1

2
3
4
5
6
SPORTS
WRITING
7
SPORTS
8
 THE EIGHT
ESSENTIAL PARTS
OF A GAME STORY

9
8 ESSENTIAL PARTS OF THE GAME STORY

1. The final score of the game.

2. Which teams participated
3. Where the game was played
4. What type of sport was played

10
8 ESSENTIAL PARTS OF THE GAME STORY
5. Identify whether the game is between girls/women or
boys/men.
6. Identify what league or division the teams are from.
7. A description of the winning ply or the main reason
why a team won.
8. Include both teams’ records and how the outcome
affected the league or division standings.
11
1. THE FINAL SCORE OF THE GAME.
•Should be at the top of the story
•Should be the first score that is given
•General rule: score should be in the first
three paragraphs of the story

12
 2. WHICH TEAMS PARTICIPATED.
•Identify the teams by their full name the first time you
mention them:
LA LAKERS
TEXAS RANGERS
Ramon Magsaysay Elementary School Basketball
Team

13
3. WHERE THE GAME WAS PLAYED

•Name of the field or stadium

and the city played in.

14
4. WHAT TYPE OF SPORT WAS PLAYED
• Name the type of sports played
because universities and schools
complete in a variety of sports.

15
5. Identify whether the game is between
girls/women or boys/men
•You don’t need to say that professional baseball
is played by men but you do need to identify
whether a high school or college basketball game
is a girls’/women’s basketball game or a
boys’/men’s basketball game.

•High school athletes are referred to as boys and

girls. They become men and women once in
college. 16
6. Identify what league or division the
teams are from

•This is to determine the level of play.

•To just say that the game was a baseball
game is not enough. It could be a little
league game, a high school game, a minor
league game or a friendship game.
17
7. A description of the winning play or the
main reason why a team won
•Soccer, baseball (lower scoring games): describe
the winning goal or run and feature it prominently.
•If the game is won handily, then you need to
describe why one team was significantly superior.
•Football, basketball, sepak takraw: if the game is
won in the final moments of play by a particular
score, then that would be considered the winning
points.
18
8. Include both teams’ records and how
the outcome affected the league or
division standings.

19
LEAD OFF WITH A
STRONG LEAD

20
LEAD OFF WITH A STRONG LEAD
The lead – opening statement of the
story, usually consisting of between
one sentence and three paragraphs.

Its purpose is to establish quickly and

clearly what the story will be about.
21
 THE BASICS
•What are the 5ws and 1H?
WHO
WHAT
•In Sports Writing, you
don’t have to put all the
WHEN
5ws and 1H in the lead
WHERE
WHY
HOW 22
FIVE WS IN A SPORTS LEAD:
The Integrated Laboratory School
(ILS) boys basketball team defeated
rival Iloilo National High School
(INHS), 77-68, Tuesday night at the
Iloilo sports complex behind 28 points
from junior guard Boy Tanda.
23
ALTERNATIVE TO FIVE WS IN A SPORTS LEAD:
Integrated Laboratory School (ILS) junior
guard Boy Tanda wrote a new chapter of
excellence to an old rivalry and brought some
excitement to the Iloilo Sports Complex in the
process.
Tanda scored 28 points on a variety of jump
shots and driving layups as ILS beat neighbouring
Iloilo National High School (INHS), 77-68 Tuesday
night.
24
KISS THEORY APPLIES FOR WRITING THE
SPORTS LEAD –
KEEP
IT
SHORT AND
SIMPLE 25
WHAT DO YOU INCLUDE
IN THE STORY AND IN
WHAT ORDER?

26
USE THE INVERTED PYRAMID METHOD

27
PARTS OF THE SPORTS STORY
Any sports story can be described as
having three primary parts:
• THE LEAD,
• THE BODY,
• AND CONCLUSION

28
 AFTER THE LEAD....

A STRONG BODY
OF INFORMATION

29
• BODY – Primary part of the story that will
house most of the information you gathered
through the reporting process.
• How big your body’s story will grow depends
primarily on the space and time allowed for
the story.

30
AFTER THE STRONG BODY OF INFO....

THE
CONCLUSION
31
 THE CONCLUSION
•THE END OF THE STORY, USUALLY A
PARAGRAPH OR TWO, SOMETIMES AS
LITTLE AS A SINGLE SENTENCE.
•IN GAME STORIES, THE CONCLUSION IS
NOT AS VITAL BECAUSE OF THE INVERTED
PYRAMID STORY CONSTRUCTION.
32
IT’S TIME TO WRITE
YOUR
SPORTS STORY
33
 FACTS:
• Friendly Basketball Game, 63-59
• San Jose Elementary School (SJES)- WINNER
• San Karlos Elementary School (SKES)- LOSER
• Lemery Covered Gym, JULY 27, 2015
• Joshua Noble, POINT GUARD, SJES- 36
• Larry Alba, SJES- 15
• Alex Carlos, CENTER, SKES- 16
• “Teamwork is the answer to a good game. I’m so glad that my teammates are very
cooperative.” –JOSHUA NOBLE
• “They have been practicing every afternoon after their class. They also practice on
weekend just to win this game.” -MR. JUAN SEVERO, COACH SJES
• SJES players: EZEKIEL MAGANTE- 10, KARL FABRONERO- 12, JUDE ZERRUDO- 9
• SKES PLAYERS: VINCE PARREÑO- 10, DEN TABORNO- 9, BUEN ORTEGUIA- 12,
CHUCK TENEBRO- 8
• “They had a good defense. We should have taken the game more seriously. They
really are good.” –ALEX CARLOS 34