Anello to receive DelVal’s Distinguished American Award
Whether it was as a player and later as a teacher, a coach and an administrator, Ron Anello did it all with an undying passion and a determination to make every tomorrow an even better day.
It is those qualities that have allowed the Delaware Valley Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame to make Anello and easy choice for the Robert F. Casciola Distinguished American Award.
Joining Anello on the dais will be the GridIron Social Group that will be receiving the George O’Gorman Contribution to Amateur Football Award.
The awards will be presented at the Chapter’s 62nd Annual George Wah ScholarLeader-Athlete Awards Dinner Distinguished Service Award.
The dinner is March 10 and begins at 2 p.m. at Princeton Marriott at Forrestal. Scholarleader-athletes from 20 schools in Burlington, Mercer, Monmouth and Ocean counties are being honored with $1,000 scholarships. For dinner/ticket information contact Steve Tuckerson at 609-2024166 or email delval.nffhf@ gmail.com.
Anello has spent a lifetime in high school athletics as a highly successful coach at West Essex, and Clifton and he has been the Athletic Director at Wallkill Valley and Ramapo.
Anello, who is a Trenton State College graduate (now The College of New Jersey), is currently as Assistant Coach at Montclair and also serving as the Interim Athletic Director.
He is a Montclair High alumnus.
“It’s very flattering, I’m so honored to be included among the people who have won this award before,’’ said Anello, at the Chapter’s Media Day. “It’s a tremendous honor for me. I’m very grateful and humbled.’’
Whether it was as a teacher, a coach or an administrator, for Anello it was never a job.
“Being around the kids keeps you young,’’ said Anello. “They keep you on your toes and they keep you thinking and I really enjoy that. I tell the young kids all the time, I’ve never worked a day in my life.’’
The GridIron Social Group is another group that is always working to give back.
The Group is comprised of former TSC/TCNJ gridders that either played or coached at the school.
This philanthropic group continues to give back to the game and helps promote the Academic and Leadership qualities that go along with preparing and competing in football on the field.
During the year, the group raises funds by reuniting to be able to present scholarships to young people in the name of their former teammates and coaches. Since our beginning, we now have 12 scholarships that go to Scholar/Leader/Athletes across New Jersey recognizing not only their athletic ability, but also their academic excellence and work in the community.
The impetus for the group started on Oct. 4, 2014, when former Lions Coach Robert E. Salois passed away.
This was a man who was a football coach, baseball coach, golf coach and a professor in the Health and Physical Education Department at Trenton State College during his tenure.
Shortly after the passing of Salois, Dr. Joe Herzstein, a TSC Hall of Famer, Health and Physical Education professor, and a coach on the Football coaching staff, also passed.
As time has moved on, the Group continues to host a golf outing and a Winter Gathering to raise funds for scholarships not only for Coach Salois and Coach (Joe) Herzstein, but also for several other Lion players on a yearly basis. Many of these scholarships are through the National Football Foundation Chapters in New Jersey. The Delaware Valley Chapter is the home of many of these honored men.
The Group, however, is not about the money it raises but about relationships. They pride themselves on making the time to enjoy the comraderies while renewing friendships that span over the years since they played. What the game of football has taught them is that time goes on and the opportunities to play, share and enjoy are becoming fewer and fewer. It is with that spirit that the Group continues to keep the memories of what the game did for them alive.
Other Chapter Award winners include Florence High retiring coach Joe Frappolli and wife Donna (Distinguished Service Award), Peter Vaspory (Jack Millard Officials Award), the Bordentown Bulldogs Connor Peters (Little Scholar), Devin DeFrance (Eunice Kennedy Shriver Champion), Joe O’Gorman (Tony Persichilli Meritorious Service Award), Jalen Travis (Judge Arthur Lane/Princeton University Scholar-Leader-Athlete) and Jacob Maurice (Earl H. Dean/The College of New Jersey Scholar-Leader-Athlete).
The Scholar-Leader-Athlete seniors from each school being honored are Allentown’s Luke Wiedau, Bordentown’s Myles Hansford, Ewing’s Tyler Seaton, Florence’s John Paul Dunphy, Hamilton West’s Connor Mooney, Hightstown’s Yasin Elhossieni, Hopewell Valley’s Nathan Tewell, Hun’s Dillon Bucchere, Lawrence’s Jaiveer Sunda, Lawrenceville’s Jack Rice, New Egypt’s Carter Hughes, Notre Dame’s John Beacham, Nottingham’s Antonio Martinez, Peddie’s Jackson Boone, Pennington’s John Thomas Shamsey, Princeton’s Evan Pease, Robbinsville’s Sebastian Leigh, Steinert’s Michael Rizzo, Trenton’s Damon Jennings and West WindsorPlainsboro’s Ryan Beske.
It’s people like Anello and the cast of the GridIron Social Group that have made this a very special event.