Playing against Notre Dame is special for every member of the Navy football program. Getting to face the most storied program in college football every season is an opportunity not many teams get.
Navy coaches tout the annual matchup with Notre Dame, played either in an NFL stadium or fabled Notre Dame Stadium, when out on the recruiting trail and it is a powerful lure.
All that said, Saturday’s game against Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, is particularly special for one member of the Navy football team. Starting safety Giuseppe Sessi has been looking forward to this contest ever since arriving in Annapolis.
His roots run deep when it comes to the University of Notre Dame, the school from which his father and grandfather graduated. Sessi was raised to be a diehard Notre Dame football fan and routinely made the pilgrimage from his home in San Antonio to South Bend to attend games.
“I grew up in a household that loved Notre Dame football. I talked about Notre Dame football with my dad and grandpa pretty often,” Sessi said this week. “So this is a super-special opportunity and I’m definitely proud to represent my father and my grandfather’s last name this week.”
Saturday’s game is an event that has been highly anticipated by the entire Sessi family, which will have 30-plus members seated in Section 9 to support Giuseppe and the Midshipmen.
Tom Sessi started taking his son to games at Notre Dame Stadium when he was 5 years old. They attended at least one home game in South Bend every year until Giuseppe was a freshman at Ronald Reagan High and had his own football games on weekends.
For Tom Sessi, just thinking about watching his son play on the field that sits in the shadow of Touchodown Jesus gives him chills.
“It is going to be an incredible experience and one we all have been looking forward to ever since Giuseppe committed to Navy,” Tom said.
There is a phrase inscribed in one of the doors of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart that is the centerpiece of the Notre Dame campus. It reads: God, Country, Notre Dame. Tom Sessi said those words have guided his family’s values for multiple generations.
“Now my son represents the Naval Academy, which has its own motto of honor, service and commitment. It’s a full circle legacy of faith, family and duty,” Tom said. “This weekend is not just a football game for the Sessi family. It’s a celebration of everything all six of those words stand for and mean.”
Arthur Thomas Sessi grew up in Weirton, West Virginia and was recruited out of Madonna High to play football at Notre Dame. He was a member of the junior varsity as a freshman.
As a sophomore, Thomas Sessi decided not to pursue varsity football so he could concentrate on the rigorous academics and wound up graduating from Notre Dame in 1964.
“I think my dad decided he would rather graduate from Notre Dame than play varsity football and risk not graduating,” Tom Sessi said.
Tom followed in his father’s footsteps by attending Notre Dame, having been indoctrinated into becoming a fervent fan of the school’s powerful football program. He started attending games at Notre Dame Stadium with his father when he was 8 years old and never considered going to college anywhere else.
Tom graduated from the university in 1991. He was a sophomore when a Notre Dame squad featuring quarterback Tony Rice, running back Ricky Watters, defensive tackle Chris Zorich and linebacker Michael Stonebreaker went 12-0 and captured the national championship.
Tom traveled to Florida to attend one of the biggest games of that season as Notre Dame beat Miami, 31-30, in the Orange Bowl. That contest was famously known as the “Catholics versus Convicts” contest and Tom still has the T-shirt he bought.
Tom passed his passion for Notre Dame football down to Giuseppe, who will never forget being given his grandfather’s practice jersey from his freshman season on the junior varsity.
As a youngster, Giuseppe would play football in the family living room with his father and pretend to be whoever the Notre Dame starting quarterback or running back was at the time.
Tom Sessi hated Michigan and USC too much, so he would pretend he was a defensive player for Navy while on hands and knees chasing a child with a football.
“I never imagined those living room games we played would lead us here. I couldn’t be more proud of Giuseppe and how far he’s come as a football player,” Tom said.
Tom had no idea his son would be talking to members of the media via Zoom this week with the topic of his family lineage to Notre Dame the primary topic. He watched a replay of the session and was overwhelmed when the first question was about his father playing football for Notre Dame.
“Right out of the gate you asked Giuseppe about my dad and that was very emotional for me,” Tom said.
Giuseppe Sessi and his father Tom pose in front of Touchdown Jesus outside Notre Dame Stadium.(Tom Sessi/Courtesy)
Giuseppe Sessi routinely attended Notre Dame home football games with his father and grandfather. The eldest Sessi was thrilled when his grandson committed to play football for Navy, knowing he would get to participate in the annual matchup with Notre Dame.
Giuseppe did not make the travel squad as a plebe when Navy played Notre Dame in Dublin, Ireland. Arthur Thomas Sessi died on April 25, 2024, at the age of 82. He passed one day before an updated Navy depth chart was issued following spring camp that had Giuseppe No. 2 at safety.
Giuseppe Sessi made his debut appearance against Notre Dame last season at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. He was a member of the kickoff coverage unit and saw action on defense in the dime package.
Now Sessi is a starter and ranks third on the team with 50 tackles. He also has a fumble recovery and a pass breakup.
“It’s obviously unfortunate that my grandpa never got to see me play against Notre Dame,” Giuseppe said. “I know he’ll be watching down and cheering for the Navy Midshipmen this Saturday night.”
Of course, Sessi dreamed of one day playing football at Notre Dame. He sent a letter to the Notre Dame coaching staff and never received a response.
Getting recruited by Navy, which played Notre Dame every year, was the next best thing. Sessi said former coach Ken Niumatalolo was “like a celebrity” because he saw him striding the sidelines while watching the annual Navy-Notre Dame game on television.
“Especially when I found out what the Naval Academy was about and the type of institution this place is, I definitely wanted to come here,” Sessi said. “The opportunity to be able to play in the Army-Navy Game, then play against my childhood dream team made it a no-brainer decision.”
Sessi was asked about the incredible atmosphere for a football game at Notre Dame Stadium, which seats 80,795 and is always sold out.
“I think that atmosphere is something you want as a competitor. You want that crowd to be max capacity, you want that stadium to be rocking and you want to beat them at their best,” he said. “Even if you’re not a Notre Dame fan, but just a college football fan, those are some hallowed grounds. That’s the mecca of college football. I’m super-excited to get the opportunity to go beat Notre Dame in that stadium.”
Sessi laughed when asked this week how many times he has watched the movie “Rudy,” which chronicles the career of a Notre Dame walk-on. He guessed the answer is about 20 and mentioned telling roommate and teammate Isaiah Bryant that he needed to see the film in advance of Saturday’s game.
“During Notre Dame week you’ve got to watch Rudy,” Sessi said with a smile.
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