Embarrassing question, please read, please help

Here's the recent thread on keeping stats:

http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/79058/


And it has a link to another more in-depth thread.


There's also a link to some scoresheets.

 

If it's your first time tallying a box at the end of the game, it could take some time. Just be aware of this.

 

Or the sophomore manager leaves the stadium to go hang out with his buddies before the final whistle even drops off the referee's lips. Or they're illegible -- or worse, just plain wrong. Or the coach buries them on the bus and says the words we dread, "Can I call you with those?"
Always, always, ALWAYS keep your own stats. Even if the ones you get from a team are correct, on deadline it's usually quicker to add your own than track down someone else's. You're already dealing with a lot of chaos after a game. Relying on someone (usually a total stranger) to find you in a crowd, or vice versa, is a recipe for disaster.
Good rule of thumb at high schools, especially small ones -- never assume you're getting anything.

 

One thing I used to do for keeping football stats was use a large yellow pad. Draw a line halfway the width of the page. Now, I'm not saying that this method may be best for everyone. But it worked for me.

Start of each series, write down the yard line where the ball is spotted in the middle of the page.

On the left side, write down the uniform number of the guy running the ball. On the right side, write down how many yards the play went for. (Games I covered, teams didn't throw very often)

For passing plays, write the QB's number, put an arrow to the receiver's number on the left side. Number of yards on the right.

Kicking plays, kicker's number and yards of FG attempt, or punter's number, arrow to punt returner's number on left side.

Touchdown scoring plays, I'd circle, and maybe add a note or two.

 

Keeping detailed stats for the first time, especially for high school football, can be mighty challenging. My first time doing it for football was a struggle, even though I had kept stats for basketball, baseball, etc. I knew what to look for and how I wanted to go about it, but football is a different beast. You really have to be locked in for every single play to keep accurate yardage totals, along with receptions, rushes, passes, turnovers, penalties and on and on.

I'd strongly recommend a rehearsal before your first Friday night assignment. Watch an NFL game with the sound off and just chart the basics. Or go watch a half of a junior varsity game and do the same. In doing so, you'll start to develop a system and find out what works, what doesn't. Everybody has their own bizarre way of keeping stats, but that's because different things work for different people.

If at all possible, do a dry run. It will make that first varsity game that much easier and give you an idea of what to expect. Also, don't get frustrated at first. By your third or fourth game, you'll have your own style and it'll be second nature.

 

Amreader mentioned what I would suggest, in calling the SE to get a score sheet.

The thing is if you are calling in a box in the guy you are calling into has a blank paper form he is using to take em. (Some places will input into the computer as they take the info, but most use paper forms because they like to have a hard copy to go by in case there is some computer issue).
If you can stop by the shop, one of the sports guys can get you that sheet. A lot is self explanatory but feel free to ask the guys at the shop to be sure, explaining you want to be right when you call.

Sometimes the SE really doesn't even know what's on their own form compared to how other shops and the AP does it. And just remember, everyone in this biz was covering their first event at some point as well, so most will help ya out and not make you feel dumb.

 

I've done a few high school football games (and high school hockey and baseball, for that matter).

For me, the hardest things to do were to get rosters and accurate names of players. When I covered the hockey games, I also had to get the penalties.

Keep in mind that I worked for a weekly rag, so my system won't work as well if you're working for a daily. What I did for football was write down each play as it happened. I'd also glance at the clock and try to keep up the time of each significant play and write that down. After the game, I'd then tally up the stats.

That was how I had to do it because most of the schools in Godless County barely even provided rosters, and none of the public schools provided stats.

When I did a playoff game featuring a county school and a school from another county in our state, the other county's school had a detailed play-by-play and stats. I checked them against mine and that made life a lot easier. Also, the state put out numerical rosters with names of players and such, which made my life even easier.

I would agree with the suggestions to ask your editor what he wants as far as the AP box is concerned. I would also agree that you should ask about length (whether it's column inches or word count). That will give you an idea of which details to include.

 

How much of this bullshit do we have to put up with.

This moron registered just after 4 p.m. Posted at 5:22. Signed off at 5:23 and has not been back since.

Why do any of you give any of these dumb fuck sock puppets a serious answer.

 

I hear you spnited. You never know though. Something may have come up. Could be legit. The advice was sound and it may benefit another poster.

 

Stalk much, spnited?

 

Maybe he's given up on a career in journalism.