Sports Writing Lecture

GAME ON!
by Joy B. Gentapa
Adapted from the slide deck
of Alvin Hizon
 Lecture Objectives

•Know the key points in

sports writing
•Write a sports article
•Participate in the given
activity
 http://www.chok.ch/en/client/task-essential/ 1
Make a headline
out from the given
facts and picture.
What: UAAP 82, First Round
Players: Ateneo vs. UP
Winner: Ateneo
Quarter Scores: 15-21, 35-31, 61-
46, 89-63
 Sports Writing

• It is considered as a
specialized form of writing.
• Spend lots of time in
research and preparation
• Must gain trust of readers
 Sports Writing

•You need to write

accurately and
entertainingly with
great speed and under
difficult situation.
Types of sports story according
to treatment
•Coverage story
•Advance story or
advancer
•Feature story
 Types of sports story
according to treatment
Coverage story- a report on the
outcome of the game, how it was
played including the highlights.
Advance story or Advancer- presents
the facts of the coming event, the line-
ups and list of competing teams.
 Types of sports story
according to treatment

Feature story – An in-depth article

focusing on aspects that are hard to
discuss via regular reportage. An
advance form of writing, the feature
incorporates techniques of straight
news writing and short story writing.
 Types according to
structure

The single beat report - It is a coverage

of only one particular game which the
story is based.

The composite story - It covers more

than one game in one story.
As you develop your sports
article, you have to come
up with the most
interesting angle in your
headline and lead.
Structure of a Sports
Story
 Writing your sports story

KEY#1: Power up
your Headline
KEY#1: Power up your Headline Writing the
Headline
• The headline consists of the
competing players/team.
• The headline consist of the
competing players/team.
• It must include the event being
competed with.
• It must clearly tell who wins the
match and includes the importance
of the game/match.
KEY#1: Power up your Headline Writing the
Headline

Headlines follow the S-V-O plus

story angle pattern (coverage
report)
Rondina powers UST to twice-to-
beat advantage over defending
champ La Salle
KEY#1: Power up your Headline Writing the
Headline

Rondina powers UST

S V O
to twice-to-beat advantage over
defending champ La Salle
Story Angle
KEY#1: Power up your Headline Writing the
Headline

It can also be double-verb

head.
Gilas falls short of two
points, bows to China
KEY#1: Power up your Headline Writing the
Headline

Gilas falls short of two

V
points, bows to China
V
KEY#1: Power up your Headline Writing the
Headline
Examples
Gilas takes down Japan,
advances to FIBA Asia finals
Double-verb SVO + story
head angle
NCR trounces Calabarzon for
back-to-back secondary girls
volleyball title
KEY#1: Power up your Headline Writing the
Headline
Examples

Gritty FEU rallies late to upset La

Salle, extends Final Four series
Aces capitalize on third quarter
run, extend PBA Final Series
against the Painters
KEY#1: Power up your Headline Writing the
Headline
Examples

Hermoso sinikwat ang ginto sa

Badminton Singles ng Division
Meet, aariba sa STCAA
Ilustre nagreyna sa Table Tennis
Singles, pasok na sa Regional
Meet
 Writing the
Headline
Headline may also use
Hammer Head.

COMPLETE SWEEP
PH Volleybelles bow to Thailand
 Writing the
Headline
Headline may also use
SVO/HOW angle.
Gilas, lumutang sa OT kontra Kazakhistan
S V how/angle O
Lady Maroons, pinasuko ang Lady Spikers sa tatlong sets
S V O how/angle
 Writing your sports story
KEY#2: Strong Lead is
essential.
Get the readers’ attention
right away by using a strong,
powerful, and effective lead
paragraph.
KEY#2: Strong Lead is essential. Writing the
Lead

Direct (Summary) Leads

The Magnolia
MagnoliaHotshots
Hotshots
(WHO)fired
fired a
recordsetting 21 three pointers as they
poundedpounded
(HOW) the Raintheor Shine
Rain or
85-74
Shine
to 85-74
avoid
teeteringtoon
(WHAT) avoid
the teetering
brink of onelimination
the brink of
in
their 2019 PBA
elimination in their
Philippine
2019 Cup
PBA semi-finals
Philippine
duel semi-finals
Cup at the Araneta
duel Coliseum
(WHY) at onthe Tuesday,
Araneta
April 16. (WHERE) on Tuesday, April 16.
Coliseum
(WHEN)
Direct (Summary) Leads

