The time and place are set. The uniforms are ready. This Labor Day, the most historic rivalry in American sports will take on a new incarnation when the Green Beret Foundation faces off against the Navy SEAL Foundation in the inaugural Stars and Stripes Classic. 

The Sept. 2 showcase will be played at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass., which will host the Cash App Playoff quarterfinals later in the day.  

“To be a part of the first of anything certainly on a big stage like this and something so meaningful and powerful … it's cool to be a part of it,” said Joe Amplo, who will be coaching the Navy SEAL Foundation team. “I'm thankful every second I get to be the Navy lacrosse coach, and then you add opportunities like this on top of it. It just adds to my gratitude for the position I'm blessed to be in.”

Amplo, who also serves as the head coach for Navy’s lacrosse team, holds a .500 (2-2) record against Army during his tenure at the United States Naval Academy. Although this game – which begins at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN+ – won’t affect his official coaching record, the goal against Army is always the same. 

“The simple message from our perspective is it's never acceptable to lose to Army," Amplo said. "It doesn't matter what we're playing. We just don't accept that here." 

The Green Beret Foundation team will be similarly motivated. They’re coached by Joe Alberici, the head coach at Army.

"Coaching a team of Green Beret veterans is a tremendous honor," Alberici said in an earlier statement. "My experience at the United States Military Academy at West Point has given me a deep appreciation for the dedication and resilience of our military. Bringing that experience to coaching Green Berets veterans on the lacrosse field is incredibly rewarding."

A unique opportunity

For Coach Amplo, leading a team of Special Operations Combat Veterans into a lacrosse match offers a unique challenge and a chance to honor those who have served.

“I think it's exciting for me to be able to coach guys who I know are really excited to play, to be around the best war fighters that our country has to offer,” Amplo explained. “These guys are the elite of the elite. They do things for our country that we're so grateful for, and to be able to be a part of them having a terrific experience in a different arena than they're used to is something special.”

For decades, the rivalry between the Navy and Army has been one of the most celebrated in American sports, defined by intense competition, mutual respect and a shared commitment to service. The Stars and Stripes Classic provides a new venue for that rivalry, bringing together two of the military’s most elite groups to compete in a friendly yet spirited lacrosse match.

“It'll be a very competitive game,” Amplo said. “What the game will look like, Lord only knows. But at the end of it, one team's going to win, and one team's going to lose. The expectation is that Navy doesn't lose to Army, and that's the fun part of this. It's another way to have that rivalry and have some fun with Coach Al on the other sideline and coach some great men for a couple of hours in a competitive game that means something to them.”

While the stakes may not be as high as a battlefield or a championship game, the players' pride and competitive spirit will shine. 

Links between lacrosse and military service

The connection between lacrosse and military service runs deep, and that’s not a coincidence, according to Amplo. 

“The Navy Special Warfare community is littered with lacrosse players,” he explained. “It's one of the major represented communities within Special Warfare, not just in the Navy. Lacrosse players, in general, tend to find themselves in Special Warfare communities.”

On-the-field traits like endurance, strength and agility play a role in the overlap. However, intangible qualities like mental fortitude and teamwork are likely even more integral. This alignment naturally makes lacrosse popular among military personnel, especially within the special operations community.

“In our sport at the individual level, these guys are high operators, they're elite, they're chasing championships, they're part of world-class teams for their sport,” Amplo said. “Their personalities, who they are as human beings — they seek that, right? And for their careers, they look for those opportunities and gravitate towards what I consider to be the example of the world's best teams, and that's Navy Special Warfare.”

He added: “These guys want to be a part of elite organizations and compete, but compete with a sense of giving back and doing the things that our country needs and the world needs for our protection, our safety, our democracy, everything that we as the free people of the world live with, these are the men and women that provide us that opportunity.”

Competition with real impact

Many of the participants in the Classic will have impressive lacrosse backgrounds, and Amplo wouldn’t be shocked if some players strike up memories with fans. Despite this game's “exhibition” status, he doesn’t anticipate any reduction in intensity.

“I think there's going to be an energy that is very similar to what we feel on our game days when we play Army,” Amplo said. “How long that energy lasts? These guys are in war-fighting shape. I'm not sure how much lacrosse shape they're in. So we'll see what that looks and feels like, but I think certainly early on, there's gonna be a palpable energy that everyone in that stadium is going to feel, and it'll be fun to be a part of.” 

Beyond the competition, the Stars and Stripes Classic serves an important purpose: supporting the Green Beret Foundation and the Navy SEAL Foundation. These organizations provide critical assistance to military personnel and their families, offering various types of support and programs to those who have dedicated their lives to serving their country.

“Both these organizations are amazing,” Amplo said. “I've been a part of the Navy SEAL Foundation's events, and it's amazing what they do and give back to the families of these warfighters. … For them to be on this stage, to have the opportunity to be a part of the Premier Lacrosse League for one day and to have that exposure to touch in a more meaningful way a different part of society that maybe doesn't know about these foundations and have those people now have their eyes opened up to two great organizations that help these elite individuals and their families, I think it's probably the best story to be told.”

The Stars and Stripes Classic is poised to become a new tradition that celebrates the unique bond between lacrosse and military service, honors the rivalry between the Army and Navy, and supports the vital work of the Green Beret Foundation and Navy SEAL Foundation.

While the game is an exhibition, the spirit of competition and camaraderie will be genuine. The tenets that make great warfighters and lacrosse players — honor, integrity, teamwork and a commitment to excellence — will be on full display this Labor Day.

“I think at the end of the day — and Coach Al and I say this — at the end of every game, we play against each other, but ultimately, we're on the same team,” Amplo said. “And that's the beauty of the rivalry that we have, is that we're helping prepare these young men in a small way to join the world's greatest team and that's United States military.”

Disclaimer: The Department of Defense and its component departments do not endorse any non-federal entity, product, or service involved at this event. Appearance of any DoD resources or personnel at this event does not imply endorsement of any non-federal entity involved.