SPORTS WRITING

ROEL A. NAZA
SHS Teacher
1
SPORTS VOCABULARY/LINGO
FROM WHAT SPORTS ARE THE
FOLLOWING LINGO?
turning side kick bowman
knock-out regu
wallop uppercut
diamond dig
rebound killer
pass the baton lay up
behind the green free throw
queen breast stroke
southpaw dink
aquabelle counterpunch
SPORTS WRITING
Sports Writing is a core specialized
area of coverage for correspondents
cover a particular beat.

SPORTS WRITING is, basically,

news writing, too… but is more
specialized and action-oriented.
 SPORTS WRITING
All the elements found in news writing –
timeliness, prominence, proximity or
nearness, oddity, conflict, human interest,
numbers and others – are also present in
sports writing. All the rules present in
news writing – especially those on
accuracy, brevity and clarity -- apply
to sports writing, too.
 SPORTS WRITING
This has become one of the most
popular forms of modern journalistic writing.
More and more readers are now turning to
the sports section before looking at the more
prosaic news of the day.
But while many talk about sports, there
are only a few who can write a sports
story.
 SPORTS WRITING
Sports writing is the most entertaining
form of journalism.
Why? Because of the so called D.U.E.S.
D – rama
U – npredictability
E – excitement
S – ensation
 QUALITIES OF SPORTS NEWS
1. Basically, it answers the five W’s and one H (What,
Who, Where, When, Why, & How).
2. It primarily describes the thrilling and eventful part
of the game.
3. It uses more colorful words, adjectives, figures of
speech, local color and longer sentences which are
not commonly used in a straight news.
4. It uses special vocabulary called sports lingo.
QUALITIES OF A GOOD SPORTS WRITER
1. Must know sports: rules, strategy, team
and players’ records.
2. Must attend the games or meets as a
reporter, not as a spectator or cheerer.
3. Must know coaches and players as
intimately as possible.
4. Must observe accuracy.
QUALITIES OF A GOOD SPORTS WRITER
5. Must be able to take notes quickly without
losing the sequence of the play.
6. Must be fair and unbiased in reporting, even
though he has a favorite team.
7. Must not make comments without supporting
them with facts on which they are based,
although sports writers have more freedom than
any other news writers.
QUALITIES OF A GOOD SPORTS WRITER
8. Must use the specialized language of the
particular sports that he is reporting.
9. Must avoid trite expressions which hack
writers use today. He should tell the story in
plain, factual terms, that describe the action.
10. Must bear in mind that he writes for his
readers and not for himself.
 WRITING THE SPORTS STORY
THE LEAD
Like any other news story, sports story
has a lead and a body. The sports lead is the
attention-getter, the news in a nutshell.
The classic “Five W’s” appear in the
sports lead as: 1) Who won? 2) Against
whom? 3) By what score? 4) Where? And
5) When?
 WRITING THE SPORTS STORY
Example:
The Torres High School quintet (1)
poured 10 baskets in the last three
minutes to edge out the Osmenians
(2) 65-63 (3) at the opponent’s
homeground (4) yesterday
afternoon (5).
FOUR WAYS OF WRITING THE NEWS LEAD

1.The key play

LAKANDULA, Iloilo—The visiting Soliman
High School sluggers bombed the
Lakandula batters with six runs in the
third inning to subdue a nerve-frazzling
Lakandula rally, 14-12, as they clinched
the invitational game here, in connection
with the celebration of the school’s
Foundation Day.
FOUR WAYS OF WRITING THE NEWS LEAD
2. The outstanding player
EDWARD Ong of Ateneo de Iloilo, after almost four
hours of battle over the chessboard, copped the most
coveted YMCA trophy after outwitting Philippine
Science High School chesser William Santos in 27
moves of a Sicilian defense.
3. Analytical approach
RIDING high on sizzling spikes and tricky
placing, the spitfire Ateneo Blue Dragons blasted the
Ateneo Blue Eagles killers in the crucial third set to win
15-10, 11-15, 15-7 in the Jesuit Athletics Meet (JAM),
Sept. 21, at the Sacred Heart School in Cebu yesterday
FOUR WAYS OF WRITING THE NEWS LEAD

4. Quotation
“Coach told me that we have a very long
tournament so I have to pace myself,”
Purefoods Chunkee import Marquin Chandler
said Sunday night.
COMPARING NEWS AND SPORTS NEWS
LEADS

