LIMELIGHT How to write a good sports story

1. FIND OUT THE LEADER IN STATISTICS (RBIS, KILLS, DIGS, POINTS, ASSISTS, REBOUNDS, ETC.) 2. ASK ABOUT A PARTICULAR DIFFICULT GAME. WHAT WENT WELL? WHAT WENT POORLY? Ask good questions

3. ASK ABOUT CONFERENCE COMPETITION. HOW ARE YOU DOING IN THE MID-ILLINI? WHO’S THE TOUGHEST M-I OPPONENT? 4. ASK ABOUT POSTSEASON PLAY. WHO DO YOU PLAY? GOALS? ETC. Ask good questions

5. DO NOT ASK GOALS FOR THE SEASON WHEN WE’RE MIDWAY THROUGH. 6. ASK THE COACH TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW GOOD GAMES/PLAYS OF THE SEASON. Ask good questions

7. ASK THE PLAYERS FOR THEIR MOST MEMORABLE GAMES. FIND OUT WHY THEY WERE MEMORABLE. MAYBE THEY SCORED A LOT. MAYBE THEY PLAYED TOUGH DEFENSE. Ask good questions

8. ASK THE PLAYERS HOW THEY’VE IMPROVED INDIVIDUALLY OVER THE COURSE OF THE SEASON. 9. ASK THE COACH THE SAME THING, BUT MAKE SURE HE/SHE GIVES SPECIFICS. Ask good questions

1. BEGIN WITH AN INTERESTING TIDBIT ABOUT A GAME. 2. DO NOT BEGIN WITH THE TEAM’S RECORD OR THAT THEY’RE PLAYING WELL OR ANYTHING GENERIC. 3. DO NOT SAY THE TEAM IS FIRED UP AND READY TO WIN. DO NOT SHOW OPINION IN YOUR STORY. Writing the story

4. LIMESTONE TOOK DOWN CONFERENCE LEADER WASHINGTON IN A CLOSE, DEFENSIVE MINDED GAME. 5. LIMESTONE GOT REVENGE AGAINST PEKIN WITH A DEFEAT AT THE DRAGON DOME. Writing the story

6. USE COLORFUL QUOTES ABOUT THE GAME. “ WE TALKED BEFORE HAND ABOUT AVENGING OUR LOSS TO PEKIN EARLIER THIS YEAR,” COACH EDDIE MATHEWS SAID. “AND WE TOOK IT AT THEM THE ENTIRE GAME.” Writing the story

7. GIVE SPECIFIC SCORES AND POINT TOTALS. THESE CAN BE FOUND IN THE JOURNAL STAR BOX SCORES AND ON THE JOURNAL STAR WEBSITE. Writing the story

8. EVEN IF YOU DON’T LIKE SPORTS, PRETEND THAT YOU DO. MAKE IT SOMETHING YOUR WOULD WANT TO READ. 9. DON’T MAKE IT A RAH-RAH STORY. BE REALISTIC. TELL WHAT HAPPENED AND MAKE IT COMPELLING. Writing the story

10. GET PLAYER QUOTES. THESE ADD TO THE STORY. TRY TO GET THEM EARLY. SEND QUESTIONS AS SOON AS YOU HAVE THEM WRITTEN AND CHECKED. Writing the story

IF YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND THE SPORT OR ITS TERMINOLOGY, ASK. IT’S EASIER WHEN IT’S EXPLAINED TO YOU THEN TO TRY TO BLUFF YOU KNOW SOMETHING WHEN YOU DON’T. Finally, ask questions