As Seth Tierney prepares to step onto the sideline as head coach of the FDNY in the Battle of the Badges, Saturday’s game against the NYPD represents more than just another coaching opportunity for him.

For the longtime head coach at Hofstra University, where the game will take place on Long Island, it’s a personal tribute to his family’s legacy of sacrifice and service.

“This is like a grand slam for me. It touches everything, every emotion for me,” Tierney shared, his voice filled with a mix of pride and nostalgia. 

When approached to coach the FDNY, the newly appointed head coach of Team USA lacrosse said it was as if he "pulled the lever and hit the jackpot on one of those slot machines." 

Tierney’s father was a lieutenant at Ladder 122 in Park Slope, Brooklyn, a role he served with pride for 20 years. His grandfather was the chief of the Levittown Fire Department, and his grandmother a trailblazer in her own right, starting the first women’s auxiliary FD in Levittown. 

“I grew up seeing my dad after he had worked that day or night and hearing the stories he told, the lives he saved, the firehouses that he impacted,” he said.

Growing up, Tierney was surrounded by stories of their bravery and camaraderie. 

“My dad showed me what blue-collar, civil service jobs, giving back, and being there for people looked like. We never had to talk about that because it was always right there in front of me,” Tierney says.

Like so many other first responders in New York, the impact of 9/11 left a mark on Tierney’s father, one he shared with Seth. 

“I remember to this day, the day after 9/11, I had spoken to him and he said two things that really stuck with me,” Tierney recalled. “One was that he lost like 77 friends that day. In my mind I was thinking, ‘Would he be here if he didn’t retire? And where would we be?’ The second thing he said to me is that in eight to 10 years, we’re going to hear of ‘9/11 syndrome,’ with people breathing in all of the glass and smoke cleaning up the mess.” 

His father’s prediction was chillingly accurate, as many first responders began experiencing severe health issues in the years following the attacks.

Despite the dangers of the job, Tierney’s father loved every minute of his 20 years in the FDNY. His passion for his work and commitment to serving others were qualities that profoundly influenced his son.

This weekend, as Tierney stands on the sideline, he won’t just be thinking of the game at hand; he’ll be thinking of his father. A recent care package from his stepmother included his father’s fireman helmet. Tierney plans to have it with him during the game. 

“I know what it would mean to him to have his son coach the fire department team,” he said. “I know what it would be like if he was here. I can only imagine he’s going to be looking down on me. It’s going to be a pretty cool moment.”

Similar to last weekend’s Stars and Stripes Classic between the Green Beret Foundation and the Navy SEAL Foundation, the Battle of the Badges is much more than a lacrosse game. It’s a chance to recognize the incredible bravery and dedication of New York’s first responders. For Tierney, this game is among the most significant moments of his career, a way to honor not only his father’s memory but also the countless men and women who put their lives on the line every day. 

“I’ve had a pretty fortunate life of coaching in national championship games, world championship games, winning rings and big, big college games and this is going to rank right up there for me,” he remarked. “This game is about giving recognition to the police and fire department for all that they do, putting their lives on the line every day to let the rest of us live a peaceful life. I’m certainly proud as a New Yorker of both these entities and everyone else that keeps us safe.”

As the FDNY and NYPD take the field this Saturday ahead of the Cash App Playoff semifinals, the teamwork, sacrifice and community of both departments embody will be on full display. It’ll be a testament to the enduring legacy of heroes like Tierney’s father, and a reminder of the vital role these everyday heroes play. 

And for Coach Tierney? It’ll be a chance to give back to the community that shaped him and to honor the legacy of the man who showed him the true meaning of service.