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- L-R: Rudy Arsenault and his dad, Dennis, are all suited up ready to play for the New England Bombers in the New England Football League at a game in June. Submitted photo.
By Beth David, Editor
Dennis Arsenault thought it was fun to play football in his 40s into his 50s. Then he decided to hang up his cleats. Until his son, Rudy, 20, said he’d like to play, too.
A father-son team within the team was born.
Dennis and Rudy played for the New England Bombers this summer in the New England Football League. They are undefeated this season, even though Rudy had to go off to college at Worcester Polytechnic Insitute for the last couple of games. The Bombers have one game left.
Dennis played when he was at Fairhaven High School, and Rudy played at Old Rochester. At some point, after having fun playing with dad, Rudy asked at WPI if he could be a walk-on, in his junior year. WPI watched some old films of Rudy in high school and agreed.
So, Rudy is away at school, but Dennis will finish out the season with the team. He said he was going to stop after last year, but then Rudy showed an interest in playing with him on the team.
How do you resist that?
You don’t.
“I appreciated it. I enjoyed it,” said Dennis. Overall, Dennis said it was fun having his son on the team with him.
“A lot of fun,” he said, adding that it is not something you see often.
He said he’s sure there’s another father-son duo playing on a team somewhere, but he has not heard of any.
“It’s not common,” said Dennis.
He said he was also glad that neither one of them got hurt during the season.
They played their last game together on 8/9/25, then Rudy headed off to school.
“You can’t put a price tag on it. Money can’t buy it,” said Dennis. “It’s a once-in-a liftetime thing, y’know.”
So what will Dennis, a contractor by trade, do to stay his shape now?
“Oh, there’s plenty to do,” he said.
Although Rudy was busy at football camp, he took a few minutes out of his busy schedule to talk to the Neighb News.
He said he was glad he took the opportunity to play in the summer league. It made him realize how much he missed football.
“I’ve been having a lot of fun,” said Rudy. “I’m glad I’m back in it. I didn’t realize how much I missed it until I played with my father.”
As for playing with the old man?
“It was very cool,” said Rudy, adding he was the youngest person on the team and his father was one of the oldest…not the oldest, but almost. “So it was pretty cool to be on both sides of the age kind of thing.”
Rudy also said his father went to all his games in high school and he heard stories about his father playing in high school, so it was good being on the field at the same time.
Rudy also works with his father during the summer.
“So it was a nice break to do something fun with him,” said Rudy. “Most people don’t get to to that, and I’m glad I took advantage of it.”
Now he’s playing in his last two years of college, something he never would have done, he said.
“I’m very happy my mind got made up.”
Oh…the team won the game on 8/9 and the one after that, currently with a 9-0 record. They have one game left.
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