Jules Heningburg wasn’t sure if he’d play professional lacrosse again this season. After being released by the Carolina Chaos during training camp, the veteran attackman found himself in unfamiliar territory: unsigned, uncertain and watching the game from the broadcast booth instead of the field.
Heningburg had stayed close to the game through his work as a broadcaster, most recently calling the 2025 Lexus PLL All-Star Game. That unique perspective, he said, gave him a new appreciation for the sport – and sharpened his instincts for whenever opportunity came to play again.
“I didn’t know if that would be the case for the whole season,” Heningburg said. “I was watching the games, but I wasn’t really leaning one way or another. It wasn’t like ‘Oh, I’m not going to play,’ but I also wasn’t thinking, ‘Oh, someone’s definitely going to pick me up.’”
Then came a text from Boston Cannons head coach and general manager Brian Holman.
The two had a prior relationship, so at first, Heningburg didn’t think too much of it – it was just a check-in. But a week later, Holman followed up with a phone call – and a proposition.
“He said, ‘Hey, I’m thinking about picking you up. I’d love to just hop on a phone call and chat through what that might look like,’” Heningburg recalled. “Up to that point, I hadn’t been contacted by any teams.”
What followed was a conversation that reignited the spark he was looking for and led to his signing with the Boom Squad.
“Fit is super important”
At this stage in his career, Heningburg isn’t interested in playing just to play. After nearly a decade of competing at the highest levels, he’s looking for something meaningful.
“Fit is super important,” he explained. “I’ve had an incredible time playing across my career … but I wanted to be in the right environment that would be beneficial and give me the joy and the passion that I know I have for playing.”
That joy and passion is exactly what he felt in his conversations with Holman.
“I felt that passion right away from him,” Heningburg said. “It was a commitment to me to say, ‘Hey, look, if you do sign with us, I think you’re going to be able to get what you’re looking for out of this.’”
Before even stepping on the field, Heningburg immersed himself in the Cannons’ renowned culture. He joined the team calls, studied film and quickly realized this team was different.
“Their preparation … it was very thorough,” he said. “That for me was right away like, ‘Wow, these guys are really showing up every day of the week.’”
That level of preparation resonated with Heningburg, who prides himself on his own work ethic. After being cut by the Chaos, he stayed ready – training every day, working out, shooting – so there would never be a doubt from any prospective team about whether he was prepared.
While their preparation is impressive, what really sealed the deal was the built-in chemistry Heningburg found on the Cannons roster.
“I just looked up and down the roster, and I’m like, ‘I know all these guys!’” he exclaimed. “We all come from the same places.”
Heningburg has deep ties with guys like Garrett Epple, Ryan Drenner, Marcus Holman, Connor Kirst and even Colin Kirst, his high school goalie.
“It’s really hard to join a new team,” he explained. “So to have a built-in continuity and relationships already is huge. It’s not like I’m showing up and meeting all these new guys for the first time.”
The preparation paid off in his Cannons debut this past Saturday against the Denver Outlaws. Though traditionally an attackman, the “journeyman,” as he jokingly called himself, was used out of the box as a midfielder and made an immediate impact.
He finished with three points in Boston’s 18-17 loss: one assist and one two-point goal, which came on his only shot of the game. It was a strong return to the field and a promising sign of what he can bring to the Cannons’ offense moving forward.
Focused on the finish
As far as personal goals go, Heningburg is focused less on stats and narratives and more on standards.
“I want to hold myself to a certain standard of preparation,” he said. “I’ve always done that, but specifically for this group, at this moment of time, I want to really hold myself to that.”
For Heningburg, he believes this Cannons team is uniquely positioned to make a run.
“I think this is the best opportunity I’ve had from a team dynamic to win,” he explained.
Though he was on the 2019 Redwoods team that played in the PLL’s first championship game, he sees something different with this group.
“Just where we’re at right now in our season, who we have personnel-wise, I do think we’re best positioned to win in my entire career,” he said.
Though his 2025 season didn’t start the way he expected, now, with the Cannons, Heningburg has found a team – and purpose – that feels just right.
“I want to enjoy the group, take it week by week, day by day, moment by moment,” he said. “And I want to do everything I can to play my role and help us win.”
