Sports writing o Pagsulat ng

Balitang Isports allows you

in describing plays, the
players, the atmosphere
and other colorful aspects
of a sporting event.
The advantage of sports writing is
that you are allowed a little it more
leeway in your choice of words. In
crime or business writing, you are
restricted in your use of adjectives
and adverbs and are encouraged
to focus more on nouns and verbs.
Sports writing is one of the most popular
forms of modern journalistic writing today.
Take note that sports writing is interesting
but it is also a hard work. Why? Because
the sports hard work. Why? Because the
sports writer must try his best to impart
his readers the actual drama and intense
excitement he sees in the different
playing areas.
10 BASIC RULES IN SPORTSWRITING

1. Know the rules of the game.

2. Special vocabulary (Sports terms or

Sports lingo).

3. Facts (get all your facts).

4. Jot down an outline.

5. Make a good lead (most important

paragraph
10 BASIC RULES IN SPORTSWRITING

6. Use punchy verbs or strong verb.

7. Quotations from players, coach,

officials and spectator.

8. Include key plays (best plays).

9.News Writing (summarize or people
your stories).

10. Revision or editing.

AS A SPORTSWRITER…
 You must be
knowledgeable in different
kinds of sports.
 You have a heart to sports.
STRUCTURES OF A SPORTS NEWS

Sample News based on structure:

NBA game between Boston
Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers
on April 1 as our example article.
1. Intro – the most important news aspect of
a sports game is the score. Who won?
How did they win and what effect did the
victory have? Also important is whether we are
writing from a Boston perspective or Cleveland. In this
case, we will go with Cleveland.

“Cleveland Cavaliers lost 98-96 to the Boston Celtics after

Delonte West’s sank two free throws in the final
seconds, dropping three and a half games behind the
Pistons for the best record in the Eastern Conference."
2. More info – The above is enough
for those who have a passing interest
in the sport. However, NBA fans
would want more information and you
could give it to them in one or two
paragraphs.
“The Cavaliers were without star player LeBron
James, suffering from a knee injury, while the
Celtics were minus Paul Pierce. Gerald Green
led the way for Celtics with 25 points while
Kendrick Perkins had 12 points and nine
rebounds.
The Cavaliers, for whom Larry Hughes scored 24
with Sasha Pavlovic scoring 17, have already
qualified for the play-offs while Boston are out of
the running."
3. Quote – This is where you can
provide a quote from the coach or a
key player from both teams. You can
precede each saying with a lead-in
paragraph or go straight into the
quote.
Celtic forward Al Jefferson, said: “They
were missing their best player and we
were missing our best play. We just
stuck in there.”

“James’ absence was a key factor in

their loss.”, said Cavs coach Mike
Brown
4. The rest – Once you got the
main information and key quotes
out of the way, you can go on to
describe the game. Even better
would be to describe just one or
two plays and include more
quotes.
SPORTSWRITING RULES:
• NEVER be a cheerleader for your teams on the
sports pages. Don't write about "our" team, write
about "the" team.

•NEVER congratulate a team or an athlete in

your sports stories.
•NEVER end a story like this: "The Fighting
Gnus will undoubtedly be the class of
conference and will achieve anything they set
out to do.
 What is a striking headline?
-The headline of a 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
Examples:
• Beermen dumps Gins, 106-93
• Fil-Am sprints for gold in 100m,
sets new record in SEA Games
 VERBS USED IN SPORTS WRITING

English Filipino
Bag Nakamit
Grab Dinurog
Harvest Napasakamay
Sweep Namayani
Triumph Namayagpag
Clinch Nanguna
Take Nasungkit
English Filipino
Claim Naghari
Cop Winalis
Seize Nasulot
Reign supreme Naagaw
Rule Nagkampeon
Hack out Nanalo
English Filipino
Blank Hinagupit
Overwhelm Ginulantang
Outsmart Nilupig
Outclass Hiniya
Destroy Pinaluhod
Demolish Pinabagsak
Knock out Nagapi
Shock Naungusan
Shame nilupig
Prevail over Nakopo
Snatch Humakot
Pocket Bumandera
Capture Umani
Romp away Nakuha
Bring home Naibulsa
Chalk up naangkin
LEAD / PAMATNUBAY

• Answers the questions who, what,

where, when, why & how.

