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“Come on, you know how it is – it’s a young man’s game,” Marcus Holman said on the broadcast during last Saturday’s Boston Cannons vs. Carolina Chaos matchup in Denver.
He wasn’t wrong.
On a day when rookies accounted for more than half of the goals scored on both sides, the future of the PLL was on full display.
Then there was Holman.
Fourteen seasons into his professional career, the 35-year-old attackman wasn’t simply watching the next generation take over. He was at the top of the stat sheet, tallying a team-high four points (2G, 1T, 1A) in Boston’s overtime loss.
Holman currently leads the Cannons and ranks third in the PLL in points (30), behind only Philadelphia’s Michael Sowers and CJ Kirst. He’s also tied for second in the league with 21 goals; only Kirst has more.
On a roster with an average age of 25, he isn’t just keeping pace with teammates a decade younger; he’s setting the standard.
“He plays the game with the same energy and passion that he did when he was 7, 8 or 9 years old,” father and head coach Brian Holman said. “And that is the most amazing thing out of all this.”
So how is Holman not just surviving in a “young man’s game,” but thriving in it?
An intentional approach
There isn’t one workout, diet or secret recovery method for Holman’s longevity. Instead, it’s the accumulation of countless small decisions made every day.
“It’s just about being present and trying to be where my feet are,” he said. “I do breath work pretty much every night before I go to sleep. So, I think tying that in, your breath really helps you stay grounded in the moment.”
That presence has become even more important as he added “dad” to his list of titles this offseason. But for Holman, starting a family hasn’t changed his love for the game; it’s simply given him more to love.
Being his best as a husband, father and athlete means starting the day before the sun is up.
Most mornings, he’s awake at 5:15 a.m., unless he wants to sleep in; then it’s 6 a.m. He starts the day with his dogs before moving through stretching and mobility work that he believes has become essential to extending his career. Quiet time follows: journaling, reading a devotional or guided meditation and breath work are what he prioritizes to prepare for the day ahead.
Boston’s youngest players notice the intentionality behind how he spends every minute.
“When we shoot together, the quality of the reps is super important,” rookie Mikey Weisshaar said. “Everything he does is precise. He’s a busy guy, so when we go out and shoot, he’s just so dialed in.”
Offensive coordinator Will Manny has seen those habits for years.
Holman’s best friend, former teammate and now coach doesn’t think Holman’s longevity is the result of suddenly finding another gear. He believes it’s the product of showing up the same way for more than a decade.
“I don’t think he’s getting better; I think this is just who he’s been,” Manny said. “He’s just doing it at a consistent rate. He’s always worked hard and played 100% with effort, but now he’s working a little bit smarter.”
Embracing change
For someone whose dad jokingly describes him as stubborn, Holman has become remarkably comfortable with change.
The version of himself playing today is different from the 22-year-old who was drafted by the Ohio Machine in 2013.
“I think that the quote, ‘Only the strong survive,’ was misconstrued by people,” Holman said. “Really, it’s those who are most adaptable to change.”
Brian Holman says people often overlook just how much Marcus has reinvented his game over the years. The attackman who entered the league was multifaceted – dodging, scoring and playing midfield.
“Marc’s not the same player he was when he came into the league 13 or 14 years ago,” Coach Holman said. “He knows he can’t do those kinds of things anymore, so how does he evolve? That’s an area where people don’t give him enough credit.”
The evolution has kept Holman among the game’s elite. Entering the final stretch of the season, he’s just 14 goals away from breaking John Grant Jr.’s all-time record of 393.
Rather than clinging to the player he once was, Holman has embraced the parts of the game that help his team win now.
While some have come to view him as simply a finisher, Coach Holman believes that overlooks his off-ball movement, willingness to set screens and ability to win tough ground balls.
Those are the plays Boston’s young core notice most.
Shaping the next generation
Holman brings a physicality to gameday that fires up a sideline a decade younger than him.
