Coming into this season, there wasn’t much Marcus Holman hadn’t accomplished on the lacrosse field in his ten years as a pro.

He won a gold medal. He’s an MLL champion. He’s been an All-Pro and an All-Star (x8). He’s led the league in goals.

But, last Saturday, Holman achieved something that few others in the history of the sport ever have.

300 goals. 301 now, to be exact. Only John Grant Jr., Paul Rabil and Brendan Mundorf have reached such heights.

It’s the bow on a Hall of Fame career. The apogee of scoring greatness for one of the game’s best shooters of all-time.

At the podium postgame, Holman’s initial reaction was to express gratitude to his teammates, both past and present.

“Reflecting on it, 250 of those goals, maybe, are assisted. That’s the first thought that comes to my head; giving praise and credit to guys like Steele Stanwick and Tom Schreiber,” Holman said with a smile.

“I played nine seasons with Tom and he’s probably had the most assists to me, and then now playing with an incredible quarterback like Asher [Nolting] and a guy like Matt Kavanagh. Just too many teammates to thank for some incredible feeds over the past eleven seasons.”

Holman’s humility is a defining aspect of his character. But, the truth is, success has followed where Marcus has led. 300 goals isn’t just the product of timely passing, it’s the result of a lifetime of discipline and diligence.

208 of Holman’s 301 goals were scored in an Ohio Machine uniform. In four seasons with the Archers, he added 80 more. In four games with the Cannons, Holman ranks second in the league with 13 goals.

If there’s one thing that’s made such success possible for Holman across teams and coaching staffs, it’s his dogged determination. 

“There’s no secret sauce to this. It’s work and love of your craft, and it’s trying to master it through a lot of practice, repetition and sweat,” Holman asserted.

“I would do anything to compete, and to be a part of a team is a dream come true for me, so I just try to play with that gratitude in my heart and some tenacity.”

What makes it all even more special is the fact that Marcus was able to do it while playing for his father and lifelong coach – the man who introduced him to the game and inspired him to commit his life to it.

“To be able to share this with him and to be on the same field, I’m a blessed, lucky man,” Cannons LC head coach and general manager Brian Holman said as he struggled to hold back tears after the game.

“I don’t think Marc gets anywhere near the credit he deserves… He’s a grinder and he’s a tough lacrosse player and he loves this game as much as anybody else. I’m just really proud of him.”

Together, the Holmans have helped revitalize the Cannons organization in each of their first years with the team. Four games into the 2023 season, the Boom Squad already has more wins (2) than they did all of last season.

Holman has led the way for the league’s most efficient offensive unit. The Cannons have scored goals on a league-best 33.3% percent of their possessions. They also lead the PLL in scoring (59), total goals (54) and shooting percentage (32.7%).

Kyle Harrison, an all-time great and former teammate of Holman’s, took to social media to congratulate the sharpshooter on 300. What struck me the most about Harrison’s post is that it had more to do with Marcus Holman the person than Marcus Holman the lacrosse player.