SPORTS

WRITING
GUESS
WHO?

Alyssa Valdez
GUESS
WHO?

Ian Lariba
GUESS
WHO?

Jordan Clarkson
GUESS
WHO?

Mary Joy Tabal

GUESS
WHO?

Hidilyn Diaz
SPORTS WRITING
• is news writing and is more entertaining in
nature
• allows you to go to town in describing plays
• is filled with action and emotion of players who
are idolized by sports enthusiasts
SCOPE OF SPORTS ARTICLES
It can be :

- Feature
- Editorial
- Editorial cartoon
QUALITIES OF SPORTS NEWS
1. It answers the five W’s and one H.
2. It primarily describes the most thrilling and
eventful part of the game.
3. It uses more colorful words, adjectives, figures of
speech, which are not commonly used in straight
news.
4. It uses special vocabulary called sports lingo.
TYPES OF SPORTS NEWS
I. Coverage Story – an actual game or event that
contains important reports like:
a. Outcome - who won, scores, suspension due
to
chaos
b. Significance of the outcome – prize, the
chance
to move on to higher level
of competition
c. Spectacular part of the game
TYPES OF SPORTS NEWS
d. Comparison of the strengths and weakness of
the
athletes of both teams
e. Star player
f. Weather
g. Audience/viewers’ reaction
TYPES OF SPORTS NEWS
II. Advance news – it gives advance information in the
coming event

III. Follow-up sports story

IV. News based on the records
Sports
HEADLINE
Writing
The headline should be
an abbreviated sentence
summarizing the game
What is a striking headline?
- The headline of 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.
The headline should have:
SUBJECT + VERB (PRESENT TENSE) + OBJECT

Example: Juniors dethrones Seniors

It would be better if you will add the final score.

Example: Juniors dethrones Seniors, 93-86
Or the significance of the win

Example: Torres thwarts Amparado, grabs

gold
Or answers the question “so what?”
Example: LCES survives late scare, dethrones
SFPCES in basketball boys
Examples:

Fil-Am sprints for gold in 100m,

sets new record in SEA Games

NU escapes UP on ‘controversial’ free throw

Davydenko beats del Potro to win ATP Tour

Final
Like a news story, a sports story has a lead, a body
and a conclusion.

LEAD – summarizes or analyzes the event by

giving the significance, the winner, the loser, the
hero, the score, the league, the place and time
BODY– contains the play-by-play account of the
game like the most crucial part, star player,
weakness and strengths, emotions, atmosphere,
quotes

CONCLUSION – usually contains quotes from

players, coaches and statistics
The main elements of a good sports story are:

• Catchy lead
• Clear focus
• Use of quotes
Three ways of writing the SPORTS NEWS LEAD

• Key Play
• Key Player/Outstanding Player
• Analytical
Key Play – this is usually used when the best
angle of the sports is through the collective effort
of all the mentors of the team
• Example:
Lapinigan Central Elementary School (LCES)
repulsed a late fightback from the defending champs San
Francisco Pilot Central Elementary School (SFPCES), 76-
66, during the 2018 Cluster Meet Basketball Boys
Championship Game at Pisaan covered court, September
26.
Note: This time, in developing the lead and body of your
story, use past form of the verb.
Key Player/Outstanding Player
– when one or two members of the team seem
to standout of the rest of the players to push the
team to victory, the player’s heroic deed is the
best angle to start the story
• Example:
James Yap shone like there was no tomorrow when
his do-or-die three pointer shot dove ringless with less than
five seconds to lead Purefoods Giants to its convincing victory,
76-73, over Red Bull Barakos in a basketball exhibition game
yesterday at the Araneta Coliseum.

Note: Spell out the name of the team or school in the lead.
Always indicate the final score or set score in the
lead.
Analytical
– this is used when the team employs a very
spectacular strategy or action that brings them to
victory.
• Example:

Seniors proved that height is not the end-all and

be-all as they outclassed the Juniors in a battle of skills
and perseverance, 78-76, to win the match at the FTC
basketball court, today.
WHAT SHOULD LEAD CONTAIN?
The lead should contain these elements:

1. Who were involved

2. What happened
3. When
4. Where
5. What is the sport
6. What is the final score
7. How the game was won
Example:

San Francisco Pilot Central Elementary

School volleybelles failed to get the crown for
three straight years as they yielded to archrivals
Karaos Elementary School in straight sets, 2-0
(17-25, 17-25), in the 2018 Cluster Meet
Volleyball Girls finals at Karaos covered court,
September 26.
We can see the most of the elements are present:

1. Who were involved – SFPCES & KES

2. What happened – failed to get the crown for 3 years straight
3. When – September 26
4. Where – Karaos covered court
5. What is the sport – 2018 Cluster Meet Volleyball Girls
6. What is the final score – 2-0 (17-25, 17-25)
7. How the game was won – in straight sets
HOW TO SUPPORT THE LEAD?
After writing the led, add more paragraph to explain
further what has been written in the lead.

