Fever Announcer Has Dual Roles

The former Jane Calhoun was a standout player at Tipton High School where she posted more than 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in her career helping her to become an Indiana All-Star in 1987. She then went on to play at Purdue University where she was an academic All-American.

After graduating from Purdue, she became a teacher and coach. She is currently a chemistry teacher and girls varsity basketball coach at Harrison High School in Lafayette. But that's just her day job.

She moonlights as a radio color commentator for Purdue women's home games and for the Indiana Fever.

She also provided analysis for WHMB-TV Channel 40's broadcast of all four high school girls state finals beginning with the Class A state championship between Tri-Central and Washington Catholic at 10:30 this morning.

Coach Kathie Layden's sixth-ranked Lady Trojans are looking for their second straight state championship.

"I must admit it's kind of strange," Schott said of covering her old high school rival Tri-Central. "I stopped by and got a tape from Kathie (Thursday) and had a real nice conversation with her. Obviously, I have a little special interest in TC and I want to make sure I do a good job.

"It will be a little strange with my background. But, with class basketball, it's a little different. It brings back some memories but it will be a little different since they are playing for Class A state championship."

While going through school, Schott had not thought about broadcasting. Upon graduating from Purdue, she taught and coached at Glenbrook North in Chicago. She then elected to return to Purdue and attend graduate school.

At that time, she was dating Tom Schott, who is the Sports Information Director at Purdue. It was while in grad school that the Purdue women's radio network came calling.

"Never," Schott replied when asked if she had ever considered a career in broadcasting. "I think more than anything - obviously I was dating Tom and came back to grad School and in area - my name was thrown out because I was an ex-player and they needed a sub. Tim Newton (Purdue's play-by-play man) did games when I was playing. I tried it and loved it. It was fun. And, Tim and I had pretty good chemistry."

She began her radio broadcasting career in 1995 as a fill-in for then regular color commentator Nancy Cross.

"As she got more involved with the John Purdue Club and other activities, I stepped in," Jane said. She did half the games and I did half." Schott now does the majority of the games.

"Every year, I miss about three Purdue women's games because of my games at Harrison," she said. "It's always the same three games. I haven't seen a home Penn State game in the last three years. I also miss one over Christmas because we are in a holiday tournament, and then one more."

The opportunity to do the Indiana Fever games came from doing the Purdue women's games.

"Tim Newton suggested I put my name in," Schott said. "One of the reasons I didn't get the full-time job was because I had no television experience and they wanted someone with TV experience.

"When they (Fever broadcasts) first started five years ago, I the backup for the first couple of years. When the Fever had TV games, they would take the radio people to do TV and the backups to do the radio.

"I did eight games the first year 10 games the second year," Schott continued. "I became full-time the last couple of years."

It keeps her very busy, but she doesn't mind.

"I love it," Schott exclaimed. "It's like my hobby. I don't have any hobbies, so this is my hobby. I love watching basketball. To be able to sit and talk about it is a great thing.

"It's also less stressful than being a coach. Covering the games have been enjoyable experiences."

Her recent appearance on WHMB was not her first exposure to television.

"I actually did a couple of TV games for the Fever," Schott said. " I'm looking forward to transferring over from the radio. In some respects TV is easier because people can see the game, which makes my job a little less important. It's a little different when someone's looking at you, less pressure."

Not only is Schott a wife, teacher, coach and broadcaster, she's also a mother to two sons, August and Sam. August will turn 5 in Sept. and Sam turns a year old next week. And basketball is a way of life for all the Schotts.

"Sam likes it just as much or more than August," Jane said. "August really likes to come and cheer for the Raiders. I enjoy looking up in stands and seeing them.

"But the best thing above all - I take it seriously and try to win - but if we don't, the boys are there to give me a hug afterwards."

It's a big help that the Fever games are in the summer as Tom Schott is not quite as busy with his job.

"They have Spring football and after that he has a little downtime until August," Jane said. "With he and I in our jobs, we work together well. We go from one thing to the next. It's difficult but it's nice to have somebody who understands my job and I understand his job. I don't know that I could do as much as I do and have the understanding from someone - unless he was involved in sports - that this is what I have to do."

Although she enjoys the classroom, taking after her father Fred who was a chemistry and physics teacher at Tipton, and coaching, she has thought about what it would be like to be a broadcaster full-time.

"It's crossed my mind," Schott said. "I love my teaching, I love my coaching. There's no doubt I feel very connected to what I'm doing at my high school. But there is the allure of broadcasting. It's pretty easy, involves less work and more money. All that draws me to it. But it comes back to if I did that full-time I would travel a lot and that would mean less time with my family."

But it's something she may consider when the boys are older.

"Sometimes I feel I'm a better broadcaster than coach," Schott said. "It something I haven't had to work hard at to do a pretty good job. Coaching I have to work hard at.

"But, one reason I coach high school is I'm very busy with basketball, but I can drag my boys with me and still feel like a family."

(This story is republished by permission of the Tipton (IN) Tribune.)