Writing Sports News

Guess what…
…
Qualities of Sports News
Basically, it answers the five Ws and one H.
It primarily describes the most thrilling and eventful
part of the game.
It uses more colorful words, adjectives, figures of
speech, local color and longer sentences, which are not
commonly used in straight news.
It uses special vocabulary called sports lingo OR
TERMS USED IN IDENTIFYING CERTAIN
GMES.
 Requirements of Sportswriting
•Know sports: rules, strategy, team and
player records.
•Exercise good judgment in detecting the
weakness or strength of a team or an
individual.
•Know coaches and players as well as
possible.
•Observe accurately.
•Be able to take notes quickly without losing
the sequence of play.
Be fair and unbiased, even though you
have a favorite team or individual.
Support all opinion with facts.
Use the specialized language of the
particular sport being reported, but do not
be so technical that only a real ‘pro’
would understand.
Avoid glorifying star players. Give credit
to team play.
 The power of
sports stories is
in the VERB
Defeated:
For close games:
For blow out
•Nipped
matches:
• Edged
 Demolished
• Scratched past
 Drubbed
• Survived
 Massacred
• Squeaked past
 Dominated
 Bombarded
Sample sports adjectives and
verbs that can be used for
writing sports stories:
descriptors for:
A. poor performance
Malamyang laro
Atrocious palpak
Anemic mahina, kapos
Frigid malamig
ice cold
woeful nakakapanghina
horrid walang tibay
horrible
rusty kinakalawang
quiet tahimik
limped pipilay-pilay
bothered ininda
sore masakit, may pilay
pathetic nakakaawa
unimaginable hindi
mawarian, hindi kapani-
paniwala
inept inutil, hindi
maaasahan
awful masagwa
forgettable napakapangit
never got into a rhythm
hindi nagawa, hindi
nagamit
shot the ball
horrendously
B. Outstanding performance
Magical hindi kapani-
paniwala, mala-mahika,
napakagaling
heads up inspirado
inspiring kaiga-igaya,
nakabibilib
gung-ho determinado
huge napakalaki, napaka-
importante
great
Regardless of margin or
manner of winning
beat * prevail over
defeat * stop
trounce * trip
outplay * nose out
outlast * thwart
blast * frustrate
down * eliminate
mangle
 Wide margin
 Rout
 Blast
 Massacre
 Wallop
 Batter
 Waylay
 Crush
 Trample
 Sweep
 Slim Margin
nip
escape past
scrape past
 Improbable Win
upset
shock
stun
overthrow
dethrone
derail
Championship
bag
grab
seize
clinch
garner
capture
nab
seal
Baseball or Chess
softball checkmate
diamond
rook
pitcher
queenside
catcher
Boxing Sicilian opening
back stop
south paw Ruy Lopez defense
hit a homerun
slugger Queen’s gambit
rolling ball
rabbit punch knight
short stop
kidney punch white
southpaw
referee stopped black
pegged at third
contest (RSC) fast pawn
fast ball
technical knockout castle
playoff (n.,.adj.)
short stop pin
play off (v.)
southpaw open check
slugger
featherweight blunder
wild pitch
Philidor’s defense
bullpen
Volleyball Track
Soccer or Football
spike Pass on the baton
placing soccerites Breasted the tape
change court goalie Clock a new
kill Corner kick record
Chinese kill Penalty kick Photo finish
block Full back Distance runner
Net ball Century run
defenders
wallop
Jump serve booters
spiker Kick off (v.)
server Kickoff (adj.)
Structure for Sports News
1.Headline
2.Lead
3.Body
4.Ending
THE HEADLINE
 Formula No. 1
Winner + verb + Loser
Example:
Tamaraws nip Tigers
Pacquiao defeats Bradley
FORMULA No. 2
Winner + verb + Loser + , +
score

Example:
Tigers crush Lions, 2-1
Ateneo massacres La Salle, 100-92
The lead
Sports news leads should be based on angle.
A good lead may include:
1. Winner
2. Dynamic verbs and transitions
3. Loser
4. Score
5. Game
6. Meet or event
7. Place
8. Date

Note:
Scores and dates may be omitted and written in the first
sentence of the body to trigger suspense.
TYPES OF SPORTS LEADS
1. The Key Play

Example:
Iloilo poured out 15 baskets in the last three
minutes to edge out Negros Occidental during
the Western Visayas Regional Athletic
Association (WVRAA) Meet Basketball Boys
Championships held at Roxas City, Capiz,
September 15.
2. Key Player

 Example:

Jose Mercado and Mike Perez played heroes

last night as West Visayas State University
(WVSU) annihilated Iloilo State College of
Fisheries (ISCOF), 100-97, in a shocking reversal
in the SCUAA Men’s Basketball Championship at
Iloilo Sports Complex.
3. The Analytical Approach

