All About

Editorial Writing
A presentation by Kyla V. Paitan for the
JOURNALISM WORKSHOP FOR ASPIRING CAMPUS JOURNALISTS
 S P OR T S W R IT I N G
JO U R N A L I S M
& B IANCA AB IGAIL D . ASE ÑAS
E SE NTE D B Y: L J MAE S. YB AÑEZ
PR
SPORTS WRITING
• SPORTS JOURNALISM IS A FORM OF WRITING THAT REPORTS ON MATTERS PERTAINING
TO SPORTING TOPICS AND COMPETITIONS. SPORTS JOURNALISM STARTED IN THE
EARLY 1800S WHEN IT WAS TARGETED TO THE SOCIAL ELITE AND HAS TRANSITIONED
INTO AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE NEWS BUSINESS WITH NEWSPAPERS HAVING
DEDICATED SPORTS SECTIONS. THE INCREASED POPULARITY OF SPORTS AMONGST
LOWER CLASS LED TO THE MORE COVERAGE OF SPORTS AMONGST THE MIDDLE AND
CONTENT IN PUBLICATIONS.
• The basic idea of sports writing in
journalism is to report about the
local (or national)sporting events
occurring.

• Whether big or small, all events

should be covered.
DECIDING WHAT TO COVER?

LEAVE SOME SPACE FOR OFF CAMPUS SPORTS. STUDENTS WANT

TO KNOW ABOUT THE NON SPONSORED SCHOOL SPORTS AND
THE LOCAL PROFESSIONAL TEAMS TOO!

MAKE SURE IT’S NEWSWORTHY AND TIMELY REMEMBER:

• READERS WOULD RATHER KNOW THE WHY AND HOW RATHER

THAN THE WHO AND WHAT.
COVERING EVENTS
• THE POINT OF A SPORTS ARTICLE IS TO FOCUS ON THE
IMPORTANT EVENTS THAT OCCURRED DURING THE
GAME AND THE OUTCOME OF THE GAME.

• RECORD THE MOST IMPORTANT OR EXCITING PARTS.

READERS FIND THOSE THE MOST INTERESTING.
BE PREPARED
MOST PEOPLE BELIEVE SPORTS REPORTING IS EASY BECAUSE THEY HAVE WATCHED/PLAYED SPORTS ALL
THEIR LIVES.

• THERE IS MORE TO PREPARATION THAN IMMERSING YOURSELF IN SPORTS. YOU NEED THE FOLLOWING:
• PSYCHOLOGY-COMPETITION PUSHES PEOPLE TO THEIR LIMITS, BRINGING OUT THEIR BEST AND
WORST-
• SOCIOLOGY AND HISTORY-SPORTS HAS PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE IN STRUGGLES FOR GENDER AND
RACIAL EQUALITY
•ECONOMICS – SPORTS, PROFESSIONAL AND AMATEUR, IS BIG BUSINESS
•MATH-FANS WANT TO KNOW PLAYER AND TEAM STATISTICS
SPECIFIC SPORT
KNOW THE RULES, VARIOUS STRATEGIES (AND REASONS BEHIND THEM)

GET TO KNOW COACHES AND PLAYERS – GO TO PRACTICE SESSIONS AS WELL AS GAMES

READ OTHER SPORTS PAGES, WATCH SPORTS ON TELEVISION, PARTICIPATE IN SPORTS

• ONCE YOU HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE SPORT AND TEAM, BEGIN PLANNING YOUR
COVERAGE.
PRE-GAME STORY
Pre- game story Content
•Time, date and place of game Gather information
•Last year’s score
• Team’s physical condition •Your coach
• Starting Line-ups •Opposing team’s coach.
•Comparison of records
•Styles of play
•Opposing team’s sports editor game
•Significance of game
•Analysis of individual players
•Historical background of rivalry
•Weather outlook
PRE- GAME STORY
•YOU CAN ALSO HELP PRESENT AND FUTURE STAFFS BY COMPILING YOUR

SCHOOL’S SPORTS HISTORY.

• PRE-GAME COVERAGE SHOULD ALSO NOT OVERLOOK RELATED SPIRIT

ACTIVITIES: THE BAND’S HALFTIME SHOW, NEW CHEERLEADERS, PEP
ASSEMBLIES, ETC.
GAME STORY
• DEVELOP A SYSTEM OF NOTE-TAKING
• - RECORDING PLAY-BY- PLAY
- RECORDING STATISTICS

• WATCH FOR TURNING POINTS IN THE GAME

- FUMBLE THAT SETS UP TOUCHDOWN
- BENCH PLAYER WHO LEADS THE TEAM
- SHIFT IN DEFENSE THAT SHUTS DOWN THE OTHER TEAM
GAME STORY
• YOU CANNOT BE A CHEERLEADER WHILE YOU ARE REPORTING.

•YOU CAN BE PARTISAN (ROOTING FOR A SPECIFIC TEAM) BUT YOU CAN’T LET THAT INTERFERE WITH
THE JOB OF REPORTING.

• AS A STUDENT REPORTER, BE SURE THAT IF THE PROFESSIONAL PRESS HAS COVERED THE STORY,
YOU FIND A NEW ANGLE.
INTERVIEWING FOR GAME STORY
• BE PREPARED TO ASK INTELLIGENT QUESTIONS
- DON’T ASK QUESTIONS THAT POINT OUT THE OBVIOUS (TURNING POINT IN GAME-INTERCEPTION FOR TOUCHDOWN WITH 30 SEC.
LEFT)

• BE AWARE OF TEMPERAMENT OF COACH

– DON’T ASK QUESTIONS THAT WILL MAKE COACH MAD/UPSET AT BEGINNING OF INTERVIEW, BUT DON’T THROW OUT ALL ‘SOFTBALL’
QUESTIONS

• HAVE QUESTIONS PREPARED – BUT BE FLEXIBLE

– JOT DOWN NOTES AND HAVE QUESTIONS PREPARED, BUT IF INTERVIEWEE LEADS YOU IN A DIRECTION, TAKE IT.
 POST-GAME STORY
SPORTS FEATURE SIDELINE STORY UNTANGLE CONFUSING EVENTS THAT OCCURRED
BACKGROUND STORY SPORTS INTERVIEW DURING A GAME UPDATE READERS ON SCORING
• LOCKER-ROOM STORY RECORDS AND INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

• CAN INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: • NEW TEAM STANDINGS, AWARDS EARNED

• SPECTATOR’S ACTIONS DURING BECAUSE OF PERFORMANCE IN GAME
• THE GAME –HISTORICAL FEATURES ON A SPORT OR
RIVALRY

• WRAP-UPS OF THE SEASON DISCUSSION OF RULE CHANGES

THANK YOU !!