• Attract the interest of the readers

• Face of the story

• It begins the story

 The NU Bulldogs
routed the FEU Tamaraws
12-5 to finish the heart
breaking inning of the
championship game of
UAAP Season 78 at
Araneta Astrodome,Aug.5.
 Towering Keiffer Ravena of
ADMU fired a 2. Towering Keiffer
Ravena of ADMU fired a hair-
raising three-point shot in the
last 2.8 dying seconds to edge
DLSU,87-85 before a delirious
crowd at jam packed Araneta
Astrodome,yesterday.
FORMS OF LEAD
1. The Key Play - This is usually
used when the best angle of the
sports event through the
collective effort of all the
collective effort of all the
members of the winning team.
(namumukod- tanging laro)
EXAMPLE:
Teodorian Spikers blasted the
defenseless Paulinian Netters in
the volleyball championship
game, 2-0, during the Zone III
Athletic Association Meet at
Vigan Gymnasium, Sept.25.
FORMS OF LEAD
2.The Outstanding Player - When one
or two members of the team seem to
standout the rest of the players that
caused the team to win the game. Their
heroic deed is the best angle to start a
sports news

(namumukod - tanging manlalaro)

EXAMPLE:
Nate Robinson hit a three-
pointer at the buzzer, leading the
New York Knicks to a 105- 102
overtime win over the Philadelphia
76ers in the National Basketball
Association play at Madison Square
Garden on Sunday.
FORMS OF LEAD
3. Analytical Approach - This is
used when the team employs a
very spectacular strategy or
action that brings them to victory.
(paanalisang panimula)
EXAMPLE:
Banking on sturdy wallops, deadly
spikes and tricky placing, Ilocos Sur
National High School Netters dethroned
Ilocos Norte National High School
Spikers on the crucial third set of their
volleyball championship game, 3-0 in
the Ilocos Region Athletic Association
Meet at Vigan City,Oct.6.
GUIDELINES IN SPORTS WRITING
1. The headline must always in
present tense.
- Use verb in S Form if the subject is
singular.
Ex. UP trounces University of
Batangas, improves to 2-1
Thailand blasts Philippines, 3-0
GUIDELINES IN SPORTS WRITING
1. The headline must always in
present tense.
- Use verb in Base Form if the subject
is plural
Ex. Generals triumphs over Blazers,
73-72
Warriors beat Thunders, 96-88
GUIDELINES IN SPORTS WRITING
2. In writing the lead use the format:
Angle + Basic Lead (who won, against
whom, by what score, in what
tournament, where and when)
BEST ANGLE: BEST PLAYER +
STRATEGY
 Wilma Frias’ powerful spikes
uplifted Patriots in demolishing
Malaysia, 12-25, 10-25, 25-11,
20-25, 14-15 in the Finals of
ASEAN Women’s Volleyball
League in Cuneta Astrodome
last Sunday.
BODY
2ND PARAGRAPH – Spectacular Plays
- Highlights of the game
- The reasons why team/player won
- The last event in the game.
BODY
3RD PARAGRAPH – SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE OUTCOME
- Win or Loss Record (include the
present game)
- What will happen to the winning
team/player & losing team/player
after the game.
BODY
4th PARAGRAPH Quotation form the
Winning Team or Player
- Quote from the coach, best player or
MVP
- “We are so happy that we win this
game”, said Andaya
BODY
5th PARAGRAPH: Winning Team or
Player Spectacular Play
6th PARAGRAPH: Good Quote from the
Losing Team or Player
7th PARAGRAPH: Losing Team
Spectacular Play
BODY
8th PARAGRAPH: Winning Team or
Player Statistics
9th PARAGRAPH: Losing Team or
Player Statistics
10th PARAGRAPH: Play by Play
Account – in reverse order