Sports Writing
Drew Malihan
Sports Writing
1. Has a greater freedom and more playful when it comes to
storytelling.
2. It’s main highlights are conflict and action.
3. More considered as a specialized field as it used sports
lingos or specific terms and words for a particular sport or
event.
4. Quotations play a huge part on sports writing.
Qualities
1. Must be at least a fan of sports.
2. Must know the rules and regulations, strategies, stances,
players.
3. Accurate
4. Reporter, not a spectator
5. Must be able to take notes within the pace of the game
6. Unbiased
Qualities
7. Has knowledge on sports terms and lingos
8. Can support comment with facts or data
9. Avoid sports slang and/or overly romanticizing the game
10. Write for the readers
Types
1.
2.
3.
4.
Coverage story
Advance story
Sidebar story
Other sports-themed articles
a. Sports Feature
b. Sports Editorial
c. Sports Cartooning
d. Sports Column
e. Sports Science
Writing
a sports
story
Lead
Unlike a conventional news lead, sports lead should answer
the following
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Who won?
Against who?
What score? (if applicable)
What event
When?
Where?
Example
The Toronto Raptors claimed their first-ever NBA
Championship after defeating the Golden State
Warriors, 114-110, in Game 6 of the NBA Finals at
the Oracle Arena last June 14.
Types of lead
1. The outstanding player lead - this angles on the best
player of a team, or the clutch player who delivered for the
win.
Types of lead
2. Significant play lead - Angles on the important play. It can
be a penalty kick, a game-winning buzzer-beater, or a knockout play.
Types of lead
3. Significance of the game - also known as the background
info lead, it tells the importance or relevance of the game,
whether it’s a loss or a win.
Types of lead
4. Novelty - It was the most playful and entertaining type of
lead. It may describe the player, the play, the crowd, or the
situation. This must be used wisely as this is risky enough to
either make an article look good or bad.
Types of lead
Example:
ENG:
Ceres-Negros FC’s Stephan Schrock has one thing in mind: this game was
for their club chairman, Leo Rey Yanson, whose family and company is undergoing
an ownership riff.
“This game is for LRY,” the Ceres captain said.
Schrock, Bienvenido Maranon and Mike Ott made sure Yanson is proud as
all three of them scored hat-tricks to maul a winless Philippine Air Force Football
Club, 12-0.
Bridge
A bridge connects the lead to rest of the story.
It answers the remaining W’s and H that is not answered in the
story. It also contains the attributes, other players or
personalities in the game, and secondary facts.
Body
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explains/narrates the game
May contain stats and other data, quotes
It can be game highlights or play-by-play
It can be 4-6 paragraphs long or even longer, depending
on the story.
Elements in the body
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Standings
Boxscores
Decisive plays
Play-by-play
Quotations
Headline
Basic Structure
Subject + verb + object + (if possible), score [SVO format]
Example:
Ceres creams Cebu, 8-0
PetroGazz snags PVL crown
Federer, taob kay Djokovic
Son, binuhat ang Korea NT, 2-1
More complex headline structures
Examples:
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Morgan marks 5 as US creams Thailand, 13-0
Weidman webs ‘Spider’ to claim UFC middleweight belt
Mendiola rallies against flightless Air Force
ArkAngel, pinana ang Bren; sinungkit ang MPL championship
Curry, binuhat ang Dubs; Gasol, umalingasaw ang laro
Phoenix nag-init, tinuyo ang E-Painters
Lingos
Action words
If defeated by a wide margin:
thwart, waylay, stump, outlast, demolish, down, whip, outplay,
humble breeze past, cruise past, ground, rip, tear, overcome,
overwhelm, smother, scrape past, zap, maul, power past,
topple, tame, race past, upend.
Action words
If defeated by a wider margin:
Crush, spill, subdue, overpower, trounce, sink, shut down,
dump, hold off, elude, spoil rout stop, rally past, repulse.
Action words
If defeated by a slim margin or a close game:
edge, eke out, nip, nose out, survive, struggle past.
If a team/player defeated a more favorable opponent:
shock, dethrone, stun, upset, pull rug from, turn the table, oust.
If a favorite team was eliminated early:
get door, get early axe, exit, boot out, eliminate, sent packing.
Action words
If the team wins championship:
clinch…, snags…, grabs…, snares…, cops…, claims…,
steal…
If still the champion:
keep…, retain…, defend...
If a team held its opponent scoreless:
blank, zero, sweep, cream, whitewash.
wrest…,
Filipino action words
Nakamit, Dinurog, Napasakamay, Namayani, Namayagpag,
Nasungkit, Nakaisa, Naghari, Nagreyna, Winalis, Nasulot,
Naagaw, Ginulat, Nagkampeon, Nanalo, Ginulantang, Hiniya,
Pinaluhod, Pinabagsak, Nagapi, Naungusan, Nilupig, Dinurog,
Ginapi, Pinatulog, Pinatumba, Pinataob, Pinadapa, Dinomina.
Filipino action words
Words that can be in tone to the team or player’s name
Example:
Nilasing (Ginebra, SMB)
Dinagit (Ateneo, Adamson, Atlanta Hawks, Phoenix, TNC)
Humarurot (Pacers, Pistons, Stallion Laguna, Nonito Donaire)
Kinuryente (Meralco, OKC)
Niluto/Nagluto (Quinn Cook, Stephen Curry)
Naghari (Ginebra, LeBron James, Sacramento)
Umariba (Letran)
Tips/Reminders
● Accuracy is the key
● Check for all possible mistakes on all aspects (spelling,
grammar, data)
● Put the final score (if there is) in the lead or the bridge.
Don’t reveal it in the end.
● Active voice > Passive voice
● Organize information
● Never romanticize or overdramatize sports like it’s a
deathmatch
Tips/Reminders
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Be unbiased, even if your own team is playing
Do not begin the story with a when or when type of lead
Know the sports you are covering
Be inspired first, devise your original later
Read other sports stories
AVOID QUESTION LEADS
Be early at the venue, and never be distracted during the
game
Tips/Reminders
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Note for possible highlights of the story
Learn basic statistical categories of the game
Get and use specific, meaningful quotes
Understand the culture, situation, and social weather
Look, research, and backtrack for possible additional
information
● Enjoy!
Questions?
Thank you!
FB/Twitter/IG: @drewmalihan