Tag Archives: RFH

Retro RFH Cheer Dudes

The boy cheerleaders of RFH Powder Puff Football 1977 Photo/George Day
The boy cheerleaders of RFH Powder Puff Football 1977
Photo/George Day

There have been some grey skies lately.

So, we figured we’d bring in the big boys to cheer up some sun and, well, laughs.

The Retro Pic of the (George) Day takes us back to the football season of 1977 and some special cheerleaders — very special. OK, so it was powder puff football. The girls were playing and the guys were all dressed and cheered up with definitely nowhere to go looking like that.

We’re thinking this brand of RFH cheer could even make the sun come out tomorrow — somewhere.

Now, just one thing: Why aren’t these fetching cheerleaders wearing  knee socks and proper saddle shoes? They seem to have some of the other uniform equipment questionably in place.

Give us an R! Give us an F! Give us an H! Now Run Fast and Hide from these guys! That’s the spirit!

Recognize anyone in this bevy of beauties? Let’s hear it for the guys!

— Elaine Van Develde

Many thanks, again, to the fabulous George Day for the snapshot of this classic moment back in RFH time!

Retro RFH Witchy Women

A witchy retro bike ride at RFH circa 1970s Photo/George Day
A witchy retro bike ride at RFH circa 1970s
Photo/George Day

Yes, it is the season of the witch … and pumpkin carving, and falling leaves, and goblins, and ghouls, and all sorts of tricks and treats. Something like that.

So, to capture a sort of catapult into the time of year, which people seem to already be riding into, we take a look back at a time in the 1970s when Halloween planning at RFH was almost a full-time job. Never mind homework. This was it.

The Retro Pic of the (George) Day is symbolic of the culmination of all that planning and, of course, the ride — a tandem witchy ride into the festivities with the bike and the broom … stick … back-up. Oh, they were well on their way and got where they were going.

You could say these two RFH ghouls’s mission took flight without a hitch.

Must have been the season of the witch. Know who they were?

— Elaine Van Develde

Oh, and thanks, again, to George Day for a great RFH glimpse back in time with this photo!

Retro RFH Bleacher Blast & Love Story

Bleacher fun at RFH circa 1970s Photo/George Day
Bleacher fun at RFH circa 1970s
Photo/George Day

Yes, it’s that time again … RFH football.

Friday night the game’s on at Middletown South at 7 p.m and, yes, there are South bleacher security rules, too. It’s a sign of the times.

The open letter of rules goes like this …

“Middletown South contacted me with information regarding the football game at Middletown South on Friday Night, 7pm.

“There will be NO pre-sale tickets for the game
An additional entrance will be established for RFH fans — on the visitor side of the bleachers

“Backpacks and large bags, including large pursues, will not be permitted into the game. Smaller personal bags will be subject to search by Middletown Police

“Parking will be very tight on campus and families are encouraged to car pool as possible.

Respectfully,

Chris Lanzalotto
RFH Athletic Director

Go Bulldogs!”

But, back in the day, at least in the 1970s, there was little, if any of all that. Teens bagged it and packed it all up with lots of smiles and innocent, well, pretty innocent antics.

So, the Retro Pic of the (George) Day offers a glimpse back to the RFH bleachers again … with some smiles.

Recognize this crew from the Class of ’79? There’s one gal here who recently came home and married a fellow RFHer who she didn’t know in high school (’cause he was a tad older). He brought her back home to Fair Haven. And they live there again together … happily ever after … or at least smiling like in the old days on those bleachers when they hadn’t even passed by one another in the hallway.

Now that’s a home game.

— Elaine Van Develde

 

RFH to Cheer on Olympian Connor Jaeger

Saturday night’s the night to cheer on Fair Haven-raised Olympian Connor Jaeger at none other than his alma mater, Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH).

Jaeger, who came in first in two swimming categories’ trials (400- and 1,500-meter freestyle), will be going for the gold in Rio de Janeiro in the 1,500 category on Saturday night.

He placed fifth in the 400 in Rio a couple of weeks ago.

All are invited to gather, watch and cheer Jaeger on at RFH’s auditorium at 7 p.m.

This is Jaeger’s second round at the Olympics. He competed four years ago and came in sixth in the 1,500.

Go Connor!

 

Services Set for Former RFH Athletic Director Walter Reiser, 55

Walter Reiser Photo/courtesy of Fiore Funeral Home
Walter Reiser
Photo/courtesy of Fiore Funeral Home

The Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) community is mourning the death of former Athletic Director Walter Reiser.

Reiser died on Saturday at his West Long Branch home surrounded by loved ones, according to his obituary. He was 55.

Services will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. today, Tuesday, at Fiore Funeral Home, Long Branch.

“Huge loss for the RFH community,” said Mary Beth Tukis Coleman on the Fair Haven Facebook page.

Walter Reiser became one of the first full-time athletic trainers in the state when he started at RFH and was named the high school’s athletic director in 1987, his obituary added. A member of Monmouth County Director Athletics Association (MCDAA), he was president for two terms and treasurer over the years. In 2000, he was named  Athletic Director of the Year by the by MCDAA. He retired in 2014.

