The job of a sports reporter is to write stories and report on anything that is related to sports. However, many are struggling with meeting deadlines that are given by newspapers, magazines, sports radio, and television. One of the ways that hinders the ability for a sport reporter to meet deadlines is not having knowledge of the sport. Sports reporters must possess some type of knowledge or background of the sport they are reporting on. If a sports reporter is unfamiliar with the sporting game, then they are unable to produce a story; therefore in order to meet deadlines, a sports reporter must have knowledge on the specific sport. After all, a sports reporter is always on the job, handling tough deadlines, and doing the best they can while understanding the nature of the sports game (Pedersen, Miloch, & Laucella, 2007). Another way that hinders the ability for a sport reporter to meet deadlines is not having strong writing skills. The majority of sports reporters have developed strong writing skills from reading and through experience. Dave Anderson, a sports columnist stated that “writing goes back to reading. If you don’t like to read, what would make you want to become a writer? And if you want to be a writer, there’s no better training than reading” (Pedersen, Miloch, Laucella, 2007, p. 169). A sports reporter with strong writing skills knows how to avoid the use of exaggerations and clichés and is able to pull readers into their stories and sustain their interest. Without having these types of skills, a sports reporter is surely defeated in meeting deadlines. 
Although, knowledge of the sport and strong writing skills are what hinders a sports reporter from meeting deadlines, they can also be considered great ways to facilitate the ability to meet deadlines. Having prior knowledge of the sport allows a reporter to easily interpret scores, calls and plays, and even statistical information. This makes it easier when pulling all the components together to complete a sports report that is on time. Having strong writing skills is also a plus when it comes to sports reporting. Many of today’s sports reporters are faced with tight deadlines and are forced to write many of their leads during the game. However, by having a strong background in writing, a sports reporter would easily be able to manage their task of writing sport stories that meets all deadlines. Another way that facilitates the ability for a sports reporter to meet deadlines is having a great position on the field/court. A sports reporter needs to be positioned in an area where they can read and hear the scores, conduct quick interviews, and see all plays. By being in a great position on the field/court, the reporter is able to capture all information necessary for their story without any problems.
In my own personal experience, I was able to meet my own deadline for posting the game results by 11:55pm on the date of the event (Bengals vs. Bills, October 2, 2011). This was easy for me to do as I prepared myself before the game with all the necessary tools. Before the game, I read all the cover stories, which clued me in to specific players and plays. I also wrote down specific questions that I needed answered before the game ended, so that I would not miss anything I wanted to cover in my story. All of these things helped me to be fully equipped as a reporter during the game and further allowed me to meet my deadline.
One type of information that I needed to write an appropriate game story was the location and time of the game. Knowing the time and location of the game was very important because it helped me to attend the game on time and avoid any problems in getting there. Another piece of information that I needed to know was the names of the quarterbacks on both teams, so that I could easily identify, which team made the plays. By keeping up with the scores throughout the game, I was able to write specifics on the plays and key players within the game. Also, observing what happened before the game and at halftime allowed my sports report to be personable and stand out from others who may have reported on the same event. Finally, knowing the winner of the game was the main piece of information in the report as many readers would like to know who won the game. All of these elements were important to me because I didn’t want to just attend the game as a fan, but as a reporter that was well prepared. References
Pedersen, P. M., Miloch, K. S., & Laucella, P. C. (2007). Strategic sport communication. Champaign, Illinois: Human Kinetics.
Photograph of pen and paper. Retrieved from http://www.contentflicks.com/how-to-write-sports-articles/
Photograph of sports reporter in grass. Retrieved from http://funnytreat.com/pictures/sports/pictures-details.html?id=101
Photograph of sports writing text. Retrieved from http://www.docstoc.com/docs/81276859/sports_writing
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