sport looked compared to what many young athletes experience today. He didn’t grow up in a major lacrosse market. In fact, his first years in the sport often started with clearing snow just to create a field to practice on.
When Malcolm talked about those early days, the tone was almost nostalgic. The environment was tough, but that challenge created a different mindset.
“I just dug the grittiness of it,” he told me. “Even in March and April there could be snow on the ground. Sometimes preseason started with a shovel instead of a lacrosse stick.”
That kind of environment builds something important. Not just skill, but resilience. It forces athletes to find their own motivation instead of relying on perfect facilities or constant competition.
As Malcolm’s career progressed, he followed a path that many athletes know well. Train harder. Lift more. Work more. For a while it worked. He added nearly thirty pounds of muscle between his junior and senior year and saw his performance jump.
But the lesson that followed was one many athletes eventually learn the hard way. More work is not always better work. At one point Malcolm admitted that his hardest workout of the week often happened the day before a game. Preparation was important to him, but balance was missing.
That perspective shifted when he began spending time around professional players. Being in those environments revealed what high level commitment actually looks like.
He told a story about sharing a locker room with Paul Rabil during his time around the Boston Cannons. Rabil was already one of the biggest names in the sport. Championships, endorsements, recognition. He had already arrived.
But Malcolm noticed something that stuck with him.
“He was still on the wall every game getting extra reps,” Malcolm said. “Guys would be in the locker room talking and he’d still be out there shooting.”
That moment revealed something simple but powerful. The best players never stop working on the fundamentals. They don’t rely on talent alone. They keep refining the small details that make them better year after year.
Those lessons eventually shaped the way Malcolm built RPM Lacrosse. His approach isn’t just about teaching athletes how to shoot or dodge. It’s about developing the full athlete. Mindset, physical preparation, nutrition, recovery, and habits that support long term performance.
Near the end of the conversation I asked Malcolm what advice he finds himself repeating most often to younger athletes.
His answer was simple but important.
“Make players around you better.”
That idea captures something many athletes overlook. Great players don’t just focus on their own performance. They raise the level of the entire team. Sometimes the difference between a good athlete and a great one comes down to leadership, communication, and the ability to lift others up.
The full athlete arc eventually leads there. Competition teaches lessons. Experience builds perspective. And eventually those lessons get passed down to the next generation.
You can listen to the full episode here
To connect with Malcolm
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rpmathlete
RPM Lacrosse: https://www.instagram.com/rpmlacrosse
Website: https://www.rpmathlete.com
This episode is supported by our podcast partners.
Kala Redlight
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