Years after leaving Boston, Will Manny still runs into fans carrying jerseys he signed more than a decade ago. Jeff Trainor remembers being the kid in the stands at Harvard Stadium, dreaming of one day playing on the same field.Its the kind of connection Homecoming Weekend celebrates.Inside the Cannons locker room, every tie to Boston is unique. To some, its home. Others found it through college, and the teams newest members are just beginning to experience it. But for all of them, wearing Boston across their chest carries a meaning that goes far beyond the jersey.I think Im a little bit biased, Trainor said. But out of all the weekends of the year, this is the one that I look forward to most.Will Manny: It feels like familyFor Manny, the Cannons offensive coordinator, Boston is where he found a second home.Its pretty much half of my DNA, Manny said. Its half Long Island and half UMass toughness and then Boston blood. A lot of people Ive met always think Im from Boston.After starring at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Manny was selected by the Cannons in the 2013 MLL Draft. The city became the backdrop for the start of his professional career, but along the way, Boston became more than a place.Whether it was spending extra time after games signing autographs or sharing conversations with fans, Manny built relationships that extended far beyond the field. More than a decade later, people still stop him to tell stories or show him jerseys he signed 13 years ago.Those relationships are what made his trade to the New York Lizards in 2017 an emotional goodbye.I felt like I was leaving the country and leaving my family, Manny said.Seven years later, his path eventually led him back to Boston, and reuniting was extra special.I honestly had the feeling of, Im home, said Manny, who played in five games for Boston last season before retiring and joining Brian Holmans coaching staff. Like, Im back where I need to be, whether I get to play right away or I dont; I felt like Ive always been a Cannon.THE VET! Will Manny is back in the lineup for the first time since Week One, and he's already on the board! pic.twitter.com/nqEYHTqfnV Premier Lacrosse League (@PremierLacrosse) July 19, 2025Now, Homecoming Weekend offers Manny a different perspective. Instead of taking the field as a player, hell experience it from the sideline, allowing himself to slow down and appreciate the fans and community that made Boston feel like home.Im definitely gonna spend one or two more times looking up into the stands and having some fun, Manny said. When youre a player, youre so dialed in. Now I can kind of break a huddle, check out the crowd and take it all in a little bit more.Its why he encourages Bostons younger players to be present and embrace every interaction with fans this weekend.Spend every last second out in autograph alley, Manny told the team. Look people in the eye because you represent their team, and theyre gonna remember that forever, and youre gonna need that support. Youre gonna want that support.For Manny, those relationships were built over years in a Cannons jersey. For Trainor, they started long before he ever put one on.Jeff Trainor: Giving back to his hometownRaised a half-hour outside Boston in Billerica, Trainor grew up watching the Cannons play at Harvard Stadium. Now, many of the same seats are filled with his friends, family, former teammates and kids from the Billerica youth lacrosse program cheering him on.I can remember being a little kid and being out there, Trainor said. Now being the one thats playing and having little kids watch me, I just hope it inspires them; stick with it, follow your dreams and one day you might end up playing at Harvard Stadium.The Massachusetts native watched championship teams define Boston sports. Now, wearing Boston on his jersey is something he still hasnt taken for granted.It raises my level of gratefulness, Trainor said. I just am like, I cannot believe this is real life.Billerica Lacrosse, the program that helped shape him, remains close to his heart. For Trainor, Homecoming Weekend isnt about the spotlight its about giving back.Im just so thankful for the game and what its given me, Trainor said. My goal is to inspire the next generation. The current PLL players are pioneers for whats to come, and thats what excites me most. If I can inspire one kid, Ive done my job for the weekend.The community that supported him throughout his journey is the one he now hopes to inspire, and he knows firsthand the passion that comes with being a Boston sports fan.The fans are very loud, Trainor said with a laugh. Youve got to put on a good show or theyll let you hear it. Thats what Bostons all about.While Trainors connection to the city began long before he became a Cannon, rookie Logan Ips story started just across the Charles River.Logan Ip: The place that shaped himHomecoming Weekend is a chance for Ip, a recent Harvard graduate, to play professionally on the same field where he spent four years developing his game.Its definitely a super special place and really dear to my heart, Ip said. I had an amazing four years there. Getting drafted to Boston was a surreal moment, just knowing that I could come back and play at Harvard.His college years were transformative in and out of the classroom. Its where he grew into the person he is today. He credits Harvard head coach Gerry Byrne and offensive coordinator Neil Hutchinson with helping shape him as an athlete.I came in not really knowing what to expect, Ip said. I felt like I was more of a raw talent. They taught me so much about the IQ. I really accredit a lot of my development as a player to them and this place. Harvard in general is a place of opportunity.Ips journey began on the opposite coast in California, but Boston quickly became a defining chapter in his story. During his college career, he also experienced firsthand the passion of the citys sports culture.The Boston locals are diehard sports fans, Ip said. They really show out in the way they support, no matter the weather or the conditions.That passion is something the team understands and embraces. Throughout the locker room, players recognize that putting on a Cannons jersey comes with a responsibility to represent the city, the organization and the fans who support it.The saying of playing for the team on your chest instead of the name on your back is very true with this team, Ip said. Its very unselfish.As veterans and college alumni return to familiar places, Mikey Weisshaar is preparing to experience it all for the first time.Mikey Weisshaar: Just the beginningBefore he ever stepped foot in Boston, Weisshaar had already fallen in love with what it represented.Hearing his name called by the Cannons in the draft is still a moment he struggles to put in words.Thats just one of those memories that Ill never forget, the rookie midfielder said. Words cant express the feeling, just of excitement.Even while finishing his collegiate career at Towson, he dove into the citys history and the legacy of the Cannons.I started doing research about the team and then about the city and the history, Weisshaar said. The more I read about it, the more excited I got. Boston has such a rich sports history. Im excited to be a part of it.Come for Mikey's goal, stay for his new goal song#GohTigers | #ACT@PLLCannonspic.twitter.com/uuYvzluDUB TU Men's Lacrosse (@Towson_MLAX) April 25, 2026To represent Boston is to inherit the expectations that come with one of the countrys most decorated sports cities but its a responsibility Weisshaar embraces.Boston is expected to win, Weisshaar said. I kind of had that mindset with the Cannons, too. I want to win, we want to win, so we embrace that.That mentality is reinforced before each game. Head coach Brian Holman reminds the team what it means to wear Boston across their chest and to show everyone what its like to be a Boston Cannon.I get goosebumps every time he says it, Weisshaar said.For Holman, that message is rooted in his appreciation for the city and the standard its teams have set.We have an incredible history in the city of Boston, Holman said. Its arguably one of the top two or three sports cities in the world, and I just feel blessed to be part of that.Now, as Weisshaar prepares for his first Homecoming Weekend the Cannons will host the Maryland Whipsnakes this Friday (6 p.m. ET; ESPN+) and the California Redwoods on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; ESPN+) he hears the buzz from teammates and coaches. But he still doesnt exactly know what to expect.I havent really wrapped my head around it fully, Weisshaar said. Its surreal.Its the kind of thing veterans say you just have to experience for yourself.