Let us check the following lead

paragraphs and identify which
of them are “newsy” and
which are “sporty”.
 COMPARING NEWS AND SPORTS NEWS
LEADS
Conventional Newsy Leads Action, significance-oriented, sporty

The San Gregorio School Crusaders Jose Obmerga played the role of savior
edged the Quezon National High School Orators 65- for San Gregorio School as he buried a
63 yesterday at the Barangay Covered courts hook shot at the buzzer to lift the
Crusaders to a thrilling 65-63 conquest
of the Quezon National High School
Orators last night at the Barangay San
Gregorio Covered courts.

Donnie Nietes defeated Erik Ramirez in their World Filipino Donnie Nietes knocked down
Boxing Organization WBO) minimumweight fight in Erik Ramirez of Mexico four times and
Oaxaca, Mexico yesterday. went on to retain his World Boxing
Organization (WBO) minimumweight
crown in Oaxaca, Mexico yesterday.

Jimbo Nagal defeated Mako Sato last Jimbo Nagal proved that height and
night in their fight held at the Ynares heft are of little value when he
Sports Complex in Antipolo City. knocked out Japanese Mako Sato
during their battle last night fight at the
Ynares Sports Complex in Antipolo City
and win the World Boxing Council
Straw weight title.
 COMPARING NEWS AND SPORTS NEWS
LEADS
Conventional Newsy Leads Action, significance-oriented, sporty

Maria Sharapova won over fellow Maria Sharapova maintained her

Russian Vera Zvonareva, 6-1, 2-6, 6-0, at unbeaten record in 2008 by claiming
the Qatar Open on Sunday. her second title of the year with a win
over fellow Russian Vera Zvonareva at
the Qatar Open on Sunday.
The Australian Open champion won 6-
1, 2-6, 6-0 against her unseeded but
impressive opponent, producing a
ferocious final set performance which
once again underlined her as the player
to beat right now.

Tinalo ni Dennis Orcollo ang lahat ng kanyang Winalis lahat ni Dennis Orcollo ang
unang nakalaban. Pero natalo siya kay Ko Pin, tinik sa kanyang daan patungo sa finals
15-14 para sa korona ng Brunswick-Thailand 9- ngunit nabigo para sa korona nang
Ball Open noong Linggo ng gabi sa Bangkok. yumuko ito kay Taiwanese Ko Pin, na
humakot ng 11 sunod na racks tungo sa
kapana-panabik na 15-14 panalo para
masungkit ang korona at makuntento
ang Pinoy sa runner-up place sa Brunswick-
Thailand 9-Ball Open noong
Linggo ng gabi sa Bangkok. (59 words)
 WRITING THE SPORTS STORY

THE BODY
1. Decisive play

2.Team and/or individual standing

3. Best scores for the day

4. Play-by-play

5. Quotation
 WRITING THE SPORTS STORY
THE BODY (TECHNIQUES)
• Present key parts (summaries)
• Game winning moment or play
• Game winning shot
• Game saving defensive move
• Game heroes – highest scorer
• Statistic – winning team and losing team
• Relevant quotes from coach or best player
• Play by play (chronological reporting)
 SUGGESTED POINTERS

1. The score or outcome

2. The significance of the outcome
3. Highlights of the game
4. Comparison of the teams
5. Individual stars
6. Weather conditions
7. Crowd and celebration
 TIPS ON WRITING SPORTS NEWS
1. Write the story immediately after the event.
2. Be accurate not only with score but also in all other
highlights of the game.
3. Include human interest like the personal background of
the player.
4. Inject humorous event when needed.
5. Follow the inverted pyramid structure.
6. Be original.
7. Use sports lingo but not over do it
8. Be selective and pick out only from the multitude of
details, the ones that count and can tickle the interests
of the readers.
Sample sports adjectives and verbs that can be used
for writing sports stories:
A. poor performance Malamyang laro
Atrocious Malamyang laro
Anemic Palpak, sumablay/pumalpak sa pagtira
Frigid mahina, kapos
ice cold Malamig
Woeful Nakakapanghina
Horrid walang tibay
Horrible Kinakalawang
Rusty Tahimik
Quiet pipilay-pilay
Limped Ininda
Bothered masakit, may pilay
Sore Nakakaawa
Pathetic hindi mawarian, hindi kapani-paniwala
Unimaginable inutil, hindi maaasahan
Inept Masagwa
Awful Napakapangit
Forgettable hindi nagawa, hindi nagamit
Sample sports adjectives and verbs that can be used
for writing sports stories:
B. Outstanding performance
Magical hindi kapani-paniwala, mala-mahika,
heads up napakagaling
Inspiring Inspirado
gung-ho kaiga-igaya, nakabibilib
Huge Determinado
Great napakalaki, napaka-importante
Bayani

