that  prevents  three  runs  from  scoring.  Sometimes,  no single play will stand out. Then it is up to the writer to choose   what   to   highlight.   Analyzing   statistics   and interviewing coaches or players after the game can help you isolate turning points in the game. If a key play happens to be an error, do not be afraid to write about it. Athletes put themselves in the public eye whenever they take the field, opening themselves to praise and criticism. If, however, you are writing about youth activities or Little League game, it is appropriate to   avoid   mentioning   the   name   of   the   player   who committed the error. In such cases, attribute the error to the team or position. It  is  not  necessary  to  write  about  every  inning, period or quarter of a contest. If nothing of consequence happened during a period or over several innings, you do not have to explain that nothing happened. Rather, you  may  briefly  explain  with  an  introductory  phrase like, “After two scoreless innings . ..” or “Neither team with  detailed  accounts  of  each  batter  or  each  ball possession; focus on the key plays. USE OF SPORTS QUOTES could move the ball until ...” Do not bog your story down 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. 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,” h e    a d d e d ,    “ w e    w e r e    a b l e    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. Or: 3-15