Selections negate Lait’s explosive game,

trip All Stars in demonstration match.
Tagaytay Selections recovered from a
lethargic first set, overcoming the game-high
21 points of Tagaytay All Star’s spitfire Emil
Lait as they turned things around in the
third set and claimed the hard-fought 3-set
squeaker in their demonstration game for
RSPC qualifiers yesterday.
Direct (Summary) Leads

Selections, trinangkuhan ang opensiba ni

Lait, pinasingasing ang All Stars sa
demonstration match.
Humulagpos mula sa matamlay sa simula
ang Tagaytay Selections upang ungusan ang
game-high 21 puntos ng Tagaytay All Star
nasi Emil Lait matapos hawakan ang
bentahe sa third set at ipanalo ang 3-set
squeaker sa demonstration game ng RSPC
Qualifiers kahapon.
 Writing the
BEST PLAYER LEAD Lead

(key player’s big

contribution/points in
the performance of
the team)
 Best Player Lead
Ian Sangalang scored all of his 16
points in the second half to help
Magnolia notched its first victory
against Rain Or Shine in their best-
of-7 semifinal series in the PBA
Philippine Cup at Araneta Coliseum
on Tuesday.
 Best Player Lead
Stephen tows Golden State to 24-0
Stephen Curry scored 38 points
as the Golden State Warriors
improved to 24 wins with no
loss/defeat this season by outlasting
the Boston Celtics 124-119 in
double overtime Friday night.
 Best Player Lead
Stephen, minanduhanang 24 panalo
para sa Golden State
Hinablot ni Stephen Curry ang kanyang
game-high record na 38 points upang
hatakin ang Golden State para sa 24-0
win-loss record matapos kalusin ang
Boston Celtics 124-119 sa double
overtime kahapon.
 Writing the
KEY PLAYER LEAD Lead

(crucial
moment/how the
game is won)
 Key Play Lead
Rainer Cao's second-half
scoring binge (key play) led the
Cagayan Nuggets to a come-from-
behind 54-53 triumph over the
MisOr Torch Bearers in the Second
Congressional basketball salvo at
the Tagoloan
Town Plaza.
 Key Play Lead
Jun Mar Fajardo stormed 2 points
in a tough fade-away with one second
left to tie the score in regulation and
another jumper in overtime to lead the
San Miguel’s dominion over the
Phoenix, 92-82 for a 2-0 lead in the
2019 PBA Philippine Cup semi-finals at
the Araneta Coliseum on Monday, April
15.
 Key Play Lead
Jun Mar Fajardo (WHO) stormed 2
points in a tough fade-away with one
second left to tie the score in regulation
and another jumper in overtime (HOW) to
lead the San Miguel’s dominion over the
Phoenix, 92-82 (WHAT) for a 2-0 lead in the
2019 PBA Philippine Cup semi-finals at the
Araneta Coliseum (WHERE) on Monday,
April 15 (WHEN).
 More of Key Play Lead
Gardner’s free throw lifts Dragon vs
Alab
Kiwi Gardner displayed poise under pressure
and sank two pressure-packed
pressure-packed free throws
with two seconds
seconds left
left to
to help the Dragons
hold off an Alab Pilipinas’ late rally, 79-77,
and end the defending
defending champions’ three
game slide against the Philippine team in
the ASEAN Basketball League yesterday.
 More of Key Play Lead
Gardner, kumanang dalawangfree
throws para sagipinang Dragons
Nagsalpak/Kumamada si Kiwi Gardner ng
dalawang peligrosong/mabigat / pamatay
na free throw may dalawang segundo na
lamang ang nalalabi para trangkuhanang
pagdiskaril ng Dragons sa huling rally ng
Alab Pilipinas, 79-77, sa ASEAN Basketball
League kahapon.
 Best Run Lead
Never say die University of the East
wiped out a 10-point deficit in the
fourth quarter to snatch a 68-66
victory over La Salle and stay alive in
the race for a Final Four in the UAAP
Season 77 men’s basketball
tournament at the Smart Araneta
Coliseum, yesterday.
 Record-Setting Lead
Outside hitter Miguel Rafael
Rongalerios of Grade 9SPS bucked the
odds as he pumped in personal-high
personal-high 11
kills
kills to power
power the Juniors
Juniors with
with a come-
from-behind
from-behind triumph
triumph past veteran
Seniors,
Seniors, 23-25,
23-25, 25-21, 18-15 in the
Men’s Volleyball Finals of the QNHS
Intramurals at the Alcala Sports
Complex, July 22.
 Writing your sports story
KEY#3: Write clearly and
concisely
The problem of beginners
nowadays is that they have
tendencies to write in a very long
story telling manner –not in sports
writing way.
 Writing your sports story

KEY#3: Write clearly

and concisely
Some sports writers
become wordy.
 LOOK AT
THIS.

