We don't use "high school" as an identifier, but our situation is a tad different, seeing as how there's only one four-year school out here and only two JCs have names the same as a high school (and those two get "College" to avoid any confusion). It's understood in our section that when we say "Podunk" we mean Podunk High because there is no Podunk JC, no Podunk College, no South Podunk High, no Podunk town team....
"High School" on first reference
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JackReacher
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No need to put "high school", even on first reference. Most papers use little headings or scorelines with "High School Sports" or "High School Basketball" or whatever. And if they don't, then, well, give the reader some credit.
If it's September, they won't be reading a HS baseball gamer. If it's April, they won't be reading a football gamer.
A lede with "High School" after the first two names makes me want to poke my eyes out and never again read whatever newspaper it's in, especially if it's a straight AP lede in the first place.
So no, not necessary IMO.
If it's September, they won't be reading a HS baseball gamer. If it's April, they won't be reading a football gamer.
A lede with "High School" after the first two names makes me want to poke my eyes out and never again read whatever newspaper it's in, especially if it's a straight AP lede in the first place.
So no, not necessary IMO.
trifectarich
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"High" and no "School" irritates the hell out of me. Always has, always will.BTExpress said:
Every paper is different. Depends on your location and situation.
We don't use it. The school names are unique enough that our readers know we're writing about high schools and not colleges.
We don't use it. The school names are unique enough that our readers know we're writing about high schools and not colleges.
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 ...
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?
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
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My old rag had a dude who would use "Podunk ****eaters" instead of "Podunk College" on first reference. Drove me nuts.
expendable
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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.
"Bumble**** High School defeated ****hole 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.
"Bumble**** High School defeated ****hole 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
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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
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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).
I have more of a problem with newspapers still using the archaic "preps" when referring to high school sports, whether it's in a set head, sig, etc. Unless the word prep is part of the school name (Tampa Berkley Prep, for example), there is no one who calls them "prep" schools any more. The only reason it is still in use is that the desk loves that it fits in a one-column space.
That was always our style, and I find it hard to adjust when writing for other papers.
You needed the proper name of the school, the sport and the day in the first two or three paragraphs.
Another rule we followed was that in headlines, it was always school-school or nickname-nickname.
Centaurs outlast Little Noises
or
Woodstock outlasts Hale-Ray (which we also called "Hale-hyphen-Ray."
Never Woodstock holds off Little Noises or Centaurs hold off Hale-Ray.
Of course, we had a sports editor who liked to partially quoted Thomas Hobbes and say "Consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds."
And, yes, absolutely, you write a sports story differently if it's going A-1. Joe Bagadonuts, who doesn't follow sports, is gonna need context. So is his wife, "Marge."
You needed the proper name of the school, the sport and the day in the first two or three paragraphs.
Another rule we followed was that in headlines, it was always school-school or nickname-nickname.
Centaurs outlast Little Noises
or
Woodstock outlasts Hale-Ray (which we also called "Hale-hyphen-Ray."
Never Woodstock holds off Little Noises or Centaurs hold off Hale-Ray.
Of course, we had a sports editor who liked to partially quoted Thomas Hobbes and say "Consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds."
And, yes, absolutely, you write a sports story differently if it's going A-1. Joe Bagadonuts, who doesn't follow sports, is gonna need context. So is his wife, "Marge."
