parental badgering

This "pandering to mom" business bugs me when it comes from journalists. It really does.

If anything, you should be fighting yourself not to think that way, and to judge the story ONLY on its merit as a story your readers should want to read. If a good idea comes from an overbearing parent, it's still a good idea.

I don't care how many times parents are a pain in the ass to you, you're supposed to be the professional. And that includes not being vindictive.

 

I'm not suggesting being vindictive (and I struggle with that, by the way -- there have been many stories I wanted to toss out for spite, but didn't). What was said earlier is true: If it's a story, it's a story. But just because someone has an idea, doesn't make it a good one. We had a girl who was one of the better players in the district this year, but we didn't do a story on her because she's only a junior. We had plenty of talented seniors in the district who deserved stories, and I figured it was better to wait until next year and do one story on her than to write two virtually identical stories.

 

This is sort of a corllary to Shot's excellent post.

Ask yhourself, in your professional opinion, is this worth a story -- short or long -- or a brief or something else.

If it is, do it.

If not, don't.

Don't worry about how you got the information.

 

Let her know that you could write volumes on the kid; it won't get him a scholarship.

 

Parents, especially moms are notorious for submitting incorrect exaggerated or just plain old made up BS to con writers into doing stories on their kids. Check out stats and scholarship offers carefully. At my current stop, a dad came by to see me in the first month I was there. Dad tells me his kid is a big DI prospect (I had never heard of him, so I was suspicious) and the state's two major football schools are after him, so a story was needed about the boy-wonder. When I did some checking, the kid had started only one game, was about to enter his junior season and his high school coach told me he didn't think the kid would play in college. So much for dad's credibility. There are hundreds of parents like that out there, so beware.

 

Knew a dad who made up a nickname for his undersized linebacker of a son: The Hitman. Made a highlight video, too. Total unintentional comedy. The kid worked hard and got a D2 scholarship. Daddy was convinced his movie and moniker made the difference.

 

Coming in a little late, but one thing I'd recommend is highlighting several athletes in the same story. Just give each person a shorter writeup and combine it all into one nice piece about the studliness of local athletes.

 

But then one of the parents will complain "Johnny got more ice cream than me" "Johnny got more space in your article than my son"

 

We usually did them all the same lengths, although if that argument does come out, you could always respond..."But little Johnny has already gotten his scholarship. Why are you still bugging me?"