USE OF SPORTS QUOTES

Quotes are used in the same manner as in newswriting. If you have quotes from coaches or players, weave them into the story. Use them to introduce, support or explain your account.

For example:

'We knew that (Scott) Glengarry was going to beat the secondary sometime," said Blue Knights head coach Marc Antonius. "It was just a matter of time. With his speed, nobody is going to deny him for four quarters," he added.

Beat the secondary, he did. On a third-and-12, following a holding penalty, Glengarry raced down the right sideline, then slanted toward the middle. Quarterback Cocoa Butler hit him at the 20, and Price could have walked in from there.

Or:

The Battlin' Lemmings switched to a 2-1-2 zone early in the third period, and Stevens scored only two field goals the rest of the way.

"Gordian was killing us in the low post," explained Earwigs coach Kelly Pritchard. "When we went to the zone," he added, "we were able to double-team him and clog up the middle."

ATTRIBUTION

Unlike newswriting, sportswriting requires little attribution. About the only attribution needed is for quotes or paraphrases. If the writer witnesses a game or event, he can write about the action without attribution. If he writes the story from scorebooks, he need not attribute the information because it is a matter of record.

SUPERLATIVES AND COLORFUL VERBS

As an observer, the sportswriter may inject his opinions concerning the action he witnesses. He might describe a team's defense as "sloppy." He might describe a catch in the outfield as "miraculous" or a basketball player's leaping ability as "gravity-defying." In newswriting, this is considered editorializing; in sports, it is the observation of a qualified observer. Do not overdo it, however, and do not confuse this freedom with license to break the rules of newswriting. Save the superlatives for when they are warranted and for when you are confident you know what you are talking about. When in doubt, play it safe.

Similarly, the sportswriter is free to use colorful verbs or adjectives to describe how one team "smashed" or "clawed" its way to victory. People who read the sports pages or listen to sports broadcasts are accustomed to such language and expect it.

Do not, however, get colorful verbs confused with cliches. If you write "smacked the apple," you are resorting to a cliche. If you write, "smacked the ball," you are using a colorful verb.

It is all right to use sports jargon, such as "threw a bomb," "lobbed an alley-oop," "turned a 6-4-3 double play" or "busted a monster jam," when writing game accounts.

SPORTS TERMINOLOGY CONSIDERATIONS

You must know the terminology and the rules of the sport you are writing about. If you are not familiar with the sport, it is wise for you to start reading the sports sections of as many newspapers as possible to see how experienced writers cover games.

Use the terminology for the sport you are writing about. If you are new to sportswriting and are not sure of the terminology, play it safe. It is better for you to say a batter "hit" the ball or a quarterback "threw" a pass than to wrongly use words like "slammed" or "launched." You will lose your credibility fast if you write that a team "edged" another team, 104-57, or that a quarterback "fired a nine-yard bomb."

Write in the active voice as much as possible. Do not write "was won," "were victorious," and so forth.

Write, instead, "defeted," "blanked," "overwhelmed," and so on.

TROUBLESOME WORDS

A couple of words common in sportswriting trouble grammarians and some sports editors. The words are "win" and "host."

Technically, "win" should not be used as a noun, and "host" should not be used as a verb, although many respected sportswriters and editors now accept such usage. Check with your editor before you write something like, "The victory marked the seventh

straight win for the Eagles" or "The Eagles host the Naval Station Cervantes Cavaliers Friday."

A similar usage problem arises with team names and pronouns. It is wrong for you to say, "NAS Pensacola began their drive on the 30-yardline." "NAS Pensacola" is singular and "their" is plural. You should write, "NAS Pensacola began its drive. ..." You should use "their," however, when you refer to a team by its plural nickname - Battlin' Lemmings, Blue Knights, Fightin' Giant Lampreys, Dolphins, and so forth:

RANKS, NAMES AND NICKNAMES

In military sportswriting, it is common practice not to use ranks. However, your CO or office SOP may require their use.

Similarly, middle initials and such designations as "Jr." or "III" are not used in sportswriting.

Nicknames, however, are common and should be used. The usual style for first reference is as follows: first name/nickname in quotation marks/last name. Note the following examples: Elvis 'Toast" Patterson or Evander "Real Deal" Holyfield. Sometimes the nickname comes before the first name, as in "Neon" Deion Sanders. On second reference, only the last name is used.

NAMES AND NUMBERS

Just as in newswriting, names and numbers should stand out as red flags while copy editing; each must be double-checked. The difference in sports is that there are likely to be a lot more of both names and numbers.

Double-check name spellings and make sure numbers are correct. Also, make sure numbers add up, both in the story and in box or line scores.

SIDELIGHTS

Do not confine your story to action that takes place on the field. Use sidelight information that may interest the reader: the size of the crowd, injuries that might have affected the outcome of the game, weather conditions, and so forth.

TYPES OF SPORTS TO COVER

Sports encompasses more than just the big three (baseball/softball, football and basketball). On military installations, there are a number of other sports and recreational activities that warrant coverage, including bowling, tennis, racquetball, squash, golf, darts, boxing, wrestling, gymnastics, running, youth sports, and hunting and fishing.

STRINGERS

For you to have a variety of sports coverage in your newspaper, you may have to develop a stringer system. It is important you remember that stringers are seldom trained journalists. Therefore, it is usually necessary for you to provide them with some training and brief them on your newspaper style and deadlines. More information on using stringers may be found in Handbook for Stringers in the Armed Forces (NAVMC 26-84) and in the JO 1&C TRAMAN, Chapter 7.