SPORTS WRITINGby Rea Stevens and Nhuj Pascua

TomasinoWeb

The official online publication and student organization of the University of Santo Tomas

QUALITIES OF A GOOD SPORTS WRITER

Must know sports: rules, strategy, team and players’ records.

Must attend the games or meets as a reporter, not as a spectator or cheerer.

Must know coaches and players as intimately as possible.

Must observe accuracy. Must be able to take notes quickly without

losing the sequence of the play. Must be fair in reporting even though he/she

has a favorite team.

QUALITIES OF A GOOD SPORTS WRITER

Must not make comments without supporting them with facts on which they are based.

Must use the specialized language of the particular sport that he/she is reporting.

Must bear in mind that he/she writes for his/her readers and not for himself/herself.

TYPES OF SPORTS STORIES

1. The advance story is sometimes called dope or prognostication; builds up enthusiasm for coming events. There are three types:

Straight news story Background story Prediction story

TYPES OF SPORTS STORIES

2. The coverage story is the on-the-spot coverage of the game or an event.

3. The advance-coverage story includes the information of a coming event as the first part of the story and the information on the past event as the last part of the story.

WRITING THE SPORTS STORY

The Lead The classic 5 Ws appear in the sports lead as:

a. Who won?b. Against whom?c. By what score?d. Where?e. When?

The lead can also dramatize other elements like:a. The key playb. The outstanding playersc. Analytical Approach – the outcome of the game is the

result of a particular key play or action

WRITING THE SPORTS STORY

The Body After the lead, the other elements follow in

descending order. These will include:1. Team and/or individual standing – If the event is

part of the series of games, the story must report how the teams or players stand in relation to their competitors.

2. Decisive play – This is the most crucial part of the game that gives a certain team the winning margin

3. Best scores of the day – The scores usually appear in the headline and in the lead. However, the writer must not neglect the top scorer of the day.

WRITING THE SPORTS STORY

4. Play-by-play – Due to limited space, play-by-play has to be condensed.

5. Quotation – It is customary for the hero of the day to have his sentiments recorded for posterity.

Note: A story carrying all these ingredients is the interpretation type.

WRITING THE SPORTS STORY

Suggested Pointers1. The score or outcome – Who won? That of

course is the point of the story. Even if the game should end with a tie, with a riot, or be called off on account of rain, the outcome is still important.

2. The significance of the outcome – Was a championship at stake? Do the standings of the teams change? Who gets the cup? Is the grudge wiped out?

3. Highlights of the game – Find the turning point of the game. Describe spectacular plays. Tell about last-minute fumble, or the last three-second basket from midcourt if it were a basketball game.

WRITING THE SPORTS STORY

4. Comparison of the teams – Which was the better team? Was the defending champion out-jumped on the rebound? Who did better from the foul line? In what department were the losers weak?

5. Individual stars – Who are they? What did they do to become heroes of the game?

6. Weather conditions – Mud, sunshine, heat, cold, or wind may have a bearing on the game.

7. Crowd and celebration – Don’t forget the spectators. Was it a record crowd? How did the spectators behave? Were they particularly hostile to the referee?