Sports writing: It sounds so simple. And yet while listening to Tom Blodgett of The Arizona Republic yesterday, I realized it requires just as much guidance as feature or news writing. I think it's an area many advisers, including myself, neglect to spend much time teaching. I realize I've done a huge injustice to my students who want to focus on sports.
I really appreciate that Blodgett addressed the logistics of covering sports in a monthly paper. It's not as easy as pushing out game coverage. Reporters really have to find a way to cover an issue in a way that is timely and timeless, which is tough for a young writer.
I walked away from that session with a new appreciation for the sports section in a school newspaper. Blodgett offered some really great ideas for coverage, like addressing new rules, injuries, and coaching changes. I was fascinated when he described a package on losing. Sports writing in a monthly paper is about looking at the obvious and finding a new or interesting story to tell.
The most valuable thing I learned was how to approached profiles. I noticed that when he talked about writing an athlete profile, he did not mention asking a favorite ice cream flavor. It seems so obvious, but I never considered challenging my students to talk to parents, fans, or other supporters. That alone would take a profile from eh to interesting.
Lynsie Brenner
Putnam City North High School
Oklahoma City
I always enjoy his story about the player whose two missed free throws cost her team the state championship and what she said about it as part of the Republic's look at the subject of losing. I think back to my high school paper and think about all of the missed opportunities for strong enterprise stories versus outdated game coverage.
ReplyDeleteSteve Elliott
Arizona State University
Phoenix
"Outdated game coverage" is a term I'm ready to eject from my newsroom. We usually cover games immediately before publication, and we still will, but this new dimension introduced by Tom Blodgett is helpful.
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