Anne Montgomery went from being one of the first female TV sports casters at ESPN to a long time sports official, Title I teacher, foster mum to five, and award-winning author.

In this episode of the David Watson Podcast, we dive into the messy, funny, painful, and beautiful reality of second chances and reinvention.

We talk about what it was really like for a woman on SportsCenter in the 80s and 90s, working as the only female official on football fields and baseball diamonds, living between Phoenix and St Croix in the US Virgin Islands, and how losing her TV career led her into classrooms, foster care, and novels about war, cults, and trauma.

We also get personal about my own journey: court, bankruptcy, community service, head injury rehab work, and how both of us discovered meaning through helping other people when our original plans fell apart.

If you’re into stories of resilience, women in sports media, teaching, foster care, and the creative life, this one’s for you.

What we cover in this conversation:

– Life in St Croix and Phoenix

– Breaking into sports broadcasting when women “didn’t do that”

– ESPN, ageism, and being told she was “too old” for TV

– Forty years as a sports official in football and baseball

– Being the only woman on the field and in the newsroom

– Punctuality, discipline, and why being late really is disrespectful

– Hitting rock bottom after TV and facing depression

– The Vietnam veteran umpire who changed how she saw her life

– Teaching in a Title I school and discovering real hardship

– Becoming a foster mum to five former students

– Dyslexia, learning to read late, and still becoming an author

– Writing about World War II, religious cults, and trauma

– How to handle criticism, bad reviews, and online comments

– Second chances, stubborn pride, and finding purpose in unexpected work

About Anne Montgomery

Anne Montgomery is a former ESPN SportsCenter anchor, long-time sports official (football, baseball, ice hockey, soccer, basketball), retired high school teacher, foster mum, and author of multiple novels including historical fiction and contemporary stories inspired by real events.

Find Anne here: Website: https://annemontgomerywriter.com/