Quezon NHS grabbed the win over

Gumaca NHS with a score of 90-
87 yesterday at Lopez Town court.
The game started with a jump ball
which was won by Asi wearing
jersey no.6.
 LOOK AT Weak
THIS. Presentation

Quezon NHS grabbed the win over

Gumaca NHS with a score of 90-
87 yesterday at Lopez Town court.
The game started with a jump ball
which was won by Asi wearing
jersey no.6.
 LOOK AT
THIS.

LOPEZ QUEZON – John Michael Asi

fashioned a vicious fourth quarter
assault to lead Quezon National High
School’s triumph over Gumaca NHS,
90-87 in Palarong Quezon opener at
Lopez Municipal Court.
 QNHS whips GNHS
LOOK AT
behind Asi, Valenzuela
THIS.

LOPEZ QUEZON – John Michael Asi

fashioned a vicious fourth quarter
assault to lead Quezon National High
School’s triumph over Gumaca NHS,
90-87 in Palarong Quezon opener at
Lopez Municipal Court. Improved
Version
EXEMPLAR
Headline: Juniors trounce Seniors behind Ramos,
Angeles
Lead:
Forwards Ian Ramos and Denzel Angeles of Grade
9 headed home a vital triumph as they poured
three goals apiece for the Juniors to ground out a
solid 7-5 win against the Grade 10 Stallions in the
Football Finals game during the 2018 QNHS
Intramurals at the Alcala Sports Complex, July20.
 Writing your sports story
Writing the
Body

KEY#4: An organized
body
 Writing the Body
Headline
Lead
Second paragraph
directly supports the
lead.
 Writing the Body

Third paragraph
states a quote
from the key
player.
 Writing the Body
Fourth paragraph
shows first part of the
play-byplay. Tell the
readers what they don’t
know in the first half.
 Writing the Body

Fifth paragraph
shows the
continuous flow of
the play-by-play.
 Writing the Body

Sixth paragraph
shows the last
part of the first
half.
 Writing the Body

Seventh
paragraph shows
the first part of the
second half.
 Writing the Body

Eighth paragraph
shows the
continuous flow of
play in the second
half.
 Writing the Body
Ninth paragraph is an
extended play-by-play account
while Tenth paragraph closes
out the playby-play and the
11th paragraph is another
quoted remarks from
interview.
 Big Tips
• Select the strongest angle
and build your story
around it.
• Write it in plain, specific
details.
• Let the facts tell the story.
 Big Tips
• Avoid long list of statistics or
score.
• Highlight only the most
important.
• Rely on noun-verb descriptions.
These are stronger than merely
using adjectives.
 Big Tips
NOUN-VERB DESCRIPTIONS
• Tell who’s in the decisive
plays/moments.
• Tell what actions he
displayed.
 Pandiwa vs Pang-uri
(verb vs adjective)
Big Tips
Halimbawa:
• Tumikada sina James Yap at Peter Jun
Simon ng pumuputok na tres sa panimula
ng fourth quarter.
Mas Akma:
• Pumutok ang opensa ni James Yap at
Peter Jun Simon sa panimula ng fourth
quarter matapos kumunekta ng apat na
sunod na tres.
 Pandiwa vs Pang-uri
(verb vs adjective)
Big Tips
Halimbawa:
• Naglalagablab na palo ang iginanti ni ace
striker Maryan Gonzales na tumapos sa third
set, 25-18, pabor sa Ateneo Lady Eagles.

Mas Akma:
• Naglagablab ang third set sa mainit na opensa
ng Lady Eagles sa pangunguna ni ace striker
Maryan Gonzales na magpakawala ng
matutulis na hataw, 25-18.
 Tone down your
vocabulary
Big Tips
Resist in digging deep into your well of
vocabulary.
Ex. With his portentous butterfly
stroke, Phelps stole the lead with 18
golds from Japan.
Better: Phelps bagged his 18th gold
medal after his stunning swim off.
 The Major play-by-
play is vital.
Big Tips
Major play-by-play deals with the games’
important highlights – the turning point, the
crucial turnover, the defining moment. It
answers the question how the team won.
It is the body of the story that brings
the excitement, transport the readers
to playing venue, and gives overall
picture of how the game happened.
Writing your sports story
Writing the
Body

