SPORTS WRITING

by 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.

3.

The coverage story is the on-the-spot coverage

of the game or an event.
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
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

Who won?
Against whom?
By what score?
Where?
When?

The
a.
b.
c.

classic 5 Ws appear in the sports lead as:

lead can also dramatize other elements like:

The key play

The outstanding players
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.
5.

Play-by-play Due to limited space, play-by-play has

to be condensed.
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 Pointers
1.

2.

3.

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.
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?
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.

5.
6.
7.

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?
Individual stars Who are they? What did they do
to become heroes of the game?
Weather conditions Mud, sunshine, heat, cold, or
wind may have a bearing on the game.
Crowd and celebration Dont forget the spectators.
Was it a record crowd? How did the spectators
behave? Were they particularly hostile to the
referee?