Writing a Sports Story

PREPARED BY NAP S CARUZ, LPT

 Lesson Objectives
1. Appreciate the art of writing sports stories
2. Identify the types of sports stories as well as the
qualities of a good sports writer
3. Use essential information that should be
included in a sports story and the sports lingo in
writing sports news.
 Close Reading:

Red Serpents outplays Blue Dragons, 29-20

What is a Sports Story?
Sports reporting is basically news writing.

It has the structure of an action story but with

greater freedom of style in writing.

It technically tackles sports events.

Types of Sports Stories
Advance Story – sometimes called ‘dope’ or
‘prognostication’ builds up enthusiasm for coming
events.

It may written as a (1) straight news story, (2)

background story, and (3) prediction story
Types of Sports Stories
Coverage Story – an on-the-spot coverage of an
actual game or event.

Advance Coverage Story – includes 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.
What makes a good sports writer?
Must know sports.
Must attend games or meets as a reporter.
Must know coaches and players.
Must observe accuracy.
Must be able to take notes quickly without losing
the sequence of the play.
What makes a good sports writer?
Must be fair and unbiased.
Must not make unsupported comments.
Must use the specialized language of the sport he’s
reporting.
Must avoid sports slang and trite expressions.
Must tell the story in plain factual terms that describe the
action.
How to observe accuracy
Take note of almost every important turn in the
sports event.

Be familiar and masterful in using the language of

sports, thus, sports lingo.
Sample Sports Lingo
Basketball – quintet, shot winner, pivot, rebound, technical foul, hook
shot, lay-up, dribbler

Volleyball – spikes, change court, Chinese kill, wallop, booming service,

wallop, netters, wallopers, volleybelles

Baseball and Softball – hitless inning, hit a homerun, deep center,

diamond, backstop

Swimming – tanker, naiads, aquabelle

 Sports Lingo for Defeats
If the difference in score is big:
Overwhelms, clobbers, rips, clouts, murders, demolishes,
pummels, crushes, overshoots (basketball), outspikes
(volleyball), outbats (softball, baseball).

If the difference in score is small:

Shades – PNU sluggers shade TUP batters, 18,16
Noses out – Titans five noses out Torres cagers, 30,28
How to take notes effectively
You may use aids or crutches when taking notes.

Example:
Basketball - FG (Field Goal), FT (Free Throw), PF (Personal foul),
di (drive in), lu (lay-up)

Volleyball – p (placing), bs (booming service), bb (block ball)

Writing the Sports Story
The Lead – serves as an attention-getter or the news in a
nutshell.

The classic ‘Five Ws’ appear in the sports lead as:

Who won?
Against whom?
By what score?
Where?
When?
Examples
The Liceo U Quintet (1) poured 10 baskets in the last three
minutes to edge out the Trailblazers (2) 65-63 (3) at the
opponent’s homeground (4) yesterday afternoon (5).

China fought with steel nerves and refused to be crushed by

a giant’s 55 points might to nip favored Philippines 87-86, in
its biggest triumph yesterday in the Asian men’s Basketball
championship.
The Key Play Lead
The Red Serpent sluggers bombed the Purple Lotus
batters with six runs in the third inning to subdue a
nerve-fuzzling Lakandula rally, 14-12 as they
clinched the invitation game here, in connection
with the celebration of the 2022 Liceo University
Games.
The Outstanding Player Lead
Jayvee King Cabana of Liceo U Senior High School,
after almost four hours of battle over the
chessboard, copped the most coveted YMCA
trophy after outwitting Manila High School chesser
Samantha Kate Olip in 27 moves of Sicilian
defense.
The Outstanding Player Lead
Ace striker Gunther Dwight Dapanas slotted home
the priceless maker that lifted that multi-titled
Northern Mindanao team to triumph over hard-
fighting Cebu-Lhuillier, 1-6, to capture the fourth
Don Andres Soriano Jr. Football Cup before a big,
enthusiastic crowd at the Perdices Stadium in
Dumaguete City.
Analytical Approach Lead
Riding high on sizzling spikes and tricky placing,
the MLQ netters blasted the Laurel High killers in
the crucial third set to win 15-10, 11-5, 15-7 in a
mini-district meet, on Sept. 21 at the Torres High
School Oval to celebrate the First Filipino
Thanksgiving Day.
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 a series of games, the story must report
how the teams or players stand in relation to their
competitors.
Writing the Sports Story
2. Decisive Play – This is the most crucial part of the
game that gives a certain team the winning margin.

3. Best scores for 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. 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.

5. Quotation – it is customary for the hero of the day, or

the coach/trainers to have their sentiments recorded for
posterity.
Important Pointers
1.The score or outcome.
2.Significance of the outcome.
3.Highlights of the game.
4.Comparison of the teams.
5.Individual stars.
6.Weather conditions.
7.Crowd and celebration.
Any Questions?
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LISTENING.