Note Taking

I need to cover a basketball tournment and need help. I'm looking for a form to record the play by play so I can have stats for the newspaper articles. I saw a reporter using a form once he said he got out of a book. Not your standard scoring book like they keep at the scoring table but something to keep track of runs, etc. Bob

 

I use a legal pad ... draw a one inch column down the middle ... on the right side, I keep play-by-play for one team, on the left side, I keep play by play on the other ... in the middle column, I keep a running score.

Hope that makes sense.

 

Thanks. Do you rely on published stats for pts per player, steels, rebounds, etc or keep your own? How soes the middle column work so you can record runs? Bob

 

I'd just mark the score each time someone scores. 2-0, 2-2, 4-2, 6-2, 9-2, 12-2. "Team Schnitzelhoff jumped out to a 12-2 run to start the game...."

 

Simple but effective. Let's you see number of times they were tierd up, lead changes, etc. Thanks alot. Any other tips on what you do on right/left side would be helpful too. Thanks, Bob

 

This is the way I do it. During timeouts I'll usually put a bracket around those runs for quick reference at the end of the game.

In addition to what Sneed mentioned, I usually put a 1-2" column on either edge of the page and create seperate compartments for each player to track rebounds and assists. Some teams will track those as well, so you can compare notes after the game with their statkeeper to double-check those.

 

If it's a college or pro game with "official" stats, obviously you use them. If not, you might have to use your own.

My system is sort of hard to explain (it's easier to show than tell these things) ... But let's say a Lakers game opens with Kobe burying an 18-footer, 14 seconds in.

On the left side of the page (which I've designated my "Lakers" side), I would write KB 18' .... or "Kobe Bryant, 18-footer).

In the middle column (the "score column") ... I would write 11:46, and 2-0 ... that's the time the basket was scored and the score afterward.

Let's say on the next play, LeBron James misses a layup. On the right side of the page, a little below the last play, I'd record that, too.

 

Sounds good to me.

 

This might be a little tough for a beginner, but I use a homemade grid-type stat sheet for steals, rebounds, points, etc. I also chart total shots attempted and made at the bottom of the page, and add them up at the end of each quarter. That way you can break down the shooting trends.
The sheet is two pages (8 1/2 x 11) stapled together. On the back of the second sheet, I draw a line down the middle for notes on each team's key runs or key plays. No matter what, I'll try to write down the score every two or three minutes or as events warrant. The top of the second sheet has a space for team stats through the first and third quarters, and the bottom has space for halftime stats and the score by quarters.

Also, no matter what method you pick, use jersey numbers instead of names when you're taking notes. It saves time, especially when both teams are flying up and down the floor.

 

what's wrong with using numbers? 23 18J ... or jordan hit an 18-foot jumper.
or 23 LU, or 23 5 runner, or 33 12 SH ... that one was a KAJ 12-foot sky hook.

 

Nothing, if that works better for you.

Sometimes, I find myself brainlocking on numbers if I'm working quickly on deadline, and having to double-check rosters. It's easier for me at a glance to know "KB" means Kobe Bryant, or LBJ means LeBron James ... whatever works for you.

 

I had a homemade sheet. It had two sides, for each team, listed by name and tracked points with a small area for rebounds. Took about five minutes, a ruler and a blank piece of typing paper. Went to the copier and I was set. I then used a legal pad and took notes, usually a running score. I usually wrote down key or important baskets, good plays, that type of stuff.