OUTSTANDING ATHLETE

Induction Year: 2016 | Graduation Year: 1999

John Russell “Rusty” Lane was born in Springfield, Ohio to Pete and Rita Lane.

He lived in Enon, Ohio for the first three years of his life, before his family moved to within earshot of Tecumseh’s Spitzer Stadium, and is a 1999 graduate of Tecumseh High School. He is one of 2 children, his younger sister, Emily is a 2002 Tecumseh co-valedictorian.

Throughout his career Rusty excelled in both athletics and academics in high school. At Tecumseh he was a three sport athlete (track, football, and basketball). 

In track, Rusty participated as a senior in order to work on his strength and conditioning in preparation for college football and compete alongside his friends one last time.  He was a reasonably successful discus thrower, usually placing in the smaller meets and occasionally ran the 200 meters and other events. 

In basketball, he dressed for the varsity as a freshman and played extensively for the next 3 years including CBC Championship teams in 1996-97 and 1998-1999 seasons. Rusty was a captain of the 1998-99 team. Rusty was 1st Team CBC his senior year and was selected to play in a Miami Valley all-star game during the summer.

The football field is where he had the most individual and team success.  He saw the field as a freshman for the 1995, 8-2 CBC Championship team and became an offensive starter his sophomore year as a tight-end.  During his junior year, Rusty began to standout as a three-way starter at wide receiver, outside linebacker and punter.  Rusty was honored following his junior football season as 1st Team CBC, Associated Press 2nd Team All-Southwest District, with statistics of 25 receptions for 582 yards; 29 tackles; 3 tackles for loss; 3 recovered fumbles; an interception; and 3 blocked punts.  During his senior season, Rusty was a team captain and rarely left the field, playing wide receiver, defensive end, kicking off, and also punter for the 10-0 1998 CBC Championship Team and first team in Tecumseh history to make the playoffs.  The Arrows graduating in the Class of 1999 had a career record of 32-9.  Rusty’s senior season was decorated with numerous awards such as 1st Team CBC, All-County, All-Area, Associated Press All-Southwest District, Associated Press All-State 2nd Team. Rusty’s individual stats during his senior year included 39 receptions for 738 yards; 9 touchdowns; 72 tackles; 5 tackles for loss; 3 sacks; and 3 blocked punts. Rusty also set Tecumseh records for receiving yards and touchdowns in a season.  Rusty’s career statistics include 72 receptions; 1450 receiving yards; 109 tackles, 8 tackles for loss; 3 sacks; 4 recovered fumbles; 6 blocked punts; and Rusty was also a 4 year Iron Man award winner. These accolades and statistics were enough to garner attention of college coaches ranging from Akron to Yale. 

Rusty was also a standout in the classroom. Rusty’s combined academic and athletic success created an opportunity for him to attend Yale University as a member of their historic football program.  Rusty was a member of the 1999 Ivy League Championship team and in 2000 when a decisive 42-6 victory over University of Dayton to became the first college football team to reach 800 wins (as of the end of the 2016 regular season Yale is 2nd all-time with 890 followed by Ohio State in 5th with 879 wins). Rusty played defensive end, kicker and punter on the JV squad his freshman year and proved he could still catch the football by returning an interception for a touchdown and recovering his own onside kick against Harvard. After changing positions to the offensive side of the ball during the spring, Rusty again scored a receiving touchdown in a JV game his sophomore year, as well as recovering his own onside kick in two games that season. 

After sustaining and aggravating a neck injury, Rusty made the difficult decision to give up his football career during the summer leading in to his junior year of college. This opened up his schedule to work part-time in the Yale University Development Office, become the treasurer of his fraternity, and stay involved with Yale Athletics by working for the Event Staff setting up or keeping score at basketball, baseball, crew, golf, gymnastics, lacrosse, and track and field events.  

Rusty graduated in 2004 from Yale University with a BA in Political Science. Rusty began his career in Chicago, before applying to law school.  Rusty began dating his future wife, Lindsay, in Chicago prior to beginning law school at University of Cincinnati.  After one year in Cincinnati, Rusty choose to transfer to Depaul University in Chicago where he completed his law degree.

Rusty and Lindsay were married in Dallas, Texas. After their son, Stone, was born they decided to move from Chicago to Texas. They spent one last summer in Chicago before migrating south in the fall of 2013.  Rusty began work at a mid-sized law firm in downtown Dallas continuing his career as an attorney concentrating on real estate transactions including development of senior living centers and medical office buildings as well as other various legal transactions.  

After college, Rusty has stayed active by participating in multiple flag football, basketball, volleyball and softball leagues in Chicago, Cincinnati, and Dallas.  He has also taken up recreational running and participated in many charity runs while in Chicago and two half-marathons in Texas.  He has also developed an interest in hunting and other outdoor pursuits.

Outside of the office, Rusty enjoys his most important job, raising his children, Stone (now 4) and Piper (2 years) with Lindsay. The Lane family currently resides in Dallas and Rusty is honored to become a member of the Tecumseh Athletic Hall of Fame. All of his achievements would have not been possible if it had not been for all of the wonderful support and dedication of the coaches, teachers, and administrators here at Tecumseh Local Schools and of course his parents and family.