As College Football Playoff-ranked No. 9 Notre Dame prepares to host Syracuse today in its penultimate regular-season contest, the game also marks senior day,
The Fighting Irish are celebrating 33 players this afternoon inside Notre Dame Stadium, and upon the game's conclusion, as is the program's customary tradition, those players will gather on the field with family members to share memories and snap pictures.
One of those players is Jake Tafelski, a walk-on running back from the Detroit, Michigan, suburbs who began his career at Central Michigan, was recruited to the Irish as a preferred walk-on by former Notre Dame G.M. Chad Bowden and transferred to Notre Dame prior to the 2024 season.
His father shared this poignant "Senior Day Letter."
"I write this with joy yet I am apprehensive. This applies to all sport parents, but specifically in my case football. We parents know it will happen, but don’t want to acknowledge it.
"What is it? It’s Senior Day.
"A joyous yet sad occasion.
"Football is the only sport that once you stop at whatever level you can achieve… as a player, it’s over.
"No recreational full pad or beer leagues, no full padded pickup games on a crisp fall night or Saturday afternoon. A truly unique sport of 11 V 11.
"It is not like baseball, hockey, basketball, golf, tennis, soccer or even lacrosse. All those sports have organized recreational leagues you can participate in long into adulthood.
"Football, however it ends when the last game you play in, when that clock hits 00:00, It’s over!
"No one knows exactly what level that will be for your son, but that day will occur. For me… I have been fortunate as Jake has been able to play long past his CYO youth days, those Middle School and even High School days.
"Around 1.2 Million boys play high school and the majority end their career when that final high school horn sounds.
"The lucky parents of some 90,000 get to watch their son play at the Collegiate level anywhere from Junior College to a Power 4 Conference team.
"I have been lucky enough to be on the latter train ride. Oh, what a fantastic ride it has been. Even being able to see my son play for an NCAA Championship in last year's College Football Playoff.
"This year was a bonus year due to COVID; Jake had an extra season to play again at Notre Dame.
"What a ride it has been. True, I have made every one of his games since his youth days. I watched, cheered, gave my criticism and of course encouragement.
"I have never thanked my son.
"Thanked him for allowing me to be part of the journey.
"That folks was the easy part.
"Being able to smile, yell and cheer while he and his teammates took on the opposing team, week after week and season after season.
"I forgot to thank him.
"Thank him for getting up early on those bitter cold mornings and going to workouts, while I was warm and still fast asleep. Or when he was up late practicing in the hot August air during training camp.
"Thank him because during the season, while other students finished their day, he returned to the practice facility to watch additional film and practice as he still had to maintain academics.
"Thank him for going on the long and late team bus or plane rides when his game ended. Still the family and friends who came to the game convened in comfort celebrated, hung out talking about the game, yet he wasn’t there to enjoy it.
"Thank him for sacrificing and missing all the family meals, gatherings, birthdays, holidays… because he had practice… and as parents, we know football or as in any sport, practice doesn’t stop.
"Thank him for all the bumps, bruises, cuts, broken bones, torn ligaments or the mental roller coaster of emotions he might have had over the years, while I cheered in the stands.
"In fact, we as parents have an easy job, we are just along for the ride. Jake, it has been one of the greatest rides of my lifetime.
"This might not be your last stop but… Thank you for letting your dad tag along.
"You will do great no matter where you GO … and your dad will be smiling, watching and of course cheering you on!"
Love,
DAD
-- Tom Tafelski is a Notre Dame Football Parent and father of three sons.