C. Easy victory
won with ease walang hirap
dominated/dominance Dinomina
Soared magnet, puma-ilanglang, umalimbuyog
barely broke a sweat halos hindi pinagpawisan, medaling
Blitzed natapos
coasted to victory binigla, hindi tinantanan
Sample sports adjectives and verbs that can be used
for writing sports stories:
D. a hard-fought game

inability to pull away nabigong lumamang

regained control Nakabawi
trimmed the deficit pinaliit ang lamang, humabol
absorbed some hits and shed the most blood tumanggap ng sakit at nagbuwis ng dugo
hobbled back pilit bumalik sa pagdepensa
stifling defense nakaririnding depensa
a statistical underdog Dehado

E. produce
Generated Gumawa
Erupted Nagpasabog
Contributed nag-ambag
exploded for Nagpasiklab
Committed natawagan, tinawagan
Added Nagdagdag
broke out of a (series) slump Bumawi
drilled a 36-footer as time expired isinalpak ang isang tira sabay ng pagtatapos
buried ng laro
ipinasok
Sample sports adjectives and verbs that can be used
for writing sports stories:
F. forced
muscled inside Pinuwersa
wiggled free nakaalpas. Nakalusot, nakaligtas
squeezed in Pinilit
beat the clock naunahan ang orasan
slowed the pace Binagalan
Lifted Iniangat
wrested away Naagaw
make-or-break bid (desperate move) Desperado
forced their opponents into being a jump napigilan ang opensa at napuwersang
shooting team tumira mula sa labas

G. offensive, penalty-deserving
moves
ill-advised maling diskarte
slumbered through Tinulugan
made a costly turnover Nagkamali
 SPORTS HEADLINES
• Are an equally important part of a
sports news story.

• While the lead summarizes the

entire news development, the
headline summarizes the lead itself.
 SAMPLE SPORTS HEADLINES
Philippines stuns Vietnam in AVC

Kazakhs survive PHI scare to

salvage a 7th place finish

Korea ousts Gilas Pilipinas

 SAMPLE SPORTS HEADLINES
ONE DECK

Pacquiao wins!

P’sinan is champ!

Espino is victor!

Patriots, Beermen clash tonight

 SAMPLE SPORTS HEADLINES
TWO DECKS

Mindanao beach
volley champs

GM Barbosa
off to Vietnam

La Salle gals eye second

crown in UAAP volleyball

Donaire in 12th
Elorde awards
 SAMPLE SPORTS HEADLINES
THREE DECKS
Broken nose
steals milestone
glory from Kobe

Powerade
vows to
win crown
Undermanned
Azkals battle
Icheon FC
 SAMPLE SPORTS HEADLINES
FOUR DECKS
M’weather:
Maganto,
Pacquiao
‘cheaters’