He was an active member of the Monmouth County Director of Athletics Association, where he served two terms as president and was treasurer for many years. He was recognized by that association as Athletic Director of the Year in 2000.

Known as a dedicated husband, dad and champion of good will and community causes, Reiser was a graduate of Springfield College where he earned a master’s degree in sports medicine.

He is predeceased by: his parents, Anne and Edward Reiser.

He is survived by: his wife of 28 years, Kathy; his two daughters, Emily and Allie; brothers and sisters-in-law, Ed and Terry, Rob and Kathy, Jim and Bea and their families, of Long Island, NY; his sisters-in-law and their families, Debbie and Jeff Bevino, Donna and Mike Melisi and Lisa Urbanowicz and George Salanto, of Connecticut; many cousins, nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews; and many friends.

‘An avid runner all of his life, Walt is lovingly sent home to God by those who love him with the words of St. Paul, ‘having run with endurance he has finished the good race,'” his obituary said.

Following Tuesday’s visitation at Fiore, a funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday at Fiore Funeral Home with a burial following at Woodbine Cemetery, Oceanport.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations in his memory be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital , 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

Remembering RFH’s Mr. Botti

Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) graduates going back several decades are honoring the memory of former RFH math teacher and basketball and baseball coach, Thomas Botti.

Botti passed away in July 6 at what had become his Royal Palm Beach, Florida home in 1999 after retirement, according to his obituary on legacy.com. He was 87 and was laid to rest today at South Florida National Cemetery in Lake Worth, FL.

Botti taught math for more than four decades and was chairman of the Math Department at RFH until the end of his tenure there in addition to coaching freshman baseball and varsity basketball.

“RIP Coach,” said RFH grad Troy Brandon on the Fair Haven Facebook page.

“He was a super teacher and class advisor to the graduationing class of 1963,” said Jacqui Foster Reynoso on the Facebook page.

“I had Mr. Botti for Algebra I in freshman year,”  RFH grad Susan Mapes Zimmermann said. “My only A in mathematics, and I never did much good after that. I liked him very much.”

So, the Retro Pic(s) of the day honor the math teacher and coach with the above shots of Mr. Botti in action coaching and being a department head in the RFH yearbooks of the mid-1970s. Anyone remember who that is in the featured photo with the coach?

RIP, Mr. Botti. Coach. You are remembered.

Some things you may or may not know about Mr. Botti from his obituary …

Botti had a master’s degree in Education from New York University. He also served in the United States Marine Corps for a year, from 1950 to 1951.

He worked summers at Monmouth Park in Oceanport while teaching and became a mutual clerk after retirement. He enjoyed golf and ceramic painting.

Mr. Botti is survived by: his wife, Vivian; daughter, Liz Newsome and son-in-law John Newsome, of Wellington, Fl.; and daughter Cindy Morgan, of Hackensack; grandson, Spencer Morgan, of Montclair; and granddaughters Emily and Katherine Newsome, of Wellington, FL.

 

Focus: RFH Staff Graduation Celebration

After spending four years teaching, disciplining and getting to know more than 200 students, Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School teachers and administrators saw them through the milestone of graduation at Monmouth University Friday night.

And, after the graduation, they gathered to celebrate and toast to the RFH Class of 2016 at Ron’s West End Pub, around the corner from Monmouth. The staff no sooner arrived when a surprise guest, who was an RFH grad himself and saw the class through the years, showed up — former Fair Haven Police Chief Darryl Breckenridge.

Take a look at the photo gallery above for a glimpse into the after-the-graduation celebration. Give each a click to enlarge.

— Elaine Van Develde

Focus: Backstage at RFH Graduation

It’s like the backstage flurry in the moments before a major Broadway production — the prep and anticipation that comes before a high school graduation after years of students growing, learning, stumbling and shining in the spotlight together.

It’s like it was at Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School’s (RFH’s) Class of 2016 graduation on Friday evening at Monmouth University.

Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect was behind the scenes, capturing some of those backstage moments before the major milestone — graduation.

Here’s what we saw … Congratulations to the RFH Class of 2016! 

— Elaine Van Develde

*If you would like to purchase individual photos, the slideshow or both, contact me at [email protected].

 

 

Focus: RFH Art Show

A group of Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) seniors giggled, gossiped, reminisced and complimented one another’s artwork.

It was Wednesday night — the night of the RFH Art Show. It was one of the last events they would attend together as RFH students. Graduation is soon — the end of an era for the Class of 2016.

“You’re graduating soon. Are you going to cry (realizing the end of your high school years)?” asked Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect. “Yes, I think so,” one senior girl said as she blushed and started to get a bit teary eyed. The bittersweet ending sentiment was contagious. “Yeah, we are,” another chimed in with a sad grin, glancing at her friend.

And they put their arms around one another and smiled for a picture.

There were lots of moments like that at the RFH Art Show. And there were students of all grades taking in the art, realizing the end of an era as seniors and the beginning as freshman and everything in between.

The students conveyed their personalities and experiences in various art mediums. Take a look at the gallery below for a glimpse into the evening.

Good luck, RFH seniors!

— Elaine Van Develde