Growing up I danced. I was a hard-core rhythmic gymnast (you may laugh saying there is no such thing but until you have had some one sit on you while you’re stretching your middle splits you can’t talk). Now I am an aerialist.
When others were working on their spikes and slapshots I was working on squaring my hips. So when an opportunity to write for the Bisons came up I was nervous. But my instructor told me to go for it.
And I am glad I did. I’ve had a great time sports reporting and I appreciate sports much more now. Here are a couple things I’ve learned:
1) Ask questions. If you’re writing for hockey chances are there are a lot of people that know the game around you. The same goes for any sport really. Ask whoever is doing the stats. Ask other reporters. Ask your boss. Ask a fan.
2) Learn to read stats sheets and learn which stats are most important. In basketball people want to know about rebounds and points. In volleyball kills are important, but so are digs and blocks. If you know what you’re looking at and what it means it’s easier to write, easier to know who to interview after the game, and your reporting will overall be better.
3) Don’t get caught up in the jargon. There are a ton of sports words, a ton of ways to say simple things like “he shoots, he scores.” But use simple language, stay clear and you won’t confuse yourself or your audience.
4) Be specific when you’re interviewing players. “So how did it feel out there” is a generic question and you’ll probably get a generic response if that’s what you ask. People who play hockey speak hockey. People who play soccer speak soccer. So get them talking about their sport, specifically about the game you’re covering. Remember that you’re there to elicit a good response from the coach or athlete, not to do the talking.
5) Breathe. Sports reporting is pretty fast paced. Your audience probably wants a summary the second the game is over. They want updates and analysis during the game. Stay calm and focused and you can get that to them.
6) Don’t shy away from sports writing just because you don’t play. My time at the Bisons has taught me a lot about discovery. I’ve learned how to discover and understand something quickly enough to report on it. Journalists don’t often work in their comfort zones, and I got used to that. No one is going to tell you, “hey just write about what makes you happy and we’ll definitely send that cheque right over.” I will probably spend a lot of my life figuring things out on the fly. And I like that.
Here’s an example of some sideline reporting I did for a live production of the Bisons hockey game.
Sara Shyiak: Flight Risk 