HANNAH STORM: Covering All Bases

Since Hannah Storm debuted with NBC in June, she has been part of the network’s coverage of Wimbledon, co-hosted its late-night Olympics studio show and is now co-host of its “Notre Dame Saturday” football pregame show.

To viewers with cable, Storm is hardly a new face, having worked three years at CNN. Storm, a graduate of Notre Dame, spent time at stations in South Bend, Ind., Corpus Christi, Tex., Houston and Charlotte, N.C., before joining CNN.

Sports was also a key part of her life as a youth: Her father, Mike Storen, was general manager of the Kentucky Colonels of the old American Basketball Assn., and later served as the league’s commissioner.

Storm discussed her career and goals with Times Staff Writer Steven Herbert.

Why did you decide to get into this business?

Because I’m a ham. When I was in high school, I participated in plays and I really found I liked performing. I think television is a great way to vent those tendencies. When I was a freshman in college, I decided to go into television sports, because I had grown up with sports and was very comfortable with it.

How did it help to have a father in the sports business?

Just to the extent that it got to be very comfortable in the sporting arena. I’m comfortable around athletes because huge people like Artis Gilmore and Dan Issel (players on the Kentucky Colonels) would come over to our house.

I have a nice overall interest and knowledge of the sports business because my father was in it. Because my father was in a lot of different situations, I tend to see all parts of the picture and not be overwhelmingly judgmental.

I realize it is hard to generalize about something like this, but what is it like to interview athletes?

I think it is difficult to be interviewed. I can sympathize with what the athlete is going through. It can’t be easy to have someone asking you the same questions over and over. It takes quite a bit of patience.

What I try to do beyond the things you have to ask them is to try to go beyond the obvious. The key to interviewing an athlete is to listen to what they say and don’t just be thinking of what you’ll ask them next.

Some athletes are wonderful to interview, some don’t like to be interviewed, some just won’t talk, but by and large, most professional athletes and athletes at the college level are very good.

What are the most enjoyable interviews that you have done?

(Former Philadelphia Phillies third baseman) Mike Schmidt, (the late football player) Lyle Alzado and (stock car driver) Richard Petty. They were honest and took time out for me. All three of those guys made an effort to do an interview and spend time with me.

Not a whole lot of women cover NASCAR, and Richard Petty treated me with a lot of respect. Lyle Alzado was really candid when I interviewed him in 1988.

I remember I was being given sort of a hard time trying to come into the locker room and Mike Schmidt came into a little waiting area and spent a few minutes with me. I just remember he was really polite.

(Houston Oilers quarterback) Warren Moon used to conduct all his interviews like that. I didn’t like going into locker rooms when I first started, and he used to conduct his entire press conference outside the locker room, because he knew I wasn’t comfortable going in. I thought that was really classy.

I love interviewing these college kids. They are bright, honest and polite. It’s just been a delight because they haven’t been spoiled by anything.

What’s it like to be back at your alma mater on a regular basis?

It’s nice. I helps (to have gone there) because I know what to expect from the fans. The fans are quite wild. They chant at me the entire time I’m on the air, calling out my name, but I sort of chuckle to myself because that’s exactly the way I was.

I feel really comfortable at Notre Dame, but being back there has made me feel rather old. Kids ask when did I graduate and when I say, “1983,” they say, “Wow, way back then, huh.”

What are your favorite sports?

I love NBA basketball. Growing up, I was always around basketball and throughout my career I’ve been around basketball. My first big job was doing the pre- and postgame shows with the Houston Rockets. Then, when I went to Charlotte, that was the first year of the Charlotte Hornets. I also did a basketball show on CNN. Basketball is something I just have a love for.

I’m having a wonderful time doing college football. I think college football is great. The Olympic sports like track and field, figure skating and diving are really special.

In sports casting, you learn to appreciate other sports. I never reported a lot on baseball, other than the Houston Astros, until I got to CNN. Then I did a baseball show and fell in love with baseball. When I was in Charlotte, I got to really like stock-car racing.

There’s really no sport I don’t like.

What are your goals professionally?

NBC has given me some great assignments, but what I’d like to do is be the studio host of a major sports program. I definitely am comfortable with that and would like that.

Later on down the road, I would like to do some play-by-play. There is just so much opportunity out there. I’m getting great experience now and the possibilities are unlimited.

The “Notre Dame Saturday” pregame show airs Saturday at 10 a.m. before the Notre Dame-Boston College game on NBC.