AMoney, you don't think you write a sports story differently if it's running on 1A? Much different audience. You're addressing an audience that might not read sports every day, might not have the built-in awareness your daily readers have. I think you take a step back and don't gloss over things you might in a regular notebook whose readers are more familiar with the team and key names ...
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"High School" on first reference
- Thread starter Scouter
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mediaguy said:
Sorry I don't agree. I want to write every story like it is going to be on 1A. I don't know how we can think readers of the local bond issue can be dumb enough to know a particular school, but if they flip a section over they are going to be smart enough to know whether something is a school,college or club team.
Like titles if Podunk High School's track coach for fired over hazing. If the story ran on Page 1, you'd say High School. If it ran front of sports it would still say "High School" so we know the age of the kids we are dealing with.
If I read a story about Jimmy Smith 157 pitch no-hitter, I want to know what he level he pitches at. If you write the Podunk Raven's Jimmy Smith throws a no-no, I don't know how old he is and what kind of competition he had. little league, high school, minors, college, etc.
In the end I guess I agree with Moody way up above. It's two word and it doesn't clutter things up. Wouldn't it be better to add the two words to avoid any confusion for the reader?
Inky_Wretch
Well-Known Member
Again, it comes down to your market. Know your readers. Some papers should use the designation. At others, it isn't needed.
I hate it, though I can certainly understand the need for it in some places and some cases.
Unless it is my paper's style -- and it is not -- I avoid it. In fact, it doesn't matter if I avoid it or not, because if I were to write John Jay High School in my copy, it would automatically be cut to Jay.
Just the style of our paper.
Same with colleges.
It's Texas or Texas A&M ... unless there's something about the context of the sentence that makes it unclear that you are talking about a college.
"Texas quarterback Vince Young would go on to become a total doosher in the NFL" is fine.
Unless it is my paper's style -- and it is not -- I avoid it. In fact, it doesn't matter if I avoid it or not, because if I were to write John Jay High School in my copy, it would automatically be cut to Jay.
Just the style of our paper.
Same with colleges.
It's Texas or Texas A&M ... unless there's something about the context of the sentence that makes it unclear that you are talking about a college.
"Texas quarterback Vince Young would go on to become a total doosher in the NFL" is fine.
kingcreole
Active Member
My old rag had a dude who would use "Podunk shirteaters" instead of "Podunk College" on first reference. Drove me nuts.
expendable
Well-Known Member
I do use "High School" on first reference, but what I can't stand to read is in a gamer when both schools are tagged with High School.
"Bumblefork High School defeated shirthole High School 3-2 in tiddlywinks Thursday afternoon."
After establishing the level of play, writing "High School" the second time seems to be a waste.
"Bumblefork High School defeated shirthole High School 3-2 in tiddlywinks Thursday afternoon."
After establishing the level of play, writing "High School" the second time seems to be a waste.
JackReacher
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expendable said:
If you're doing it for one school and the other school is first-referenced in the same sentence, wouldn't it look silly not to do it for the second school?
Meh. Either way, I hate the use of "High school" period.
expendable
Well-Known Member
JackReacher said:
I don't think it does. But I doubt that, other than in this example, I'd put both schools in the same sentence on the first reference.
Now, where I do agree with you is in a round-up.
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JackReacher
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expendable said:
Yeah. Both places I've worked, roundups always got a sport header. Never a need to identify high school vs. college or baseball vs. softball.
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Football_Bat
Well-Known Member
JackReacher said:
What he said. Unnecessary wordage. We might use it in a situation where a specific location is mentioned to distinguish it, say, from the junior high. Or for distinguishing schools in the same town (i.e. Mesquite High, Mesquite Horn, Mesquite Poteet).
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redsox99
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We have two cities with two schools. For those, on first reference, it's Podunk High and Podunk Smith. After that it's Podunk and Smith. We never use "school" in sports, period. Podunk High and Podunk Junior High is our style. And we never refer to the local college as Podunk University or University of Podunk. It's just Podunk or UP in some references. For reporters who try to use PHS or PSHS, we generally give them 10 lashes with a metal pica pole (if your shop still has those laying around).
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