The Freelancers' Guide to Writing About Sports Finding Success in the "Untouchable" Market

by Chuck Bednar 

Chuck Bednar is a full-time freelance writer and sports columnist from Wintersville, Ohio. He currently serves as the North American Sports Editor for The Canada Post and as the NCAA Football editor for Suite 101. Bednar is also a columnist at e-sports! and has contributed to Rockies Golf Daily, Football.com, InQuest, and a number of other print and online publications. 
Everyone knows you need to have memorized every rule book for every sport and be able to answer any sports-related trivia question to be able to write about athletics. Right?

The belief that one must be a proverbial fountain of sports-related knowledge to break into the field of sportswriting is just one of the myths that unfairly turn freelancers from an immensely lucrative market. Sure, possessing a strong working knowledge of sports doesn't hurt, but a writer doesn't necessarily have to know how many career homers Honus Wagner hit or who won the 1979 Indy 500 to gain a solid income and valuable clips from reporting on sports.

Sportswriting is a genre traditionally left to the experts. But it doesn't have to be. With a little knowledge of the basic blueprints used in composing a sports report and a bit of determination, anyone can achieve success in the "untouchable" market known as sportswriting.

The Mechanics of Sportswriting
Since sportswriting is generally considered a journalistic form of writing, it would be easy to assume that basic rules such as the "inverted pyramid" would apply, but that simply is not the case. These days a sports story, even if it is just a game or event report, is expected to be structured like a feature article -- with a definite beginning and conclusion. The majority of the factual or statistical information should be sandwiched with the lead and the ending, and the copy should be bound by a central theme or slant.

1- Gathering information and writing the lead:  Remember that your story lives or dies on the lead -- even more so when writing about athletic competition. The lead should tip readers off to your idea. The more creative, the better. Readers what to know why the big game was so exciting, who the star athlete is and why he or her is so fascinating, or how the big trade will effect the team.  Some tips:
• Listen to what the experts have to say. If you're not extremely familiar with sports, there are many ways to pick up pointers. If you're covering an event, listen to the reporters and announcers in the press box. What are they discussing? What do they feel are the turning points in the game? Picking up hints in this manner can give you ammo for your interviews later. 
• When working on a sports feature or interview, do your homework. For most writers this goes without saying, no matter what the assignment. But it helps if you know where to look. Your first step should be to find a contact. This could be the Athletic Director at a high school, a Sports Information Director (referred to as a "SID") at a college or university, or a professional team's PR or Media Relations director. They can supply you with press releases detailing the athlete's or team's background and performance-related statistics for previous years. Also check out past stories on the individual or team, keeping an eye out for common trends (team winning streaks, a common style of play, an individual who has battled back form injury, etc.). 
• Mix your style of questions. If you know what you're looking for, then go ahead and ask specific questions. But be sure and mix in a handful of abstract, open-ended inquiries. This is especially helpful if you're new to the field or aren't quite sure what to ask, but it never hurts to give a coach or athlete free reign. Sometimes, this type of question will land the best answers, and may tip you off to something you didn't know. 
Depending on exactly what it is you come away with from a game or interview, you can structure your lead in a number of ways. The most common sports lead, used primarily for game stories, is the "why" lead. Why did one person or team defeat the other? Another possible way to begin the article is to tell the story from one participant's perspective. Or you could utilize a running story (such as a winning or losing streak), a comparison or contrast of a previous event or occurrence ("the last time Team A played Team B..."), or something creative using the name of a player or team ("Black was red-hot at the plate today...") or recent local or world events ("Despite yesterday's electrical outage, there was no shortage of power at the plate.") If you actually do find a major story result from a game, by all means lead with that. Sports fans love the unexpected.

2- Molding the copy: From there, the next two components of the story should be, in no particular order, an important stat and a valuable quote. Afterwards, the body of your copy should mix together a generous helping of quotes and statistics with a touch of personal observation and, in an event report, a portion of play-by-play. Focus your play-by-play on periods of transition -- the ninth-inning comeback or the crucial interception that killed the team's final drive. There is no absolute formula, but a good rule of thumb is to make sure that each of the above elements is packaged such that you cover one part of the story fully, then move on (something like quote, stats, observations, then next topic).

3- Wrapping it up:  Finally, as in any essay or feature, wrap up the story by referring to your lead and completing your circle of thought. If you find yourself having difficulty creating a definitive conclusion, an alternative method is to close with a strong quote. The latter method will have to be used quite often when writing on a tight deadline, but can have a lasting effect if it relates to the main thrust of your article.
 

Breaking Into the Field 
It may be difficult for a novice sportswriter to jump right into freelancing for major magazines. They may not have the know-how, the contacts, or the clips to land a big-time assignment. If you are serious about becoming successful in the field of sportswriting, contact your local news dailies about becoming a stringer. It is also imperative to have at least a basic, working knowledge of the sport which you will be covering. Some research may be required.

1- A string and a prayer:  A sports stringer is always in demand because it is regarded as a position which both requires specialization in the field and yields little glory or recognition. But it is a start, and it will help writers get their feet wet and their portfolio filled.

Becoming a sports stringer doesn't mean an instant byline. On occasion, stringers have to put in up to a month of taking called-in stories and doing general copy-writing to see if they can get the hang of writing quality articles on deadline. But the benefits are immense. First, you have the chance to interact with seasoned professionals -- reporters and editors who may write three stories a day. Any staff writer worth their salt will help stringers learn how to keep score at games, prepare an "agate" or box score, and write for length (which can actually be harder than it seems). Not to mention that you can land sources which may be most helpful in the future.

2- Pulling off the double play:  As mentioned earlier, sometimes you can come away with unexpected or shocking information from covering a game, writing a preview, or conducting an interview -- especially when you're a stringer for a single team or a reporter covering a limited area. For example, following a seemingly routine American Legion baseball game during the summer of 1997, one of the team coaches told me that the two teams which had just played were planning to merge. After confirming the statement and talking with officials from each squad at length, I  turned the information into a sidebar article, collecting two clips for the price of one.

The best way to find a surprise feature when covering an event is to arrive early and touch base with team officials. Do they have anything special planned, such as a pregame ceremony or dedication? Be sure you befriend the people associated with the teams, especially if you cover them a lot. If you gain a reputation as a good writer and a friendly person, they may give you breaking stories before they contact anyone else.

3- Swinging for the fences:  When you finally make the break and go for major market magazines, the important thing to remember is to think small. It's unrealistic to think you can hook Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods on your first assignment. Most editors report a need for human-interest stories and short features, many of which can be found in your own backyard. Turn to the contacts you made while stringing. If you've been polite with them in person and fair and accurate in your copy, they should be more than willing to help out. After all, being featured in a national publication helps their team or school as much as it helps you.
 

The Bottom Line 

Applying it to you: Odds are sportswriting is not the field most writers want to dedicate their lives to, but there are seemingly endless vacancies and an immense turnover in the field. The benefits of sportswriting are clear -- income, clips, experience, and contacts. Anyone can benefit simply by having the opportunity to hone their interview skills and to become better acquainted with the AP Stylebook.

Whatever your ultimate goal as a writer, experience in the field of sportswriting can be invaluable human capital in the future. Sportswriting may not be your idea of hitting a grand slam, but it's certainly worth a swing at the plate.

   -- CB
   © 1998 Chuck Bednar