POC to raise
own funds
for Olympic
participation
 SPORTS VOCABULARY/LINGO
BOXING
Bleeder: A fighter who is vulnerable to cuts.
Bout: Another word for a boxing match.
Brawler: An aggressive fighter who likes to fight on the inside.
Buckle: When fighter’s legs give way, as in “that punched buckled him.”
Canvas: The floor in a boxing ring.
Clinch: When fighters hold each other.
Combination: A seamless sequence of consecutive punches.
Contender: A fighter in a position to perhaps challenge for a championship.
Corkscrew Punch: A punch thrown in a twisting motion, which often causes
cuts.
Counterpunch: Punch thrown in response to another fighter’s attack.
Covering Up: Defensive tactic where a fighter goes into a shell to thwart his
opponent’s offensive.
Cross: Power punch thrown straight with the rear hand.
Dive: When a fighter purposely loses.
 SPORTS VOCABULARY/LINGO
Eight Count: After a fighter is knocked down, the referee must complete a
count of eight even if the opponent rises before that.
Flash knockdown: When a fighter is briefly knocked down, more as a result of
a surprise or happenstance than being seriously hurt.
Orthodox: Describes a right-handed fighter.
Southpaw: A left-handed fighter.
Technical Decision: When a bout is terminated prematurely due to a cut or some
other circumstance sending the bout to the scorecards.
Technical Draw: When a bout is ended prematurely and the scoring is even.
Technical Knockout: When a fighter is taking too much punishment and the
referee stops the bout without completing a ten-count.
Throw in the Towel: When the chief second in a fighter’s corner wants to stop
the fight, he throws a towel into the ring.
Toe-to-Toe: When both fighters stand in front of each other and engage.
 SPORTS VOCABULARY/LINGO
SEPAK TAKRAW
Block Service
Dig Service (Hand) Toss
Dink Spike
Feeder Sunback Spike
First Ball
Killer
Regu
Roll Spike
Service Over
 SPORTS VOCABULARY/LINGO
Basketball
three-point shot slam dunk
follow-up shots perimeter shots
jump shot reverse lay-up
foul trouble hook shots
free-throw
inbound play
lay-up
fast break
tip-in
rainbow shot
bank shot
three-point-area
slice to the hoop
three-point play
pick-and-roll play
turn-around shots
 SPORTS VOCABULARY/LINGO
BASEBALL/SOFTBALL - Diamond, pitcher
(pitser), catcher (katser), back stop, hit a
homerun, rolling ball, short stop,
southpaw, pegged at third, fast ball,
playoff (n, adj), play off (v.), slugger,
wild pitch, bullpen
VOLLEYBALL - booming service, net
ball, spikes, change court, wallop, best
attacker/receiver/server/blocker/digger
/ setter, block, two out of three, blocked
his kill, spiker, peppered with 12 hits.
SOCCER FOOTBALL - goalie, fullback,
corner kick, pigskin, penalty kick,
centrada, corner kick
 SPORTS VOCABULARY/LINGO
GOLF - hole-in-one, birdie, bogey, par, fired a 7-
under-64, win by
two strokes second putt, behind the green, one-
shot lead, tee-off, four-stroke lead, sprint down
the fairway, hit pivotal shots, hole clutch putts,
carded a two-under par 70

TENNIS - straight sets, singles, smash cut, doubles,

half volleys, passing shots, good serving, grass
court, backhand volley, double fault, lost serve

TRACK EVENTS - breasted the tape, dashes, runs

(200, 400 & 800), hurdles, burned the cinders,
relay, clocked a new record, photo finish, middle
distance runner, anchor man, pass the baton, bore
down on him, break the record
 SPORTS VOCABULARY/LINGO

• SWIMMING - aquabelle, freestyle, tanker,

breaststroke, naiad, backstroke, diving board.

• TAEKWONDO - turning side kick, jins,

heavyweight, finweight, flyweight.

• CHESS - grandmaster, chess board, zugzwang,

plus 47 ELO rating, nine-round tournament,
blitzkrieg chess, king, queen, board one, bishop,
knight, opening move, rook or tower, pawn.

• ARCHERY - bowman, drawing back

 SPORTS VOCABULARY/LINGO
Salitang magkasingkahulugan:
Nagwagi – namituin, bumandila, namayani,
nagnuna
Natalo – nagapi, nagahis
Magtutuos – magsasagupaan,
magkakasubukan, magpapaligsahan
Kalaban – katunggali
Pinatumba – ginupo, nilampaso, pinulbos,
tinambakan, pinayukod, pinakain ng alikabo
SAMPLE
SPORTS
NEWS
ARTICLES
(NSPC Winning Piece)
ILAGAN, Isabela—Isabela National High School, behind the
remarkable performances of Florante Carreon and Paul
Gonzales, took all the Roxas National High School could
offer before hacking out a close 60-59 win in an exhibition
game held at St. Ferdinand College Court here, Tuesday.
Carreon scored 21 points to lead Isabela and Gonzales 13
points but delivered this on the crucial part of the game
including the winning free throw.
The game started in a roller-coaster encounter and the first half
ended 28-27 with Isabela on the lead.
The second half was still close and Roxas took the lead with
two minutes to go, but Gonzales displayed a big heart as he
connected a three-pointer to give Isabela the lead, 54-53.
Rolly Menor carried Roxas on that decisive moment and tied the
game at 59-all with 15 seconds to go.
Gonzales fished a foul with 10 seconds left and split his charity for
the lead, 60-59.
Herman Menor refused to give up but his last desperate jumpshot
went in-and-out of the ring.
“Faith carried us through this game, it’s a good game,” said
Gonzales after the game.
INHS (60)—Carreon 21, Gonzales, 13, Magusib, 12, Mercado 6,
Aguinaldo 4, Martinez 2, Cabanlong 2, Ong 0, Lim 0, Gumaru 0.
RNHS (59)—Menor 22, Balagan 18, Malaca 12, Soriano 7,
Allavigan 0, gonzaga 0, Advincula 0, Limbauan 0, Galapon 0.
Philippines stuns Vietnam in AVC
By: Bong Lozada August 14, 2017
BIÑAN, Laguna—The Philippines came away with an absolute stunner in the AVC Asian
Senior Women’s Volleyball Championship taking down Vietnam, 27-25, 26-24, 17-25, 25-
23, in the classification stage Monday at Alonte Sports Arena.