KEY#5:INTERVIEW
DOES MATTER
KEY#5:INTERVIEW DOES MATTER. Writing the
BODY

• Quotes serve as the heart of the

sports story. It tells what the
players/coaches feel after the
game. So, get meaningful quotes.
• As sports writers, you can do pre-
game or post-games’ interviews.
Writing your sports story
Writing the
Body

KEY#6: DO YOUR
RESEARCH
 KEY#6: DO YOUR RESEARCH Writing the
BODY
• Successful sports writers are researchers
too. Before covering a game, make it a
point that you did your research about
the competing teams; their previous
records, etc.
• Researches are helpful in giving
backgrounds such as comparison of the
current performance to the
last performance, etc.
 Writing your sports story
Writing the
Body
KEY#7: Knowledge of
the rules and sports
lingos are requisites.
 KEY#7: Knowledge of the rules Writing the
BODY
and sports lingos are requisites.

• As sports writer, you should be

well-versed with the rules of the
sports that you are writing about
and the lingos . Being good in
English is just an add-on value –
still, you have to live and breathe
sports.
Writing your sports story
Writing the
Body
KEY # 8: USE
APPROPRIATE
ADJECTIVES
 KEY # 8: USE APPROPRIATE Writing the
BODY
ADJECTIVES

• The sports writers’ choice of words is

crucial, that’s why analysis is important.
Make sure that you choose the right
word within the right context.
• Nothing is wrong with using adjective to
describe –the question lies on how it is
delivered.
 Sports Jargons
CLOSE GAME ONE-SIDED GAME
Crushes
Nips
Manhandles
Edges Dismantles
Survives Whips
Holds off Trounces Bludgeons
Escapes Drubs
Beats/defeat Thrashes/wallops
Eclipse
 In writing your sports story, what to
include?
• Who, what, when, where, why and how elements
• Significance of the game
• Meaningful quotes
• Highlight of the game, winning play, turning point,
crucial errors, injuries (if there’s any)
• Best moments
• Best players
• Statistics
• Major play-by-play.
In writing your sports story, what to
include?
BODY
• Top performers of winning team
• Game-changing run
• Game-winning basket
• Knockout punch
• Quotes
• Top performers of losing team
• Emotions, atmosphere
THESE WORDS CAN COME IN HANDY
(Substitute for “defeat”)
crush, rip, ruin, pummel, destroy, poke,
wreck down, edge, devastate, beat, trounce,
bury, wallop, nail, rout, annihilate
clobber, bomb, upset, rock , beat up, punch
put away, surprise, Bag, pocket, thwart, foil,
rally, come-from behind, strike, bested,
capture, formidable, determined, hard
fought
 SOME SPORTS IDIOMS IN USE
• Poured in 19 points and 10 assists
• Who drew 34 points and 14 rebounds
• Live up to their top billing
• Up against a crack field
• Set the stage for a rout
• Turned its fortune around
• Achieved another milestone
• Pulled off a gigantic/huge/biggest upset
• Roared back to life/Stepped up their attack
• Grope for form/Lapsed into a series of errors
• Turned the tides in their favor
 SOME SPORTS IDIOMS IN USE
FILIPINO
• Nagtala ng bagong record (record breaking feat)
• Sumungkit ng panibagong karangalan (record breaking)
• Iniuwi ang korona (lahat ng sports)
• Winalisang karibal (Chess, football or any game that ends in
a sweep)
• Tinahak ang matarik na akyatan (Marathon, cycling race)
• Hindi nagpapigil sa pag atake (any sports)
• Sinikwatang titulo/kampeonato/huling puwesto
• Dinomina/Iniuwi/kinopo ang korona (any sports)
• Nabunutan ng tinik sa lalamunan
 Remember…
The use of verb(sports lingo) can make or break
your chances of winning in the higher level
competition.
Always make sure that sports lingo we are to
use is suited with the sports being covered,
suited with the development of the game and
suited with our chosen angle of the story.
 Remember…
Knowing the background of the game and the
competing teams in the tournament /
competition is one good way to come up with an
interesting headline and lead.
If background check is not applicable because it
is only an exhibition game or set up match for
the purpose of competitive sports writing
coverage, then we have to keenly analyze and
observe how the game/match develop.
 http://www.chok.ch/en/client/task-essential/ 2
Write a sports story
based on the given
facts.
 “Sports could have been
invented for an industry
selling a dose of sensation.”
– Phil Andrews