After 15 years as Jericho’s athletic director, John Mankowich is retiring from his role in June.
“I love my years here,” he said. “I love the people I work with.”
Mankowich joined the district 15 years ago as the athletic director, but that’s not the only leadership role he’s held since then.
For three years, he said he served as a high school assistant principal in addition to his role as the athletic director. Makowich said he drew on his experience as a middle school assistant principal at the Sachem School District before his time in Jericho.
He said his experience in academic administration has helped him in his current role because he understood what students went through during the day before athletic practices began.
Mankowich has also served as the Nassau wrestling chairman for the past six years and has been a member for 15.
Mankowich said that many of the district’s programs have flourished in his time at Jericho, but the soccer program stands out to him.
“We’ve won four state championships during my 15 years,” he said.
Mankowich said the boy’s soccer team earned three consecutive state titles from 2011-2013, and another title in 2019. He said the 2019 team won their county championship game against Garden City with just three seconds left in the game and finished the season fifth in the country.
But more than individual sports or title victories, Mankowich said, the students and staff are hardworking no matter the sport.
“We have some great coaches and great kids,” he said. “We just try to make sure that we provide our kids with every avenue of success that we can.”
The sports program has been expanded in recent years, including the introduction of the flag football team this year.
At the end of this school year, Mankowich said he will be moving to State College, the town surrounding Penn State University. His wife is a college alumna, and two of his children are currently enrolled at the school.
Next year, Mankowich will start his role as assistant athletic director at a high school near Penn State. Throughout his career, Mankowich said he’s served as athletic director for 18 years across different districts, and he is excited to step into an assistant role.
“I still want to do something, so this is a great situation for me,” he said.