KES grabbed their second consecutive title, last

year also at the expense of SFPCES.
Meanwhile, the San Francisco-based volley belles
failed to get their touch against a menacing KES
defense.
Then try to note the exemplary and significant contributions from other team
members. (Play-by-Play)

The defending champs went off on an aggressive start

with a 5-0 outburst behind the efforts of Jianne Quejada.
SF top gunner Mary Jane Betarmos was unsuccessful to
get her team’s momentum going, failing to keep in step with a
much more experienced Karaos side.
On the other hand, the boys team put up 26-28, 25-23, 18-
25 effort in their loss also to Karaos ES.
Despite tying the set at 1-1, the SF players couldn’t maintain
their rhythm, costing them the game.
Add quotes

“The chemistry wasn’t there, we just stopped talking and

forgot to focus on the game,” Betarmos said.

Note: You can end your story with a quotation.

 San Francisco Pilot Central Elementary School volleybelles failed to
get the crown for three straight years as they yielded to archrivals Karaos
Elementary School in straight sets, 17-25, 17-25 in the 2018 Cluster Meet
Volleyball Girls finals at Karaos, September 26.
KES grabbed their second consecutive title, last year also at the
expense of SFPCES.
Meanwhile, the San Francisco-based volleybelles failed to get their
touch against a menacing KES defense.
The defending champs went off on an aggressive start with a 5-0
outburst behind the efforts of Jianne Quejada.
SF top gunner Mary Jane Betarmos was unsuccessful to get her
team’s momentum going, failing to keep in step with a much more
experienced Karaos side.
On the other hand, the boys team put up 26-28, 25-23, 18-25 effort in
their loss also to Karaos ES.
Despite tying the set at 1-1, the SF players couldn’t maintain their
rhythm, costing them the game.
After dropping the second set, KES reverted to their fiery first set
form, launching multiple down-the-line attacks to dazzle their foes.
Furthermore, SFPCES couldn’t handle their rivals’ supremacy as
they settled for 18 points in the final frame.
“The chemistry wasn’t there, we just stopped talking and forgot
to focus on the game,” Betarmos said.#
CAN YOU NOW MAKE
A SPORTS NEWS?
TIPS FOR IMPROVING
1. Always reveal the final score in the lead.
2. Be on the lookout for great moments,
outstanding players, interesting tidbits, records
established, crowd reaction, crowd numbers,
weather condition, or any unexpected “twists” that
occurred during the game.
3. Know sports writing style: scores are
numerals separated by hyphens (12-6); team
records are numerals separated by hyphens (8-
2); winning scores always come first, even if your
school did not win the contest (your team lost 12-
6, not 6-12). Spell your opponent’s school name
and nickname correctly.
4. To avoid using the player’s name over and over
in the story, “identifiers” or “backgrounders” may be
used, such as:
• 5-foot-8 libero from Batangas
• The son of four-time MVP Alvin Patrimonio
• The southpaw boxer from General Santos
• The Phenom
• The Malaysian boxer
5. You may also include the team standing before
and/or the box scores after the story.
The scores:
NU 61 – Mbe 21, Hermosisima 14, Ponferrada 8,
Baloran 6, Khobuntin 3, Javillonar 3, Terso 3,
Malanday 3

UP 59 – Silungan 17, Padilla 13, Sison 8, Reyes 6, Hipolito 6,

Juruena 4, Mike Reyes 3, Gomez 2

Quarters: 11-15, 20-28, 44-42, 61-59

7. Keep your paragraphs short. Use one sentence
one paragraph.

8. Do not put a summary at the end of the story or

editorialize in the concluding paragraph. End the
article with the least important fact there is or with
an interesting quote.
1. Be a sport fan.
2. Know the sport you are covering.
3. Be early, go to practices
4. Speak to people
5. Get contact numbers
6. Write your story as early as possible
7. Capture the human drama
8. Be mindful of the game you are covering
9. Read….Read…Read…
10. Love what you are doing
Sports Lingo
Baseball/Softball Boxing Swimming
• Runs • Knockout • Breaststroke
• Hits • Technical knockout • Backstroke
• single • Jab • Butterfly
• Double • Uppercut • Individual medley
• Triple • Straight • False start
• Low blow

Taekwondo Volleyball
• Body shot (1 point) • Kill/attack/spike
• Head kick (3 points) • Block
• Axe kick • Ace
• offspeed
Some verbs used in Sports Writing
English
Filipino
bag
nakamit
grab
dinurog
harvest
napasakamay
sweep
namayani
English
Filipino
claim
naghari
cop
winalis
seize
nasulot
reign supreme
naagaw
rule
English
Filipino
outsmart
hinagupit
outclass
hiniya
destroy
pinaluhod
demolish
pinabagsak
knock out
English
Filipino
snatch
humakot
pocket
bumandera
capture
umani
romp away
nakuha
bring home
English
Filipino
batter
ginapi
nip
pinatulog
overpower
pinatumba
crush
pinataob
pulverize
SAMPLE SPORTS STORY:
2015 RSPC Exhibition Game
Team A outplays Team B, 2-1

