Differences of News Writing to Sports Writing
Although similar in form and structure, we can easily differentiate sports writing to the traditional news
writing:
Sports writing is more playful when relating the scenes, whereas news writing, which sticks to the basics
of writing.
It highlights two important news values: CONFLICT and ACTION.
Sports Writing has a structure of an action story but with greater freedom of style in writing. It is
considered a specialized field. Sports writing uses the sports lingo, a specialized group of words to be
used only to sports articles. The role of Quotes from players, coaches, and personalities involved.
Qualities of a Sports writer Must know sports: rules, strategy, team, and player's 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 play. Must be fair and unbiased in reporting, even though he has a favorite team. Must not
make comment without supporting them with facts on which they are based, although sports writers
have more freedom than any other news writers. Must use the specialized language of the particular
sports that he is reporting. Must avoid sports slang and trite expressions which hack writers use today.
He should tell the story in plain, factual terms, that describe the action.
Lead - the frequent questions a lead should answer: Who won? Against whom? By what score? What
event? When? Where?
Different types of sports articles
Blow-by-blow account story (Coverage Story)
Backgrounder story (Sidebar Story)
Advanced story (Dope or Prognostication)
Structure of the article
Hammerhead (only if necessary)
Headline - The headline of a sports coverage story should tell right away who or which team won over
whom or whose team (and whenever appropriate or applicable, by what score). Appropriate action
words should be used to indicate who won depending on how the event unfolded.
Examples of headlines: English:
Gotze goal leads Germany to WC glory; nips Messi, Argentina
Gin Kings outshoot Hotshots in Christmas day Clasico' Manila 5 stays unbeaten, pummels Antipolo.
TYPES OF LEAD
1. Outstanding player lead - this lead tells the personality or personalities who lead the team to
victory, whether he is the top scorer or the player who made the crucial play to win. It can be
applied to individual or team sport.
 Corpus Christi, Texas (AFP) - Filipino star Nonito Donaire stopped Australian-based Armenian
southpaw Vic Darchinyan in the ninth round of a 10-round non- title bout Saturday to boost his
bid to return to boxing's elite.
 Nigerian import Bright Akhuetie delivered a game for the ages yesterday as he produced 44
points and 19 rebounds to lead University of Perpetual Help past College of St. Benilde, 77-69,
and gain a share of the lead in the NCAA basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan.
2. Significant playlead -this tells the crucial play or situation wherein a team executed to win. It can
be game-winning basket by a seldom-used player or a crucial block in the final second.
 DORTMUND-Substitute Oliver Neuville scored a stoppage time winner as host Germany
moved to the brink of qualifying for the last 16 of the World Cup with a 1-0 win over Poland.
 Nelbert Omolon scored four of his 12 points in overtime as Sta. Lucia outlasted depleted
Rain or Shine, 95-90, for its second straight win in the eliminations of the KFC Philippine Cup
at the Cuneta Astrodome.
3. Significance of game lead - it narrates or tells the result of the games for the winning team,
whether it's a winning or losing streak. It is also called a Background Info Lead.
 WASHINGTON- An unfancied Washington squad captured its first National Basketball Association
playoff series since 1982 by beating Chicago, 94-91 here Friday, booking a second-round date
with powerhouse Miami
 The cast list for the 2006 World Cup was finally completed on Wednesday when the remaining
five of the 32 available places were snapped up by Australia, Spain, Switzerland, Trinidad and
Tobago, and the Czech Republic.
4. Novelty lead - like what it suggests, this lead is the most entertaining and playful type of lead. It
may describe the player, the play, or others. This can be made using figures of speech or
whatever the writer chooses.
 LAS VEGAS - Floyd Mayweather Jr. wasn't about to change what he does best in his last fight.
Both dominant and defensive, Mayweather used all the tricks learned in a 19-year pro career
Saturday night to take a lopsided 12-round decision. over Andre Berto and retain his
welterweight title in what he insists was his final fight.
 CHANGSHA-Tab Baldwin won't make it twice against Team Melli-not until today. Gilas
Pilipinas unleashed its most furious arsenal, led by a combined 49 point effort by 2013 Asia's
best Point Guard Jayson Castro and naturalized big man Andray Blatche as they finally
exorcised what has been "The West Asian Curse" by slamming Iran to its knees 87-73 at the
2015 FIBA Asia Championships here.
Bridge- A paragraph that connects the lead to the body.
W-W's and H not answered in the lead
A- Attributes I- Identifies other personalities involved.
T-Ties up story back to a previous story
S- Secondary facts are given in the bridge.
Body explains and narrates some of the events in the game to support the lead. It may contain other
significant plays of the game, statistics, quotes from the personalities involved, or in the case of
composite news, others played. It relates the other Ws unanswered in the lead. Has to be 4-6 paragraph
long.
Team and/or individual standing - if the event is part of a series of games, the story must report how the
teams or players stand in relation to their competitions.
Decisive play - this is the most crucial part of the game that gives a certain team the winning margin.
Best Scorers of the day - the scores usually appear in the headlines and in the lead. However, the writer
must not neglect the top scorer of the day.
Play-by-play - due to limited space, play-by-play has to be condensed. In top boxing events, a separate
round-by-round account is provided, describing the progress of the fight in detail. - it is customary for
the hero of the day to have his sentiments recorded for posterity.
Action words used in Sports Writing
If team A defeats team B by 3 or more points: thwart, waylay, stump, outlast, demolish, down, whip,
outplay, humble breeze past, cruise past, ground, rip, tear, overcome, overwhelm, smother, scrape past,
zap, maul, cream, power past, topple, tame, gore, race past, upend, crush, spill, annihilated, subdue,
overpower, trounce, sink, shut down, dump, hold off, elude, spoil rout stop, rally past, repulse, massacre.
