Season Preview and Wrap-up Stories
Season previews and wrap-ups are fixtures of the sportswriter's repertoire. These are done any time a team and a coach are preparing for the coming season, or when the season has just ended, either in glory or infamy.
Obviously the focus here isn't a specific game or even individual, but a broad look at the season - how the coach and players expect things to go, or how they feel once that season is done.
Here's an example of a lede for this kind of story: (a lede is the technical term for an introductory paragraph in journalism! )
Coach Diane Newell had high hopes for the Norton High School Varsity Volleyball team this year. After all, the Lancers qualified for the tournament for the first time in a decade last season and finished in fourth place overall, a feat that the team had never achieved before. And yet, their hopes were dashed as they unexpectedly fell one game short of qualifying.
Your article should include all of the following
1) A title that attracts the reader and also summarizes the season
2) An introductory paragraph (lede) that entices the reader to continue. This should be more reflective and should be no more than 5 sentences.
3) 2-3 Body paragraphs that highlight the strengths and/or weaknesses of the season. These should also include details about specific players or specific games that were significant during the season. You may have to do some asking around here. Ask coaches, players, look up information in local papers. This should be based on facts so you will need to do some research into the season!
4) A closing paragraph that reflects on the season as a whole and perhaps forecasts the upcoming year. (This is a good place for quotes from players or coaches to be included as they are the ones most likely to reflect on the season!)
This will be due by next Tuesday, March 4th at the beginning of class. They should be posted on your blogs and printed out to be turned in.
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