sports-writing lessons for aspiring sports writers

Sports writing

1. Sports Writing
Mark John Diocado
Sports Writer, Editor, Layout Artist,
Rizal Skylarks

2. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

3. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
HUGOT OR NOT
“Angsports writers ay
mapaglaro, o mahilig
paglaruan?”

4. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
HUGOT OR NOT
“Angsports writers ay
mapaglaro, o mahilig
paglaruan?”
Sports writers would love to witness
games, they also love to explore
sporting events, not just one but
various sports

5. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
HUGOT OR NOT
“Angsports writers ay
stick-to-one”

6. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
HUGOT OR NOT
“Angsports writers ay
hindistick-to-one”
In journalistic sports writing bawal
angstick-to-one. You have to have
knowledge on various sporting events
kung anoangbinigaydapatalammo.

7. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
HUGOT OR NOT
“Angsports writers
laginalang
nag-aadjust”

8. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
HUGOT OR NOT
“Angsports writers
laginalangnag-
aadjust”
Dapatmarunongkangmag-adjust sa
sports environment, kahitanonglaro
man, live game man or video

9. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
HUGOT OR NOT
“Angsports writing ay
parang
pagmumove-on,
Mahirapsaumpisapero
sahulimakakasanayan
mona”

10. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
HUGOT OR NOT
“Angsports writing ay parang
pagmumove-on,
Mahirapsaumpisaperosahuli
makakasanayan mona”
As beginning sports writers, you might find
it hard to cope up with sports jargons, with
the structure, with the play-by-play pero
makakasanayan morin

11. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
HUGOT OR NOT
“Angsports writers ay
sanaymaghintay”

12. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
HUGOT OR NOT
“Angsports writers ay
sanaymaghintay”
Sa pressconlagitalaganghintayanang
sports kung anonglaroang
ico-cover mo, madalashulipa sa
schedule haha

13. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Sports writing vs. News writing
•Both use similar types of leads: feature angle
or news peg.
•Both look for the most interest-compelling
facts.
•Both writers write the body of the story, add
an acceptable lead and then present the
dominant facts in order of their importance.
•Writing about sports is more colorful, less
formal than news writing.
•Sports writing is faster paced and more lively.

14. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
STRUCTURE OF A SPORTS NEWS
HEADLINE
Par. Supporting the lead
Quote from the star player
Play-by-play
supporting the lead
Play-by-play of the
last quarter
Play-by-play of
the 3rd quarter
Play-by-
play
Lead

15. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Inverted pyramid counts for sports writers, too
• Don’t let what you’ve learned about news writing
disappear. Sportswriters also make use of the “5-Wives and 1
Husband” in determining the summary of the Lead Paragraph.
–Inverted pyramid presents details and facts in descending order
of importance.
•The “Who” represents the team or player; the “What” is the
event, the tournament, the outcome; the “When” –is the date;
the “Where” is the place the game is held; and the “Why and
How” describe and explain the other relevant details in the
game.
•

16. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
LEAD
1. Who won? Sino angnanalo?
2. How did they win? Paanonanalo?
3. Against whom? Laban kanino?
4. By what score? Anoangiskor?
5.Where?Saan?
6. When? Kailan?
TheTorresHighSchoolQuintet(1)poured10
basketsinthelastthreeminutes(2)toedge
outtheOsmenians (3)65-63(4)atthe
opponents homeground (5)yesterday
afternoon(6).

17. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
The Sports Leads
Thomas Morrison won the first three rounds of the scheduled 12-
round fight,
scoring mostly with overhand rights and jabs to capture the World Boxing
Organization Middleweight title at the packed MGM Grand Arena in Las
Vegas yesterday. (Boxing)
American David Wheaton beat compatriot Michael Chang in straight
sets (6-3, 7-6) to advance to the US Open men’s finals yesterday. (Tennis)
Iran took the first gold medal at the 9” Asian Track and Field
Championship yesterday as HamidSadjadiwon the 3,000 meter steeple
chase in eight minutes 33.89 seconds. (Athletics)
A 10-man Bulgarian side held-off Paraguay in the dying minutes to
come away with a goalless draw in their World Cup opener yesterday.
(Football)

18. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
TYPES OF LEADS
BEST PLAYER LEAD
•Example:
StephenCurryscoredacareerhigh41
points,including17assists,tohelpthe
GoldenStateWarriorsdefeattheCleaveland
Cavaliers,114-99,intheNationalBasketball
Association(NBA)finalgameSunday.

19. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
TYPES OF LEADS
•BEST PLAY LEAD
•Example:
• Joe Johnson scored on a tough fade-
away with one second left to tie the score in
regulation and another jumper in overtime to
lead the Brooklyn Nets defeat the Phoenix
Suns in the National Basketball Association
game Sunday.

20. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
TYPES OF LEADS
•BEST RUN LEAD
•Example:
• NeversaydieUniversityoftheEast
wipedouta10-pointdeficitinthefourth
quarterandsnatcheda68-66victoryoverLa
SalletostayaliveintheraceforaFinalFour
berthinUAAPSeason77men’sbasketball
tournamentyesterdayattheSmartAraneta
Coliseum.

21. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
•If in doubt, stick to simple words
•The search for emphatic and strong words should not be
done to sacrifice simple but appropriate words such as
“win” and “defeat”.
•
•Ex. Using three consecutive punches, NonitoDonaire, a
slender man from the Philippinesravagedthe defenseless
Jorge Arce, a fiery fellow from Mexico via knockout victory
held at Houston, Texas on December 15.
•Banking on heavy punches and tricky strategy, Donaire
knocked down Arcethree times in three rounds of action on
their tight match.”

22. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Modifier overload
Overwhelming power of Thailand
Thailand exhibited an extra-ordinary skills
against China to clinched the victory in Volleyball
semifinals in Bangkok, Thailand yesterday.
At the start of the astonishing game, Thailand
disported a brain-sucking placing and electrifying
strategies and that’s the key to break the defense of
China.
• They unleashed devastating explosive bomb
shots.

23. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Discard unnecessary phrases; avoid exaggeration
•Simplify your sentence. Phrases that do not add
thoughts and those that tend to exaggerate must be
discarded.
•Ex.
Chris Lutz produced an MVP-like performance as he
unleashedfifteen points and six rebounds to help Petron Blaze
Boosters galvanizedRain or Shine ElastoPainters and
fashioning out a96-86 squeakerin the Philippine Basketball
Association (PBA) Philippine Cup held at the sold outSmart
AranetaColiseum on Nov. 14.
•Better:
• Chris Lutz produced 15 points and six
rebounds to help Petron Blaze Boosters beat Rain
or Shine ElastoPainters 96-86 in the PBA
Philippine Cup at the AranetaColiseum yesterday.

24. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Keep it short. Keep track of the total word count of
each paragraph. This will help you maintain the
overall readability of your story.
•Ex.
• It just took a very short time for the Filipino Flash Nonito
Donaireto work it all out as he scored two knockdowns in the
second round to tarnishthe Mexican boxer Jorge Arceand
retain his World Boxing Organization Super –Bantamweight
crown at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas yesterday.
•Better: (After eliminating the verbal deadwood)
• Nonito“the Filipino Flash” Donairescored two
knockdowns in the second round to beat Jorge Arceand
retain his WBO Super Bantamweight crown at the Toyota
Center in Houston, Texas, yesterday.

25. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
HEADLINE
•USUAL HEADLINE
Winner (no moniker) –Verb (should describe the win) –Losing team
Ateneorepulses La Salle
Gilas annihialatesMalaysia
Murray edges Djokovic

26. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
HEADLINE
•MODIFIED HEADLINE
Winner (no moniker) –Verb (should describe the win) –Losing team –
Phrase Modifier (tournament)
Ocampothwarts Santos in Taekwondo
Dan wallops Wei in Badminton
South Korea stuns Gilas in FIBA Semis

27. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
HEADLINE
•STORY-BASED HEADLINE
Winner (no moniker) –Verb (should describe the win) –Losing team –
Phrase Modifier (Story-angle)
Bata Reyes pockets gold in pool tilt
Ombreteleads Juniors atop rivals in Baseball
Lobusta, Iñosastuns couples to extend reign in Dancesport

28. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Headline and lead with embedded angle
ResurgentArchersthumpTams
BrilliantBulldogsripFalcons
LaSalleflirtedwithdisasteronceagainbutregaineditsbearingthistimeto
prevailoverFarEasternU,75-66,andtightenuptheraceintheUAAP
Season76men’basketballtournamentattheMallofAsiaArenayesterday.
SerenavowsnoletdownafterStephensvictory
WorldnumberoneSerenaWilliamsfeltlikeshehadreachedaGrand
Slamsemi-finalorfinalaftersheoustedrivalSloaneStephensfromtheUS
Open,butvowednoletdownforherupcomingquarter-final.
Notethat:Theangle(writteninredletters)providesadifferentspicetoyour
leadmakingitmoreinformativeandinterestingtoread.

29. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Write to express, not to impress
Youmighthopethatyouraudienceknowsasmuchas
youdo,butyouknowbetter,you’retheexpert.Besureto
makethingseasytounderstandforthem.Writeforyour
audience.
Ex:Oneofthebackfoursentachipdownthepitchbeforea
loftedcrossfromaforwardresultedinagoal.
Easy:Adefensemankickedashortpassdownthefieldbefore
alongpassfromaforwardresultedinagoal.

30. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Use Active Voice for headline and caption
The active voice is usually more direct and economical. The same
information sounds better in the active voice because it is shorter and more
direct.
A verb is active when the subject performs the action and passive when the
subject receives the action.
Active Voice: Team USA massacre Slovenia
Lakers beat Celtics
Schumackerwins 9
th
Grand Prix title in Barcelona
USA
Passive Voice: Slovenia was massacred by Team USA
Celtics was beaten by the Lakers
The Grand Prix title in Barcelona was won by Schumacker

31. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Examples of Sports Headlines
Vintage Federer seals first Davis Cup for Switzerland (tennis)
Villanueva attacks Schumacher (motor racing)
Year’s top marks fall at Slovakian meeting (Athletics)
Confident Thais set for takrawbattle (Takraw)
TAWA (Thai Amateur Weightlifting Association) eyes
gold medal at Sydney (weightlifting)

32. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Examples of Sports Headlines
•Pacquiaoknocks down Algieri six times, wins by unanimous decision
(boxing)
•Tahaties career-high in Purefoodswin over Meralco(basketball )
NU beats FEU, forces Game 3 for UAAP title (basketball)
Sampras slumps further with loss to Woodforde (Tennis)
NU's Rosario delivers in 'most important' game
Bulls just a win away from their sixth title (Basketball)
Rusty Graf prevails in two-hour battle (Tennis)

33. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Belowisalistofwordssportswriterssubstitutefor
“defeat”indifferentsituations.Pickthosewordsthatyou
believeareinappropriate,canbeusedinclosematches
orintotaldominance.
crush rip killruin pummel
destroy murder slaypoke wreck
down edge upend devastate
beat trounce bury wallop nail
routannihilateclobber bomb upset
rock beatup punch putaway
surprise

34. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

35. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

36. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

37. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

38. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Composite Sports Stories
•2 or more gamers in 1 news
•Same principles are followed in writing
composite story.
•The challenge lies in merging 2 or more
articles in one
•However, sports writers should find a way to
smoothly combine the action, ideas, ,
highlights and angle into one coherent article
•Separate the articles with transition devices
like meanwhile, on the other games, likewise
etc.

39. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

40. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Composite Sports Stories

41. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Composite Sports Stories

42. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

43. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

44. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

45. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Know what’s going on
Reporters often go to coverage with hardly any knowledge of what
they’re going to write. But in spite of this, they often find a way to get what
they’re looking for because they have the tools to do so.
Asking will help:
Even if you don’t understand the particular game you’re covering, at
least look up to common terms or penalties. Advance reading on such
particular sports can also help a lot.
Find the right person:
You can also interview the players or coaches in advance to ask for
common sports lingos or terms.
If you still have time, you can glance over the rules for the
leagues. You’ll have a general understanding of the sports and the game
and you’ll be able to more accurately describe what’s going on.

46. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Find time to read
Readthesportspageandseewhat
othersportswritersaredoing.What
seemstoworkforthem?Whatsetsthem
apart?
Itcanneverbeoveremphasizedthat
readingnewspapers providesthe
necessarytoolsweneedtoimprovein
writing.

47. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD
SPORTS WRITER
•Must have nose for news and has
interest in all sports events
•Must know the rules and
regulations
•Must have a working knowledge of
the language and jargons of sports
writing
•Should avoid clichés

48. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
GUIDELINES IN SPORTS WRITING
•Take down notes, don’t trust your
memory
•Report the reaction of the spectators at
some point of the game
•Don’t devote the entire sports section
to just one game or one sport
•Read a lot. Learn how other sports
writers practice their craft

49. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION