Sports Writing

LEO C. DIAO
Head Teacher III
Exequiel R. Lina High School
SPORTS WRITING
Sports story is any of a written article of a
particular event/game, a presentation of the
vivid action in the court, and or any form of
information involved in the world of sports. It
may be in the form of sports news, sports
editorial, sports feature, sports editorial
cartoon and others. The basic characteristics
of a sports article that holds the reader’s
attention is the action imbedded on it based
on the turn-out of a particular game
 Qualities of Sports News
It is based on facts.
It is accurate and balance.
It answers the five W and H (what, who, when,
where, why, and how).
It describes the excitement and thrilling part of the
game.
It uses forceful and precise verb, colorful but exact
descriptions and special vocabulary called the sports
lingo.
Characteristics of a Sports Writer

Has the “nose for news” (attending games, meets as

a reporter , not as spectator or cheerer).
Has interest in various kind of sports.
Has the working knowledge on sports lingo in a
particular game(rules, strategy, team record and other
stuffs about the game and players).
Has observes accuracy (facts, statistics, spelling
grammar).
Takes note quickly.
Avoids using clichés, sports slangs and trite
expressions to describe action (Ex. Icing on the cake,
swishing the cord, hitting the willow root, canning the
birdie and others).
 He writes for the readers not for himself
Tips in Writing the Sports News
Write the story after the event.
Be accurate not only with the scores but also to other
highlights of the game.
Include human interest and personal background of
the players.
Follow the inverted pyramid structure in presenting
the data.
Support data with opinion,
Use appropriate sports lingo and sports verb to show
factuality of action.
 Be selective and pick only the facts that counts on the
multitude array of data.
Use one-sentence-one-paragraph structure.
 Use the active voice of the verb rather than the passive
form.
Be concise.
Be original.
Ways to Gather Data
Before the Game

 Know the game and its rules.

 Know stuff information about the people involved (players

and their background, coaches, trainers etc.).

 List down their names in full and check spelling.
 If possible, attend practice sessions to familiarize with players

and gather information about them.

 Jot down quotes, anecdotes and other events that can be

included on the write-up.

 Interview the persons involved in the game.
During the Actual Game

 Be at the venue ahead of time.

 Look for a working place that you can witness the game

closely.
 Note interesting event before the game.

 Observe closely and list down the following.

 The most thrilling part of the game

 Unexpected and trivial event happen

 The scores (who and how they were achieved)

 Quotation of player, coaches and other persons involved

 The reaction of the audience and prominent people who

witness the game

After the Game

Double check gathered scores from official’s list.

 Interview the star players of both the winning and the losing

team.
 Note the audience reaction.
Types of Sports News
Advance News. It gives an advance
information of the coming event. It is
predictive in nature because the article
makes assumption of the possible turnout
of the game based on the strengths and
weaknesses of both contending teams or
players, their historical backgrounds, their
mindset, and the preparations they made
before the event.
Coverage News. It is an on the spot news of
an event or game. It emphasizes the
outcome of the game(the winner, scores of
both team/player), spectacular moments in
the game(how the winner outclassed the
loser, see-saw-scores and other trivial
plays), the significance of the game, the key
players, the key plays, the weather
condition, the audience and other
background stuff.
Follow-up Story. It reviews the
activities of the team. It also evaluates
previous game performances of
players, strategic plays, psychological
state of the team, and the statistics
and its significance
 Structure of Sports News

Lead
Climax of the game/ decisive plays
Quotes
Play –by-play account
Significance of the game
Other Information
The Lead
 It is the outcome of the game or event in a
nutshell. It summarizes and analyzes the game or
event by presenting the winner, the loser, the
scores, the hero, the time and place , and the
significance of the game. It immediately answers
the five W’s and H.
Types of Lead
Classic 5W Lead. The most common
lead
 Teams 1 2 3 4 5 Total

Nueva Ecija Patriots 25 25 30 21 15 3

Pampanga Dragons 13 17 32 25 13 2

Where: Araullo Gymnasium

When: Thursday
What: exhibition match
 The Nueva Ecija Patriots seized a
convincing 25-13, 25-17, 30-32, 21-25, 15-
13 exhibition match against Pampanga
Lady Dragon on Thursday at the
Araullo Gymnasium in Cabanatuan
City.
 Teams 1 2 3 4 5 Total

Nueva Ecija Patriots 25 25 30 21 15 3

Pampanga Dragons 13 17 32 25 13 2

Where: Araullo Gymnasium

When: Thursday
What: elimination round of Central
Luzon Regional Athletic Association
 The Nueva Ecija Patriots remained on
the top of the standing after seizing a
convincing 25-13, 25-17, 30-32, 21-25, 15-13
victory against Pampanga Lady Dragon in
the elimination round of Central Luzon
Regional Athletic (CLRAA) Meeton
Thursday at the Araullo Gymnasium in
Cabanatuan City.
 Teams 1 2 3 4 5 Total

Nueva Ecija Patriots 25 25 30 21 15 3

Pampanga Dragons 13 17 32 25 13 2

Where: Araullo Gymnasium

When: Thursday
What: semifinal match of the Central
Luzon Regional Athletic Association
 The Nueva Ecija Patriots seized a
convincing 25-13, 25-17, 30-32, 21-25, 15-13
semifinal victory over last year’s runner up
Pampanga Lady Dragons and pocketed a
final slot in the Central Luzon Regional
Athletic Association, on Thursday at the
Araullo Gymnasium in Cabanatuan City.
Key Play Lead. This is usually used
when the most spectacular part of the
game became the key for a particular
team in winning the match
 Teams 1 2 3 4 5 Total

Nueva Ecija Patriots 25 25 30 21 15 3

Pampanga Dragons 13 17 32 25 13 2

Where: Araullo Gymnasium

When: Thursday
What: exhibition match
 Nueva Ecija Lady Patriots nailed a
service ace and a strong attack to seize
a convincing 25-13, 25-17, 30-32, 21-25,
15-13 exhibition match against
Pampanga Lady Dragons on Thursday
at the Araullo Gymnasium,
Cabanatuan City.
 Teams 1 2 3 4 5 Total

Nueva Ecija Patriots 25 25 30 21 15 3

Pampanga Dragons 13 17 32 25 13 2

Where: Araullo Gymnasium

When: Thursday
What: elimination round of Central
Luzon Regional Athletic Association
Meet
 The Nueva Ecija Patriots nailed a
service ace and a strong attack to seize a
convincing 25-13, 25-17, 30-32, 21-25, 15-13
victory against Pampanga Lady Dragons and
remained on the top of the standing of
Central Luzon Regional Athletic (CLRAA)
Meet on Thursday at Araullo Gymnasium in
Cabanatuan City.
 Teams 1 2 3 4 5 Total

Nueva Ecija Patriots 25 25 30 21 15 3

Pampanga Dragons 13 17 32 25 13 2

Where: Araullo Gymnasium

When: Thursday
What: semifinal match of Central Luzon
Regional Athletic Association Meet
 The Nueva Ecija Patriots nailed a
service ace and a strong attack to seize a
convincing 25-13, 25-17, 30-32, 21-25, 15-13
victory against last year’s runner up
Pampanga Lady Dragons and pocketed a
final slot in the Central Luzon Regional
Athletic (CLRAA) Meet on Thursday at
Araullo Gymnasium in Cabanatuan City.
Hero of the Game Lead. Outstanding
player or players who made spectacular
performance that caused the team to win
are best to be featured in the lead
 Teams 1 2 3 4 5 Total

Nueva Ecija Patriots 25 25 30 21 15 3

Pampanga Dragons 13 17 32 25 13 2

Where: Araullo Gymnasium

When: Thursday
What: exhibition match
 Spiker Michelle Avila played an
outstanding overall performance to lead
Nueva Ecija Lady in seizing a convincing 25-
13, 25-17, 30-32, 21-25, 15-13 exhibition match
against Pampanga Lady Dragons on
Thursday at the Araullo Gymnasium,
Cabanatuan City.
 Teams 1 2 3 4 5 Total

Nueva Ecija Patriots 25 25 30 21 15 3

Pampanga Dragons 13 17 32 25 13 2

Where: Araullo Gymnasium

When: Thursday
What: elimination round of Central
Luzon Regional Athletic Association
Meet
 Spiker Michelle Avila played an outstanding
overall performance to lead Nueva Ecija Lady in
seizing a convincing 25-13, 25-17, 30-32, 21-25, 15-13
victory against Pampanga Lady Dragons to remain
on the top of the standing of Central Luzon
Regional Athletic Association (CLRAA) Meet on
Thursday the Araullo Gymnasium, Cabanatuan
City.
 Teams 1 2 3 4 5 Total

Nueva Ecija Patriots 25 25 30 21 15 3

Pampanga Dragons 13 17 32 25 13 2

Where: Araullo Gymnasium

When: Thursday
What: semifinal match of Central Luzon
Regional Athletic Association Meet
 Spiker Michelle Avila played an
outstanding overall performance to lead
Nueva Ecija Lady in seizing a convincing 25-
13, 25-17, 30-32, 21-25, 15-13 semifinal victory
against Pampanga Lady Dragons and
pocketing a final slot in Central Luzon
Regional Athletic Association (CLRAA)
Meet on Thursday the Araullo Gymnasium,
Cabanatuan City.
Analytical Lead. The spectacular strategy
done by the team that enables them to win is
best to angle.
 Teams 1 2 3 4 5 Total

Nueva Ecija Patriots 25 25 30 21 15 3

Pampanga Dragons 13 17 32 25 13 2

Where: Araullo Gymnasium

When: Thursday
What: exhibition match
 Nueva Ecija Lady Patriots showcased a
defensive clinic in the most deciding part of the
game to seize a convincing 25-13, 25-17, 30-32, 21-
25, 15-13 exhibition match against Pampanga Lady
Dragons at Araullo Gymnasium, Cabanatuan City
Thursday night.
 Teams 1 2 3 4 5 Total

Nueva Ecija Patriots 25 25 30 21 15 3

Pampanga Dragons 13 17 32 25 13 2

Where: Araullo Gymnasium

When: Thursday
What: elimination round of Central
Luzon Regional Athletic Association
Meet
 Nueva Ecija Lady Patriots showcased a
defensive clinic in the most deciding part of
the game to seize a convincing 25-13, 25-17,
30-32, 21-25, 15-13 victory against Pampanga
Lady Dragons and remained on the top of
the standing of Central Luzon Regional
Athletic Association (CLRAA) Meet at
Araullo Gymnasium, Thursday night.
 Teams 1 2 3 4 5 Total

Nueva Ecija Patriots 25 25 30 21 15 3

Pampanga Dragons 13 17 32 25 13 2

Where: Araullo Gymnasium

When: Thursday
What: semifinal match of Central Luzon
Regional Athletic Association Meet
 Nueva Ecija Lady Patriots showcased a
defensive clinic in the most deciding part of the
game to seize a convincing 25-13, 25-17, 30-32, 21-
25, 15-13 semifinal match against Pampanga Lady
Dragons and pocketed a final slot in Central Luzon
Regional Athletic Association Meet at Araullo
Gymnasium, Cabanatuan City Thursday night.
 Teams 1 2 3 4 5 Total

Nueva Ecija Patriots 25 25 30 21 15 3

Pampanga Dragons 13 17 32 25 13 2

Where: Araullo Gymnasium

When: Thursday
What: exhibition match
Quotation Lead
.
Examples:
Teamwork lang.
 The first word clearly brought the formidable
Alex Paita and Marco Sebastian tandem of San Jose
Elem. School to victory leaving John Mendez and Miko
Reyes of San Pascual Elem. School defenseless in the
Practice Game session for Badminton Boys at Talavera
Municipal Gym earlier this morning.
 The biggest one is our next target.
Nueva Ecija Lady Patriots coach
Sally Mendoza stressed after her team
snatched a semifinal match over last
year’s runner up Pampanga Lady
Dragons, 25-13, 25-17, 30-32, 21-25, 15-13,
in the Central Luzon Regional Athletic
Association, on Thursday at the Araullo
Gymnasium in Cabanatuan City.
Novelty Lead
Defence is the name of the game.
Nueva Ecija Lady Patriots will make their
championship appearance after bagging a semi-
final match against last year’s runner up
Pampanga Lady Dragons, 25-13, 25-17, 30-32, 21-
25, 15-13, in the Central Luzon Regional Athletic
Association, on Thursday at the Araullo
Gymnasium in Cabanatuan City.
The Body
 The body is the elaborated part of the story.
The body amplified the lead with the information
that was untold in the lead. Following the
structure of inverted triangle, the body contains
the climax of the game, the highlights and
decisive plays, quotations from players, coaches
and audience, play by play account, significance
of the game and other vital information.
Body of the Classical 5W’s and H Lead
Patriots bump Warriors, 3-2
1. Nueva Ecija Patriots hacked out a thrilling 25-13, 25-17, 30-32, 21-
25, 15-13 triumph over last year’s runner up Pampanga Dragons
Thursday night in the Central Luzon Regional Athletic
Association at the Araullo Gymnasium, Cabanatuan City.
2. Team captain Michelle Dela Cruz, Nerissa Reyes and Jennifer Antolin
combined for 35 attacks and 28 blocks to spoil the ambition of the
Dragons and certified the Lady Patriots the first final slot.
3. “I just told them to play, our floor defense was great, that’s what we
really practice,” said Nueva Ecija coach Sally Mendoza..
4. The Lady Patriots rallied from two sets down and wiped out a five-
point Pampanga advantage in the fifth set before Antolin and Reyes
delivered the last two hits to seal the semifinal match in a little under
two hours.
5. “I just had full confidence in my team that we were not going to lose,”
said Patriots coach Sally Mendoza.
6. The Lady Dragons rode the momentum of its stirring third-
set win to the fourth, extending the match into a deciding game,
where the Lady Stags grabbed an early 5-3 lead.
7. But the Lady Patriots scored tremendously on Dela Cruz’s
serve to seized control,12-7, after Pao Soriano’s kill at the center.
8. Back-to-back errors of Nueva Ecija’s setter Jenny Ramos and
three straight points from Pampanga team captain Joy Belmonte tied
the game at 13 but Dela Cruz and Reyes put an end to the resistance.
9. Dela Cruz had 22 points while Reyes, flashing a well-rounded
game that included a solid floor defense, finished with 21.
10. The referee warned Coach Sally Mendoza due to continuous
complaining in a controversial call in the second set.
11. “It was just part of my eagerness of winning,” stressed
Mendoza in an interview after the game.
12. Patriots who lost a quarterfinal match against Bulacan last
year will face the defending champion Bataan Lady Warriors in the
final match on Saturday.
Body of the Key Play Lead
Patriot heroes shame Warriors

 Cross-court wallops of Lady Patriots team captain Michelle Dela Cruz

and center quick spikes of Nerissa Reyes arrested the deadlock resistance at 13
against the Pampanga Dragons in a do-or- die trice to bit game in the
Volleyball Women’s Division finals on the on-going Central Luzon Regional
Athletic Association, Thursday night at the Araullo Gym, Cabanatuan City.
 Dela Cruz penetrated five consecutive cross-court wallops and Reyes’ three
superb center quick spikes jolted the Pampanga Dragons, CLARAA runner-up last
year, (25-13, 25-17, 30-32, 21-25, 15-13 ), bannering the Patriots to the first slot in the
finals.
 “I just told them to play, our floor defense was great, that’s what we really
practice,” said Nueva Ecija coach Sally Mendoza..
 The Lady Patriots rallied from two sets down and wiped out a five-point
Pampanga advantage in the fifth set before Antolin and Reyes delivered the last two
hits to seal the semifinal match in a little under two hours.
 “I just had full confidence in my team that we were not going to lose,” said
Patriots coach Sally Mendoza.
 The Lady Dragons rode the momentum of its stirring third-set win to
the fourth, extending the match into a deciding game, where the Lady Stags
grabbed an early 5-3 lead.
But the Lady Patriots scored tremendously on Dela Cruz’s serve to
seized control,12-7, after Pao Soriano’s kill at the center.
Back-to-back errors of Nueva Ecija’s setter Jenny Ramos and three
straight points from Pampanga team captain Joy Belmonte tied the game at 13
but Dela Cruz and Reyes put an end to the resistance.
Dela Cruz had 22 points while Reyes, flashing a well-rounded game that
included a solid floor defense, finished with 21.
The referee warned Coach Sally Mendoza due to continuous
complaining in a controversial call in the second set.
“It was just part of my eagerness of winning,” stressed Mendoza in an
interview after the game.
Patriots who lost a quarterfinal match against Bulacan last year will face
the defending champion Bataan Lady Warriors in the final match on Saturday.

Note: The second paragraph contain the summary of scores. Unlike the
two previous examples that it was stated in the lead, here due to the
type of lead used,the importance of the statistics became secondary
following the structure of decreasing importance.
 Body of the Hero of the Game Lead
 Patriot heroes shame Warriors
 Lady Patriots’ Michelle Dela Cruz, Nerissa Reyes and Jennifer Antolin
aggressive tandem shut Pampanga Dragons to the finals and led to a victory, 3-2,
grabbing the first slot in the finals at the Central Luzon Regional Athletic Association
Women’s Volleyball , Thursday night at the Araullo Gym, Cabanatuan City.
 Team captain Dela Cruz, Reyes and Antolin combined for 35 attacks and 28 blocks
spoiled the ambition of Dragons, CLARAA runner-up last year, (25-13, 25-17, 30-32, 21-25, 15-13
) entering the finals.
 “I just told them to play, our floor defense was great, that’s what we really practice,”
said Nueva Ecija coach Sally Mendoza..
 The Lady Patriots rallied from two sets down and wiped out a five-point Pampanga
advantage in the fifth set before Antolin and Reyes delivered the last two hits to seal the
semifinal match in a little under two hours.
 “I just had full confidence in my team that we were not going to lose,” said Patriots
coach Sally Mendoza.

The Lady Dragons rode the momentum of its stirring third-set win to
the fourth, extending the match into a deciding game, where the Lady
Stags grabbed an early 5-3 lead.
But the Lady Patriots scored tremendously on Dela Cruz’s serve to
seized control,12-7, after Pao Soriano’s kill at the center.
Back-to-back errors of Nueva Ecija’s setter Jenny Ramos and three
straight points from Pampanga team captain Joy Belmonte tied the
game at 13 but Dela Cruz and Reyes put an end to the resistance.
Dela Cruz had 22 points while Reyes, flashing a well-rounded game that
included a solid floor defense, finished with 21.
The referee warned Coach Sally Mendoza due to continuous
complaining in a controversial call in the second set.
“It was just part of my eagerness of winning,” stressed Mendoza in an
interview after the game.
Patriots who lost a quarterfinal match against Bulacan last year will face
the defending champion Bataan Lady Warriors in the final match on
Saturday.
THE PUNCHY AND DYNAMIC VERBS

1. To win by a big margin

battered
mangled
clobbered
powdered
walloped


To win by a small margin
2.
 Shaded
 Nipped
 edged
 nosed out
. To defeat a champion
3
dethroned
overthrew
toppled
captured the title
snatched the crown
unseated
overturned
bagged the title
4. To remain a champion

kept the crown

retained the crown
maintained the crown

5. To give an opponent a zero score

Blanked
Whitewashed
6. Other strong verbs/sports vocabulary
four-game losing streak…
separate rivals…
collides with…
to notch their third straight victory…
in the early going of the tournament…
lock in a four-way tie…
dropping their first two games…
disappointing campaigns…
an inspiring come-from-behind 55-45 win
suffocating full-court defense title contender…
most dominant player/team
a full-house crowd
a real close game
best of three series…
bitter rival/opponent…
buried triple shots…
set up a fast break play…
chipped in 10 and 8 points, respectively…
remained undefeated
knock-out phase/game, do-or-die game…
big defensive players…
runaway win…
dazzled the crowd and awed their defenders…
daring drives…
creative plays…
crucial role…
split decision/hairline decision
a head-to-head matches…
tough defense
stop dreaming,
START WRITING”

THANK YOU.........