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 Write,  instead,  “defeted,”  “blanked,”  “overwhelmed,” and so on. not write “was won,” “were victorious,” and so forth. 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 straight  win  for  the  Eagles”  or  “The  Eagles  host  the something  like,  “The  victory  marked  the  seventh 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. SOURCES OF SPORTS INFORMATION A  problem  for  many  beginning  sportswriters  is knowing   where   to   gather   the   needed   information. Consider the following sources and note that officials are omitted from the list because they are seldom, if ever, a  source  of  information: Morale,  Welfare  and  Recreation  (MWR)  for the  ins  and  outs  of  recreation,  intramural  and youth programs, including rules, schedules and official   scorebooks. 3-16