The Filipinos improved to 1-2 in Pool E while Vietnam, the silver medalist in the 2015
Southeast Asian Games, slipped to the same record.

Alyssa Valdez dealt the killing blow to the 44th-ranked team in the world off a booming
spike that set up the Philippines’ quarterfinals date against 2015 gold medalists Thailand.

“They played inspired,” said Philippine head coach Francis Vicente of his 79th-ranked team.

“What they showed there just now was the heart of a team that really wanted to win and that
was the greatest thing I saw today,” said Vicente in Filipino.
Aiza Maizo-Pontillas gave the Philippines the 24-20 match point but
Vietnam managed to score three straight points before Valdez landed
the final haymaker of the match.

Valdez put up a personal tournament-high of 20 points to lead the

Philippines while Jaja Santiago also had her best offensive game yet
with 19.

Aby Maraño chipped in 11 points to aid the Philippines.

Tran Thi Thanh Thuy led Vietnam with 16 points while captain
Nguyen Thi Ngoc Hoa added 15.
Kazakhs survive PHI scare to salvage a 7th place
finish
By Mark Escarlote
BINAN CITY, Laguna –-- The Philippines gave Kazakhstan a scare after rallying
back from two sets down.
But the Filipinas faded fast in the fifth set and got buried early as the Kazakhs
survived a 25-20, 25-16, 21-25, 21-25, 15-3, thriller Thursday to salvage a
seventh place finish in the 19th AVC Asian Senior Women's Volleyball
Championship at the Alonte Sports Arena here.
Despite the loss that landed the PHI to an 8th place finish, head coach Francis
Vicente praised his wards for giving a good fight.
“Kinapos, siguro at least nag-five sets tayo, pinrove natin na kaya pala natin ‘tong
mga ‘to,” said Vicente, whose squad will fly to Malaysia on Saturday for the
29th Kuala Lumpur, Southeast Asian Games.
“So kailangan lang natin pumukpok pa sa ensayo, push pa natin ang sarili natin
para gumaling,” added the mentor, whose team clinched a spot in the 2018
AVC Asian Volleyball Cup…
Korea ousts Gilas Pilipinas
By: Musong R. Castillo
South Korea slapped yet another loss to continental rival Gilas Pilipinas, 118-86, ending
what had been a promising Fiba Asia Cup campaign by the Filipinos in Beirut.
The Filipinos ran right smack into the deadliest shooting display by any country in the
biennial showcase as the Koreans hit 16 triples and shot at a 67-percent clip to silence a
huge stunned crowd of OFWs at Nouhad Nawfal Stadium in the game that ended early
Thursday morning in Manila.
It was the first loss in four games for the Filipinos, who finished way short of duplicating
silver medal finishes in the last two editions of the tournament by bombing out of the
quarterfinals.
Korea played with flawless precision all game and made the Filipinos look a shade of the
team that humbled the Chinese, 96-87, last week.
The Koreans advanced to take on 2013 champion Iran in the Final Four after Hamed
Haddadi and Co. scored an 80-70 decision of Lebanon.
Terrence Romeo provided the silver lining for the Filipinos with a 22-point effort in the
second quarter, where he rallied Gilas to within eight points.
SPORTS WRITING EXERCISE

Make a four or five-paragraph

sports news article after watching a
video clip.
THANK
YOU! ☺