The love of basketball has been a staple of Jamie Stangel’s life since she was a little girl. Coming from a family of athletes, Stangel recalled the first player that inspired her to pick up a basketball.
“I’m the youngest of three children,” Stangel said. “I have two older brothers, and my dad played football at Notre Dame, so my family was really into sports. I started because I wanted to do whatever they did. There was this player named Stephanie White, and she was amazing. She went to this small high school and ended up breaking all the scoring records in the State of Indiana for girls basketball. I got to see her play once and I wanted to be just like her.”
From 2002-2006, Stangel was a shooting guard for Valparaiso University (VU) women’s basketball team. Her passion for basketball was driven by the competition that was presented to her. Playing in games that meant something were the driving force of her playing days.
“I loved being competitive,” Stangel said. “I loved playing in games that meant something. I’d get so excited and filled with adrenaline when we’d play those kinds of games. Being on a team and having that comradery with my teammates were things I cherished too.”
After her playing career was over, Stangel did not shy away from the sports world. Stangel has been a commentator for VU’s women’s basketball team for the past four seasons. The adjustments she made from playing to commentating is a little more complicated than one would assume.
“There’s definitely a lot more preparation for commentating than playing,” Stangel said. “The people who do the play-by-play are amazing, there’s definitely an art to it. Especially because you’re relaying what’s happening on the court to those watching or listening. I do more color commentary, where I analyze what’s happening and point out what’s going on through your own playing or coaching experiences.”
Outside of commentating, Stangel teaches undergrad sports management and graduate sports administration at VU. Her time teaching has been greatly helped by her previous experiences as a coach and player. Stangel is in her eighth year of teaching. Seeing how motivated and driven her students are is what puts a smile on her face while in the classroom.
“You see a lot of determination and care when you’re in a classroom like mine,” Stangel said. “They care so much and work so hard to succeed. You see this when teaching kids at the college level. They want to be there, and they want to learn how to be successful. It’s not like high school where students are required to be there. They’re very engaged and actively participating in the classroom. I love talking to them and hearing their perspectives on things. They continuously amaze me with their knowledge.”
When not commentating or teaching, Stangel spends time with her three children. Her two oldest children are beginning to participate in sports. Her husband coaches basketball at Andrean High School and enjoys following his team around and cheering at their games.