Chapter 11 Writing Sports Stories

Tips for writing sports stories… One trademark of bad sports writing is the overuse of trite expressions (ex: pigskin, gridiron, split the uprights) Many try to adopt a different type of English to capture the action…this is NOT necessary! Sportswriters are expected to convey a word picture of exactly what happened, which leads to colorful language. They must interpret an event, not just explain it.

Tips (continued)… Sportswriters need to be just as conscious of their writing and grammar as any other writer. Avoid clichés Keep colorful language to a minimum

The Pregame story Where all the research takes place on the teams/people involved Score of the game the last time the teams met Any important injuries Starting lineups Comparison of teams’ records, especially against common opponents Comments on style of play

Pregame (continued)… Significance of game (playoffs, conference) Analysis of individual players Historical background (ex: “backyard brawl”, Pitt vs. Penn State) Also a good place to cover pre-game activities at the HS level, like pep rallies, halftime events, etc.)

Game Story Writers must keep accurate notes of an event Turning points Free to analyze plays Reiterate consequences of plays & choices CAN’T be cheerleaders for home team…job is to write about the whole event Who scored, key plays, stats

Post-game story “sports feature” “sideline story” “locker room story” Sports color stories follow the same general pattern as features…can be vivid and colorful, just don’t overdo it. Gives chance to untangle confusing events that may have occurred during the game Update stats