Graduating on time in spring, Ohio State women’s basketball senior point guard Jamie Lewis is a snow and winter skier, an intern for the radio station WNCI and that’s only what she does in her spare time.Lewis, from Southeast Ohio, said that before basketball, her favorite winter passtime was snow skiing. “I have been skiing all my life.” The three-year letter winner competed in the “Nastar” competitions during her grade-school years, which she described as sort of a junior Olympics. Lewis competed in the slalom event during the competitions, and continues to ski when she can find time.When she was 10 years old, basketball took over full time, but Lewis thinks she could still pursue skiing. “I think I would’ve had to move closer to a ski resort, but you know I have that option too, maybe, pursue skiing and things like that,” Lewis said. Dan Lewis, Jamie’s father, said basketball all started in their family’s backyard when Jamie was in the third grade. The next door neighbor saw Jamie and her father playing on the backyard basketball court, and she came over to see Jamie shoot. Lewis’ father handed her the ball and Lewis shot. Jamie’s father said the coach then knew Lewis was special. “She said ‘I coach basketball… That girl is going somewhere,'” he said. Lewis began playing Amateur Athletic Union basketball every summer, which was somewhat of a strain on her parents. “One of us would drive her two hours to practice every Saturday, all summer long,” Dan Lewis said.But all the traveling was paying off as Lewis’ AAU team went to the national competitions consistently, winning it when she was 12, with pretty much the same team through Jamie’s AAU career. Dan Lewis said that the team’s success made the family travel plans for the Lewis’ every summer. “As a family we would make it our vacation to go to whatever part of the country she would play in,” he said.When Jamie arrived at OSU, she was the only guard not injured on the roster and averaged an amazing 38.2 minutes per game, as well as being the only Buckeye to start every game. Lewis said it was a great learning experience. “I think I learned a lot of different situations through a lot of experiences that have carried over year by year,” Lewis said. “I learned a lot mentally about the game.”Coach Beth Burns first saw Jamie as an extremely emotional player four years ago, and she said nothing has changed. “Jamie came in emotional and confident, and nothing has changed. She is still as confident as ever,” she said. Lewis is one of only six Buckeyes not to be injured this season, but her career has not been without its hardships. As a junior in high school, Lewis tore her right anterior cruciate ligament, and between her sophomore and junior years at OSU, she torn her left ACL.Her first knee injury occurred in a scrimmage before the start of her junior season, and her father said that Jamie knew what it would take for her to get back to playing condition. “After the surgery was over, everything the doctor told her to do she did and more,” Dan Lewis said. The co-captain said that the second time around was a little easier to come back from. “I knew what to expect, so I knew I would come back,” she said. “The second time, you’re more confident.”Jamie, who had offers from such schools as Stanford University, said that it was not only important for her, but for those around her to stay close to home. The senior guard is from nearby Oak Hill, Ohio, which is located about two hours southeast of Columbus, making her college transition easier. “I’m very close to my family and I wanted to give back to the community for what they gave me,” Lewis said.Her father, who along with his wife, hasn’t missed one of Jamie’s college games, said it’s important for Jamie that they are able to experience her career with her. “Win or lose, if it’s by yourself, it’s not worth much,” he said.Through the season, which started off very promising, but has been devastated by injuries, Lewis still attained a record that was once thought to be unreachable. The senior point guard broke OSU’s all-time career assist record Feb. 11 against Purdue. She surpassed Yvette Angel’s 16-year-old record of 562 assists, and now sits alone with 580 assists.Sophomore forward Courtney Coleman, who has had to take over the inside scoring reigns since LaToya Turner went down, said that Jamie has been what has held the team together. “She is the leader, the captain, she is the point guard and everybody looks for her to be the leader on the court,” Coleman said.Her father has seen his daughter grow up since coming to OSU, and said she has learned to handle the fact that her parents aren’t always there. “We’ve always been there for her, but now she has to pack her own clothes when they go on the road instead of her mother,” Dan Lewis said jokingly. Between basketball practices, games and school, Lewis doesn’t have much time for anything else. However, Lewis is feeling out opportunities of a possible career. Lewis has been interning at WNCI this quarter for the widely known morning show, “The Morning Zoo.” She has been doing a lot more than just getting coffee. “I record traffic for them in the mornings, write bits and perform them or anything else they need me to do,” Lewis said.Next quarter Lewis will get to test her broadcasting skills, as she will be interning for WBNS-10TV.The multi-talented Lewis hasn’t quite pinned down what she would like to do for a career. She said she would like to either go into radio, do morning shows or go into broadcasting as a basketball analyst. But listening to her talk, there is no telling what is in store for her. “There are a lot of routes and options that I could take,” Lewis said.Lewis has not quite ruled out continuing to play basketball either in the United States or overseas. “If I have the chance to play basketball professionally, I would pursue that opportunity,” Lewis said.