Lane graduated from Northfield High School in 1974, where he played football, basketball and competed in track and field. He received high-caliber coaching from Dick Lemming, Mark Coppler and was positively influenced by the summer AAU track meets at Northfield in the late 1960s. There, he saw the likes of Larry Highbaugh, Mike Hanna and Northfield state high jump champion Gary Haupert. While attending Purdue and student teaching at West Lafayette Junior High, Lane volunteered to coach football and track at West Lafayette High School. After one year coaching at Lebanon, he was back at West Lafayette as an assistant coach in football and track. In the 1981-1982 school year, he took over head coaching duties in track, a position he continues to hold. In 1997, he took over girls head coaching duties and also continues in that position.