Who are weekly newspapers covering high school football games for

I think most of us are with you so far ...

And those loud thuds you hear are most everyone jumping off the bandwagon. You really don't give teenage athletes enough credit if you think a question is going to make them freak out. Asking Sebastian Superstar what he had to do to overcome three interceptions in four drives or why he ran through the third-base coach's stop sign to get thrown out? Germaine to the story and not hurtful at all. It's not like you're asking them if they know they were only born because Dollar Tree doesn't make reliable condoms.

I've asked questions that you wouldn't approve of, and I've gotten great answers that in some cases made my story, and I know I'm not alone. Nobody's saying you have to do your Mike Wallace impression when a freshman misses an open layup and their team loses by one point, but ignoring important parts of the story does few people any good.

If you find yourself often agreeing with parents, you might want to reevaluate how you approach your job. Parents, particularly the ones who call you or talk to you a lot, have goals far different from yours. They want you to help get their kid a scholarship or put their picture in the paper. They're not looking out for the readership at large, and why would they? That's your role. And parents can and often do exaggerate the living shit out of sob stories to guilt trip reporters (and coaches -- I chatted off the record with a basketball coach today, and he was venting about how overvexed parents get over little things. And he ain't the only one). I've been told how I've singlehandedly crushed the dreams and spirit of Kaitlin the West End Goddess of Volleyball because I pointed out in my story that she had 10 kills and six digs but also committed an error that gave the other team the final game. I've got parents who want you do everything up to and including kissing the feet of the allegedly offended athlete, and I'm sorry, but unless she's a) legal and b) hot, no.

I'm going to go ahead and guess this has to do more with stories involving underage victims of crime than those who suffer from the inability to read the opposing defense. I don't think "play their pro bono press agent" was the statement crafter's intent.

I posed this earlier and the thread died, but now that it's up and running again, I'll pose it again: Hypothetical -- You're covering a regional softball final, both teams are in your zone of responsibility. Winner goes to the state tournament, loser goes home. Score's tied 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh inning. Two outs, nobody on. Batter lays a bunt (it's softball, they bunt at every damned opportunity). Catcher picks it up, fires it six feet over the first basemen's head to right field. Runner gets to first, turns the corner for second. Right fielder gets to the ball but bobbles it. Runner moves towards third. Right fielder throws the ball towards third, but it goes off the third baseman's glove and into left field. Runner scores, game's over.

What does your lead look like?

Again, I'm sure you're well-intentioned on this matter, but I'm equally sure you're misguided.

 

Mystery,
For the softball story, I'd ask the runner what she ate that morning, or how long it took her to do her hair, or what her pregame superstitions are, or what she plans on doing that night, or what her favorite class and why. I'm keep going until I find something interesting, though in those few questions I surely would find something, whether directly from an answer or from a tangent. In this case, I'd probably ask her what the most exhilarating, most nerve wracking vacation or trip or roller coaster ride she's made in her life.

I lead with that. I go on to say, earlier or later in the day, she had an exhilariting trip around the bases. I mention it's an error-filled play. I mention the score. I get a quote from both coaches and the day's statistical leaders. I go back to the runner and go into more detail on why the vacation was so wild. I end with a kicker like this: But the exhilaration of this trip around the bases tops all that.

 

OK, this has to be a joke. Right?

 

This brings up an issue that I've gone back and forth on for a while. While at one of my first stops, I covered a 1-0 softball game (Zzzzzzzzzzz). Anyway, the winning run was scored on an error. I mentioned the player, and the coach called the next day about how she broke down crying when she saw her name in the paper. I admit, I felt pretty bad. I talked it over with my coworkers and their take was basically, tough shit. That's sports.

I've come to kind of a compromise: If it's a game-changing, key play, then, yes, you mention it. If the final score is 10-0, then pointing out one individual is probably the wrong way to go. But again, I've gone back and forth on this. You just have to use your best judgement.

Recently, I did a softball regional final (why did I get stuck with so many softball games? but I digress) and the winning run scored (surprise!) on a throwing error. Yes, I mentioned the girl's name, but wrote something like:

"Mary Smith's throw was off the mark and Jill Jones scored the winning run."

No phone calls or angry parents. That was the only mention in the story .

 

As a grizzled prep writer once told me: "In prep sports, one kid's success is another's failure."

 

Why does it have to be a joke? Serious question. I want to see people's viewpoints on this.

 

How long it took her to do her hair? Are you fuggin' KIDDING ME?!?

And roller-coaster rides make me nauseous.

 

Hey, you're not necessarily looking for direct answers. You're asking topics pertinent and passionate to a girl just to get her talking and comfortable with you. You'd be surprised with how quickly she opens up, and before you know it, you find a great lead.

 

Seriously not trying to be a jerk, but...A grown man asking a teenage girl all those questions is just kind of, I don't know, creepy. Especially that "what are you doing tonight, how long it took to do your hair" part.

I can understand asking some "tell me more about yourself" questions for a feature, but asking those kinds of questions after a game seems a bit odd.