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Keeping track of football stats

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by FPH, Aug 6, 2010.

  1. Rhody31

    Rhody31 Well-Known Member

    If anyone is looking for a solid scoresheet, PM a fax number. I have a homemade one that I use that gets the job done for me.
    I tape it to the back of a clipboard and on the front I have my legal pad for PxP. I draw a line down the middle and the left side is the visitors, right side is home. After the play, I flip it and keep a running total.
    I don't mess around writing down and yardage because you can figure that out with math.
    A basic series line would look like this:

    V (indicates side of the field)
    41 (yard line) 32 left 8 (No. 32 ran left for 8 yards)
    49 24 gut 4 1ST (which I circle so I can count later)
    H
    48 6-81 TD 4:12 1ST (No. 6 passes to 81 for 48 yd. TD, team earns first down).

    For whatever reason, in every sport I put who passed the ball, then who scored. I'm pretty much the only person I know who does it this way.
     
  2. Hank_Scorpio

    Hank_Scorpio Active Member

    On the pbp, I would do that too, Rhody. Just seems more natural. QB has the ball first, so it's easy to remember 6 passes to 81.
     
  3. schiezainc

    schiezainc Well-Known Member

    FWIW, I hate Rhody's system.
     
  4. I'm talking to a college class on Wednesday about how to keep football stats at a prep game. I've got all kinds of tips, some stat forms that I and others like to use and my own handwritten play-by-play notes.

    Would anyone else be interesting in emailing me a scan of a page from their hand-written play-by-play notes or stats from a game? I'd like to put together a packet of a few examples to share just to give some insight into other writers' organizational habits and best practices as well as to highlight the need to develop a system that works for you.

    If so, shoot 'em over to me at abhsports@gmail.com. Thanks in advance.
     
  5. albert77

    albert77 Well-Known Member

    I use two legal pads, one for play-by-play and one for running totals. For the PBP, I draw a line down the middle of several pages of the pad and use either side for whichever team has the ball. That give me space for notes opposite the play, like who made tackles on big plays or anything else I think I might need. Here's an example of how I do a play: 1-10 V41 24 RG 5. That's a first-&-10 at visitor's 41 yard-line, #24 run off right guard for 5 yards. For a pass it would be: 2-5 V46 12 pass 88 16 slant; that's a 16-yard pass on a slant over the middle. For turnovers and other big defensive plays I write the play in all caps, for example: 1-10 H38 12 SACK -5 | 57 blitz.

    For the totals sheet, I chart passes (complete passes with yardage, incomplete passes with an x and I draw a square around the x for INTs), each player's runs, punts, penalties, fumbles-lost and first downs. I also take note of the time on the clock at the start of each possession, so I can total TOP if I wish (which I do for scoring drives). It's a system I've developed over many years of use and it has served me very well. The one imperative is to have a reliable roster for each team. I prefer to get one provided by the teams, but if I can't get one for some reason I use the ones on the team's maxpreps site and hope like hell they're accurate (they're not always).
     
  6. SportsGuyBCK

    SportsGuyBCK Active Member

    I have an Excel spreadsheet I set up years ago ... you can either print it out (on 8x14 paper), or run it on your laptop for live updating of individual stats (rushing, passing, receiving, penalty yards) ... I've sent copies to other SportsJournalists.com members over the years, and have heard no complaints ... if anyone wants a copy, PM me ...
     
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