“You know, Marcus is 35 years old and he’s knocking dudes on their a– in the first quarter,” Manny said. “He’s setting the tone. We have guys on our team that open their eyes and say, ‘Holy s—, Marcus just did that.'”
For Weisshaar, the impact is even more personal.
The two Maryland natives train together, grab lunch and spend time away from the field. Weisshaar was just 10 years old when Holman began his professional career. He grew up watching Holman, studying his film and imagining what it would be like to play at the highest level.
Now they’re teammates.
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As a rookie, Weisshaar says Holman has become a bridge between Boston’s coaching staff and its young players, helping explain not just what the coaches want, but why.
“He knows what the coaches are looking for,” Weisshaar said. “But he’s also been in our shoes and understands what we’re thinking.”
More than anything, Holman has shown Weisshaar what it takes to build a career.
Holman challenged him to get to the field on his own, seek out extra reps and understand that greatness isn’t built during mandatory practice alone.
The message stuck. Weisshaar now carves out time for extra shooting sessions throughout the week, often joining Holman.
“Sometimes our schedules don’t line up, and I can’t make it out to shoot with him, but even though I’m not even close to as busy as he is, he still finds a way,” Weisshaar said. “That’s just one way he’s a good leader. If Marcus can do that with a wife and kid, I can certainly find the time.”
For Weisshaar, the player he once studied on film has become the example he tries to follow every day.
Holman knows what it’s like to be the rookie chasing a dream, and now he gets to help others do the same.
“It’s really exciting to see them experience this lifestyle for the first time,” Holman said. “I want them to know they’re all great players, and that I believe in them.”
Two-way influence
As much as they look up to him, the young players around Holman have left their own mark.
“I think this team, with the influx of the young guys, has kind of reinvigorated him a little bit,” Brian Holman said. “He’s around a group of guys that really have high energy, and he has high energy too, so I think it feeds the beast a little bit.”
The Cannons’ offense is now made up mostly of rookies and second-year players, a stark contrast from last season after veteran retirements and departures reshaped the locker room. Rather than feeling out of place as the oldest player on the roster, Holman has embraced the role.
“He’s said that he hasn’t had this much fun with a group in a really, really long time,” Manny said.
And it’s easy to see why.
Holman may be the veteran voice, but he’s also the one on aux in the locker room, dancing to whatever song comes on and bringing the same energy as the recent college grads. He’s still the guy pushing through workouts and winning running tests, but he’s also the teammate everyone wants to be around.
For Holman, that connection has made this chapter feel different.
The rookies look to him for advice on lacrosse, life and everything in between, but he’s just as willing to learn from them, whether it be in Gen Z slang or swapping his pregame espresso for a Celsius to stay with the times.
Still learning, still loving the game
For someone in his 14th professional season, Holman is quick to admit he doesn’t have it all figured out.
He’s still adjusting routines, learning what works for his body and searching for ways to feel his best. And while he has become a mentor for Boston’s young core, he’s never stopped looking for ways to improve.
Former teammates Kyle Harrison and Scott Ratliff have become trusted sounding boards throughout the season – friends whose honesty matters more than praise.
“I don’t need people telling me how good I am all the time,” Holman said with a laugh. “My mom does that.”
And while trying to uncover how Marcus has continued producing at this stage of his career, everyone came back to the same answer: He simply loves lacrosse.
“I don’t want to take any days for granted, whether I’m on the practice field or a walk-through,” Holman said. “I just want to be excited about it because I know that in my heart, this is going to end one day.”
The numbers, records and accolades will eventually fade. What Holman hopes lasts is the impact he leaves behind.
“My grandkids aren’t going to know how good I was at lacrosse, right?” he said. “But the feeling that I gave a young kid when he watched me play, maybe that sparks him to want to go on and be a pro lacrosse player. That’s what’s important to me.”
He continues to strive to be his best for the team, but sitting second on the all-time goals list isn’t what keeps Holman coming back. It’s the joy he still finds in every moment with a stick in his hand.
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