Orchestrating a quick-paced offensive maneuver fueled with unbreakable

determination, Agusan National High School Blue Eagles’ Team A trampled the hearts of
Team B with a 2-1 victory (11-10, 10-11, 11-9) in the 2015 Regional Schools Press
Conference Badminton Mixed Doubles Exhibition Game at the Champion Badminton court,
today.
The sunny overcast sky set a gloomy atmosphere for Matt Casinillo of Team A as
he showered devastating smashes to kick start the opening salvo.
A long rally transpired as Team A bombarded their opposing team with blistering lob
strokes followed by massive smashes from Casinillo to end the first set with an 11-10
cushion.
A wire-to-wire match up was displayed by both teams midway in the game as Team
A unleashed bursting smashes forcing their foes to commit errors.
 Casinillo, clad in blue terno, fired breathtaking trick shots but fell short in the second set due
to consecutive net errors.
Ooh’s and ahh’s filled the air as both teams exchanged explosive smashes like two-angry
fighting cocks with spine-chilling smashes.
Team A barely allowed their opponents to gain rhythm as they rose their marks, gaining the
upper-hand.
Team B rallied, headed by Jerson Ramos but a slight error snuffed their momentum right
away, marking only 9 points as Casinillo landed a trick shot that earned them the spotlight in the
final set with an 11-9 breather.
“Mind set lang ako strategy,” Casinillo said.

Christan Jay F. Salvaña

1st Place Sports Writing Elementary English

RSPC 2015`
SAMPLE SPORTS STORY:
SBU nilapa ang JRU
MANILA, Philippines — Tinambakan ng three-peat champion San Beda Red Lions
ang Jose Rizal Heavy Bombers, 74-52 habang nasungkit naman ng Letran Knights
ang u­nang panalo matapos gapiin ang Arellano Chiefs, 81-72 kahapon sa
pagpapatuloy ng Season 95 NCAA basketball tournamant sa FilOil Flying V Arena
sa San Juan City.
Umani si Evan Nelle ng 14 assists kabilang na ang mga importanteng plays
para kay Calvin Oftana at James Canlas tungo sa ikalawang sunod na panalo ng
Red Lions.
“We thought na yung 11 assists niya (at halftime), magiging record-breaking
na, but we missed shots noong second half,” sabi ni SBU head coach Boyet
Fernandez.
Sa 17 puntos ni Canlas na may kasamang walong rebounds at 17 puntos at
10 rebounds mula kay Oftana nanatili ang Mendiola-based team sa top spot ng
standing sa 2-0 win-loss kartada.
 “Bad game for me e. Honestly, hindi ako maka-shoot so nag-create na lang
ako para sa teammates ko kasi sila, nakaka-shoot,” sabi ni Nelle, na muntik ng
mapantayan ang league record na 16 assists ni Jio Jalalon ng Arellano noong
2015.
Samantala, sa ikalawang laro nagposte si Jerric Balanza ng career-high 31
puntos kabilang na ang 13 sa fourth period para pumasok ang Knights sa win-
column at bumangon sa kanilang 80-84 talo sa Lyceum Pirates noong Linggo.
“Actually, everyone stepped up sa second half. We’re just happy to win this
game. Jerric (Balanza) is an experienced player and he just knows how to make
plays down-the-stretch,” ayon naman sa bagong Letran head coach na si Bonnie
Tan sa kanyang unang panalo sa NCAA.
Bukod kay Balanza, tumipak din ng double-double performance si Jeo
Ambohot sa kanyang 15 puntos at 11 rebounds.
Sa junior’s division, ini­lampaso ng San Beda Red Cubs ang JRU Light Bom­
bers, 99-80 habang naka-eskapo naman ang Arellano Braves laban sa Letran
Squires, 79-72.
SAMPLE SPORTS STORY:
Enriquez, Erto, snare four golds for Bayambang NHS, waylay foes

Kurt Enriquez and Jose Erto made it look quick and easy.
Both swimmers served strong notice for Bayambang National High School’s Region 1
Athletic Association (R1AA) Meet title bid after hauling four gold medals in the 2019 Swimming
Competition, at the NRSCC Swimming Pool, Lingayen.
The Bayambang duo garnered six medals overall, with two golds for each, and silver for
Enriquez, while Erto got bronze.
The humble Enriquez, a 13-year old freshman, was in the cake walk ever since he took the
200-meter individual medley and 50-meter backstroke, clocking at 2:44 and 32.36 ticks respectively.
“Kinuha lang po naming ang aming advantage sa tumbling turns,” he uttered.

Harol Giovanne Guelos

1st Place Sports Writing Secondary English

NSPC 2019