RFH Athletic Department’s Sue Wankel Honored

March 22, 2023 Elaine Van Develde

Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School’s (RFH’s) Sue Wankel has been honored as the recipient of the Central Jersey Administrative Assistant Award for Excellence by the Directors of Athletics Association of New Jersey (DAANJ).

The DAANJ presents this award annually to recognize four honorees, one from each section (North I, North II, Central, and South). In order to be eligible, an administrative assistant must be nominated through a letter of recommendation from the athletic director or building principal and have demonstrated outstanding contributions to athletics at the local and school levels with a minimum of five years of experience. Wankel received her award this past week, at the annual DAANJ State Conference in Atlantic City.

Wankel is known as a mainstay at RFH and critical component of the Bulldog’s athletics program.

Having begun her tenure at RFH in 1998 as an administrative assistant in the Attendance/Vice Principal’s Office, Wankel has served three vice principals in her time at RFH; and, for more than 15 years, she was the “welcome face and voice greeting students and parents each day.”

In 2014, Wankel ended up working in the RFH Athletics Department office to continue working closely with its current athletic director, Chris Lanzalotto, when he assumed that role.

Over the past nine years, Wankel has worked to ensure that all athletic events and tasks at RFH run smoothly, including but not limited to scheduling all athletic transportation, maintaining all state-required paperwork for student-athletes and communicating with families regarding such, maintaining records on all RFH coaches, and handling day-to-day confirmation of athletic events and official/s assignments.

Lanzalotto, who has worked directly with Wankel for the past 17 years, nominated her for the honor.

“There is no one more reliable, or dependable than Sue,” he said. “She is consistently the first person to volunteer her services at numerous extra-curricular fundraisers or other events sponsored by the district and if there is a large task to be completed within the school, you can always rely on her to pitch in and lend a helping hand. Not only is Sue a tremendous asset to the entire RFH community, but I personally am extremely fortunate to work with such a professional and dedicated person as Sue Wankel
and to call her my friend.”

Outside of her work as an administrative assistant, Wankel is known as a dedicated RFH volunteer, selling tickets at many sporting events, stepping in as scorekeeper when needed, serving as site supervisor for football games, and handling all NJSIAA Ticket responsibilities, chaperoning non-sport-related extracurriculars and serving as the play production coordinator. “She has become one of the most familiar faces in the halls and on the campus of RFH to staff, students, parents, and community members alike,” a released statement said.

— Edited press release from RFH