If team A defeats team B by a slim margin: edge, eke out, nip, nose out, survive, struggle past.
If team A defeats team B, a favorable team: shock, dethrone, stun, upset, pull rug from, turn the table,
oust.
If team A, favorable team, is eliminated early in the competition: get door, get early axe, exit, boot out,
eliminate, sent packing.
If team A wins championship: clinch..., snags..., grabs..., snares..., cops..., claims..., wrest.... steal...
If team A is still the champion: keep..., retain...,
If team A held team B scoreless to win: blank, zero, sweep, whitewash.
TIPS
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Check for spelling, subject-verb agreement, correct use of verb tense, grammar, unity, and
coherence.
Never use articles in the lead (a, an, the)
Use a lead which gets the reader's attention.
Try to make it answer as many of the 5 W's and an H as possible. Put the final score high in the
story.
Never wait to reveal the final score in the middle or the final paragraph.
When writing, try to use the active voice (instead of, "The shot was made by Bryant," we say
"Bryant made the shot.)
Make sure to put the most important information on top, and the least important at the bottom.
As well, have no more than one though per sentence.
Aim for clarity than flowery language.
Do not editorialize. Keep it balanced. Get both sides.
Don't be too overcritical, but don't be a wallflower.
In team sports, a team is an "it", not a "they".
Make sure you have reported the score correctly and precisely as the final buzzer sounds.
A lead of more than 25 words can be made shorter and snappier. Be concise.
Never compare a sporting event to a war or disaster, even as quotes.
When talking about your high school team or college team, don't refer them as "we" or "our
team".
You might be covering a game from the school's angle, but you must remain objective.
Avoid beginning a sentence, particularly a lead, with "there are" or 'there is". Know the basics
and rules of the sports you are covering.
Know to look up to rules you don't know.
Be original and develop your writing style.
Keep your writing style early and expand your style as you mature as a writer and as a person.
When you read a game story, look at HOW it is written as well as the contents.
Make mental notes (or even real notes) on how the reporter uses transition, quotes, and
attribution.
Have a rulebook of any game you are covering in handy.
Avoid holiday and question leads.
For prep games, call each coach before a game. Gather a few quotes for an advanced story. Try
to get an understanding for the team's strategy heading into the game (but don't share it with
others.)
Keep an eye on the game clock. A game may run long, goes to overtime or starts late. Also, go to
the venue early, for some sports end quickly than expected. Know what time the story is due.
Highlight a few key turning points and stats and develop the story
Get specific, meaningful quotes. Use the summary-quote approach (paraphrase-quote) to get
more into the story.
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Get high scorers and other superlatives. Look for extremes. Keep your observation powers
churning. But drop these interesting tidbits into an otherwise predictable scenario.
Always have a notebook of sports terms so you will not get confused on what term you will be
using.
Always enjoy what you are doing
WHEN INTERVIEWING
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Ilang years na sa competition
Past achievements
Anong adjustments ang ginawa in a particular part of the game
Anong plano after ng game
Tanungin about sa background ng laban dahil maaaring ilang beses na silang nagtapat na
maaaring magandang anggulo
Magtanong nang mga hindi halatang info na magagamit mo as your angle.
BILLIARDS SAMPLE ARTICLE
Park Taejoon restored South Korea’s pride on the opening day of the taekwondo competition at the Paris
Olympics 2024.
Taekwondo is South Korea’s national martial art, and the country suffered a humiliation in Tokyo, where
it failed to win a single gold medal for the first time since the sport became a medal event in 2000.
Park set the record straight by routing his opponent in a brutal final for the gold medal.
“It was my childhood dream,” Park said.
Korea’s Taejoon Park celebrates after winning a men’s 58kg Taekwondo final match against Azerbaijan’s
Gashim Magomedov during the Paris Olympics 2024, at the Grand Palais, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in
Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Park Taejoon restored South Korea’s pride on the opening day of the taekwondo competition at the Paris
Olympics 2024.
Taekwondo is South Korea’s national martial art, and the country suffered a humiliation in Tokyo, where
it failed to win a single gold medal for the first time since the sport became a medal event in 2000.
Article continues after this advertisement
Park set the record straight by routing his opponent in a brutal final for the gold medal.
“It was my childhood dream,” Park said.
In the men’s 58 kilos class, Park demolished Gashim Magomedov of Azerbaijan, who soldiered on but
retired injured.
After contact with his opponent’s leg in the opening round, Magomedov crashed to the canvas, clutching
his left leg in pain. He was attended to by doctors and managed to resume the fight.
Trailing 7-0 with 14 seconds left, he limped and sat again to receive further treatment, losing the round
without scoring a point. Magomedov was helped off the canvas but returned for the second round and
continued without threatening his opponent, who capped off his masterpiece with a superb turning kick
to the head.
Magomedov’s ordeal continued a bit longer as Park landed a final kick to his back that ejected him from
the combat arena. It was the coup de grace, and Magomedov called it quits.
“In Tokyo, South Korea did not get a gold medal, it was a bit frustrating and sad. Today I’m honored and
proud. The whole team has worked hard to make sure we were prepared here,” Park said.
The men’s bronze medals went to Cyrian Ravet of France and Mohamed Khalil Jendoubi of Tunisia.
Taekwondo tournaments at the Olympics award two bronze medals, with the losing semifinalists facing
two contestants who lost to the finalists in the elimination phase.