How best to turn yourself from sports fan to professional sports journalist? Quickly moving beyond general guidance about sports writing, Joe Gisondi focuses on the nitty-gritty, with hands-on, practical advice on covering 20 specific sports. From auto racing to wrestling, you'll find tips on the seemingly straightforward-where to stand on the sideline and how to identify a key player-along with the more specialized-figuring out shot selection in lacrosse and understanding a coxswain's call for a harder stroke in rowing. The new edition adds a new section on sports reporting across multimedia platforms with new chapters on social media, mobile media, visual storytelling, writing for television, and writing for radio, along with a new chapter on sabermetrics. Fully revised with new examples and updated information to prepare you for just about any game, match, meet, race, regatta or tournament you're likely to cover, Field Guide to Covering Sports, Second Edition is the ideal go-to resource to have on hand as you master the beat.
Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgments
PART I. GETTING STARTED
1. From Sports Fan to Sports Reporter
There's No Cheering in the Press Box 3 5 6
Where Do You Start?
Clerking Is a Great Way to Learn
Reporting Is Essential in New Media Landscape
2. Writing Game Stories
Leads
Organization
Context and Analysis
Key Plays
Statistics
Quotations
Language
3. Getting the Most Out of an Interview
Journalism Is Not Stenography
Prepare
Watch
Ask
And Keep Asking
Sack the Clichéd Responses
4. Developing and Writing Features
Reporting Is Vital
Learn Storytelling Techniques
5. Developing Sports Columns
6. Blogging: Finding a Unique Perspective
Blogs Are Here to Stay
Carving a Niche
Tips for Blogging Sports
7. Using Advanced Statistical Metrics
Advanced Metrics Glossary
PART II. MULTIMEDIA
8. Social Media: Using Twitter as a Reporting Tool
9. Writing for Mobile Devices
Tips for Mobile
10. Visual Storytelling
Quick Tips for Improving Your Sports Photograph
11. Broadcasting Games on Radio
12. Writing for TV
PART III. COVERING A BEAT
Auto Racing
Baseball
Basketball
Bowling
Cross Country
Field Hockey
Football
Golf
Ice Hockey
Lacrosse
Rowing
Rugby
Soccer
Softball
Swimming & Diving
Tennis
Track and Field
Triathalons
Volleyball
Wrestling
PART IV. EXPLORING FURTHER
Primer A: Ethics: Sports Writers Can't Act Like Fans
Primer B: Covering Fantasy Sports
Primer C: Covering a College Beat
Primer D: High School Sports
Primer E: Avoiding Clichés
Appendix: Assignment Desk
AP Style Sports Quizzes
Notes
Index
About the Author
