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By Chompa Rahman, Business Student (Y2), LSST Luton campus, winner of LSST’s Writing Competition 2022 with CNN and Tony Blair’s Institute for Global Change

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Writing a great sports article can be challenging but not if you know what writing skills you need. Some people believe that writing a sports article is about analysing sporting events, asking questions, and ranting about which teams have failed (we've all done it), but it's so much more! Sports is a significant aspect of British culture, and it is what brings people together, whether they are spectating, playing or even writing about it.

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I am a huge lover of sports and my passion and desire for writing came from an early age, during my school days studying English. I knew this was something I enjoyed and now years later, I can convey my love for sports through writing while also providing the motivation to be able to make changes. It can't get any better than that, right?

Writing is an act of self-expression, and it can be very therapeutic. It can help reduce stress and keep you on your toes! Writing may be hard, and some might consider it ‘boring’, but it doesn’t have to be lonely! Writing must be fluid, simple to read, and concise to succeed. The goal for a writer, no matter how difficult it may be, is to create something that engages, entertains, and stays with the readers for a long time.

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Figures show in 2016 1.8% of sports articles were written by women. So much for change! I believe when women create content, the conversation around sports changes in a positive way and this can also be through writing. There is a saying, ‘You need to either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.'

The following tips can help you to succeed when writing a sports article:

1. A strong understanding of the sports industry – I believe before writing about a certain sport or issue within sports, writers must have extensive industry knowledge of that sport or topic. Writers must be familiar with sports terminology as well as be up to date on industry news and trends.

2. Grammar skills – when writing a sports article, I believe having excellent grammar is a must! Attention to detail is very important and you need to ensure that the sports article is written correctly in terms of word usage, grammar and punctuation otherwise hardly anyone would want to read it!

3. Using plain language - A sports article, in my opinion, should be simple, concise, and communicate correctly. It must avoid jargon and express its content clearly so that the reader understands it as quickly as possible. Using headings, short sentences, using bullet points to highlight information, getting rid of sports clichés and using specific language are critical in achieving a good article.

4. Research skills - A good writer should be able to quickly gather all the real facts that go into a sports story. Doing good research beforehand will prove to be critical when outlining a sports article. You'll be able to become competent with what you need to write about by being organised and having effective research methods.

5. Creativity skills - Readers would like to learn about different points of view and different perspectives on the same subject. Sports can inspire competition and debate, which readers like. A writer must remain true to their point of view while still delivering the facts in a creative manner.

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A superb sports article requires excellent writing abilities for storytelling

Good writing is clear thinking made visible. It will be impossible to thrive without exceptional writing skills, even if you have a great sports article. You'll need a key eye for detail, the ability to captivate readers, and a way with words to bring your stories to life. Continuous reading and creative thinking will also help to improve your written abilities, this is also important when writing for academic purposes.

In today's world, there are so many sportswriters that it can be difficult to stand out. Good writing is the most effective approach to separating yourself from the competition and this should be a priority which can lead to success.

Different styles of writing skills are critical for students at the London School of Science and Technology (LSST) to achieve and prosper in completing assignments and reaching their goals.  A useful learning technique that encourages higher-order thinking is writing. Higher-order thinking is encouraged throughout the process as students must assess and analyse the information provided to communicate their opinions in a creative way and through writing. The abilities outlined above can help and everyone can relate this to academic studies, and we can all benefit from them throughout our lives as students and beyond.

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References

Martinson 2016, The Guardian Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/nov/15/ignoring-womens-sport-2016-different-rochelle-clark-england-rugby [Accessed 02 October 2022].

NLF Draft Diamonds, 2022 Available at https://www.nfldraftdiamonds.com/2020/09/writing-skills/ [Accessed 02 October 2022].

Rahman, C (March 2022) How to become a British Sports Presenter: know your field and stay South Asian. LSST Blogs. Available at https://www.lsst.ac/blogs/ [Accessed 12 October 2022].

Via Sport, 2022 Available at: https://www.viasport.ca/communications-toolkit/module-4-how-write-engaging-sports-article [Accessed 28 September 2022].