Example:
 Banking on his tricks and agility,
Cabugcabug National High School (CCNHS)
played with poise of a champion after crushing
Pilar National High School (PNHS), 100-88 in the
Unit II Meet Basketball Boys Championship Game
at Pilar Covered Court, September 25.
Novelty lead
EX:
Who says height is might in basketball?
Rene Dela Cruz, 5’2” and Pepito Dela Cueva, 5”4 of
Campo Basketball team played heroes yesterday after
outfitting the taller Blue Eagles on a Basketball
Exhibition game yesterday at Pres. Roxas Gym, Pres.
Roxas, Capiz.
Or…
Who will be this year’s volleyball champ?
 Banking on powerful spikes and accurate services,
Junior Spikers managed to bag home the most coveted
championship trophy after outfitting Senior Servers, 2-
0 in the championships match of the 2014 Intramural
Meet volleyball boys at Pilar National High School,
September 26.
THE BODY
 highlights of the game
 personalities or individual stars
 comparison of the teams
 play-by-play description
 statistics, quotes of players
trainers and coaches
 background stuff on players
 weather condition, crowd and
temperature.
 Interviews
Carreon scored 21 points to lead Isabela and Gonzales 13 points
but delivered this on the crucial part of the game including the
winning free throw.
The game started in a roller-coaster encounter and the first half
ended 28-27 with Isabela on the lead.
The second half was still close and Roxas took the lead with two
minutes to go, but Gonzales displayed a big heart as he connected
a three pointer to give Isabela the lead, 54-53.
Herman Menor carried Roxas on that decisive moment and ties the
game at 59-all with fifteen seconds to go.
Gonzales fished a foul with 10 seconds left and split his charity for
the lead, 60-59.
Menor refused to give up but his last desperate jump shot went in-
and-out of the ring.
“Faith carried us through this game, it’s a good showdown,” said
Gonzales after the game.
The Ending
The next game
Anilao shall face Banate team on Thursday.
The award
Smashers received a cash prize of ten thousand pesos (P10,000)
courtesy of Mayor Romar Benicio.
The award and the next game
Smashers received a cash prize of ten thousand pesos (P10,000)
courtesy of Mayor Romar Benicio and shall face Glitters team on
Friday for the semi-finals.
Background
Hans Mercado made 20 markers leading WVSU to their sixth win in
six games while Victor Deasis led UI with his 15 points as their team
suffered their third loss in six games.

Interview
“It’s a nice showdown”, said James.
Samples
 Munz beats Benett
Diana Munz, a 15-year-old sophomore, beat 17-year-old US Olympic gold
medalist Brooke Benett in a heart-stopping 800-meter freestyle with 65 seconds lead
in the US Open championships Saturday.
Muns finished the overall race in 8:36.23 while Benett clocked 8:36.88. Benett
had the lead as the two entered the final 100 meters. Munz caught Benett in the final
50 to win the race in 1:02.42 and Benett in 1:03.87.
Munz was third in the Pan Pacific meet last year and second in the national
championship. These were won by Benett in six consecutive major meets, a record
she has held.
“I hoped to beat her. I figured if I did, it would be great. I’m ecstatic. I’m so
excited, shocked,” Munz said. She’s usually way ahead of me going into that final
100. this time she was within my reach and I went all out the way to the wall,” she
added.
“She’s a great swimmer, so it’s been a challenge,” winning Munz said.
 SLU Lab remains unbeaten in YMCA
 

SAINT Louis University Laboratory (SLU) High School stayed on course for a possible title
after scoring a 76-53 victory against Berkeley yesterday at YMCA Baguio gym, to top the high
school developmental division as the elimination round of the games draws to a near.
Berkeley was actually looking for an upset as it kept the scoring close in the first canto trailing
by only two points, 12-10.
Berkeley however failed sustain their fiery start as SLU immediately jump on the gun limiting
their neighbor to only five points while the Navy Base squad had 25 more points to widen the
gap.
SLU Lab showed their real strength as the second quarter buzzed on leaving Berkeley with
only 10 additional points in their score as the second quarter ended leaving a 20 points gap, 37 –
17, at the break.
The lead continued to grow in the third quarter leaving the hapless Berkeley to catch 26 points
in the last quarter of the game.
Berkeley managed to make a couple of baskets in the last period but still wasn’t able to out run
SLU Lab.
Aldriane Puzon made 20 markers leading SLU Lab their sixth win in six games while Carlos
Torbela led Berkeley with his 15 points as their team suffered their third loss in six games.
 Remember
The road to victory means mastery of…

Play of
Strong verbs
Sport
words
s
lingos
Best
angle
 Every
accomplishment
starts with the
decision to try.”
Be the BEST sports
writer!
 The fact sheet
Directions: Make a sports news out of the following facts. Create situations, name names,
create all other details. o The winners received

 2nd Western Visayas Basketball 75,000.00 cash prize from

their mayor
Championship for SPED
(Mentally Challenged Children),
 The weather was hot.
Elementary Boys
 Capiz ( The Lucky Guys” vs
Negros Occ. “The Star Hitters”

TEAM 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH

QUARTE QUARTE QUARTE QUARTE
R R R R
Negros Occ. 14 30 35 40
Capiz 4 10 30 41