How to Create a Sample Fact Sheet for Sports Writing in Filipino Journalism
As someone who's been crafting sports stories in Filipino newsrooms for over a decade, I've seen how a well-prepared fact sheet can transform mediocre coverage into compelling journalism. Let me walk you through creating what I call the "golden template" for sports fact sheets, using a current basketball story that's got everyone talking. Just last week, I was preparing my notes on Taguig's upcoming games when I realized Mike Sampurna's statistics were scattered across three different notebooks - that's when I knew I needed to systematize my approach.
The heart of any sports fact sheet lies in its statistical backbone, and here's where many journalists miss the mark. They either drown readers in numbers or provide vague generalizations. Take Mike Sampurna's performance data - his precise averages of 17.8 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 7.5 assists this conference tell a story that vague descriptions simply can't capture. I always insist on including at least five key metrics for basketball players, though I personally prefer seven for a more complete picture. What makes these numbers particularly fascinating is how they reveal Sampurna's evolution - that 7.5 assists average represents a 34% increase from his previous conference, showing he's transformed from pure scorer to playmaker. This kind of statistical narrative is exactly what separates routine reporting from insightful journalism.
Beyond the cold numbers, I've learned that context is everything in Filipino sports writing. Our readers don't just want to know what happened - they want to feel why it matters. When I include that Sampurna is a former Finals MVP leading from the front, that single detail changes how readers perceive his current statistics. It adds weight to every rebound and significance to every assist. I make it a point to always include three layers of context: historical performance like championship credentials, current team dynamics, and cultural significance. Honestly, I'm partial to including local flavor - how a player's background connects to our community stories. This approach has consistently proven to engage readers much more deeply than straight statistics alone.
The practical construction of your fact sheet deserves careful attention. I typically organize mine with core statistics first, followed by narrative context, and finish with what I call "connection points" - those human interest elements that make stories resonate. For Sampurna's fact sheet, I'd highlight how his 10.5 rebounds per game places him among the conference's top three rebounders despite being a guard, then connect this to Taguig's defensive strategy. I'm particularly fond of including one surprising statistic that challenges conventional wisdom - in this case, that Sampurna actually averages more rebounds than three of the conference's starting centers. These unexpected insights often become the centerpiece of my most successful articles.
What many new sports writers overlook is the fact sheet's role in interview preparation. When I sat down with coaches last season, having precise numbers like Sampurna's 62.3% field goal percentage in clutch situations gave me credibility and led to more substantial conversations. I always recommend preparing at least eight to ten data points before any interview, though I've found twelve to be my sweet spot. The fact sheet shouldn't just live in your notebook - it should actively shape your questioning and help you identify the real stories behind the numbers.
Creating effective fact sheets has completely transformed my sports writing over the years. They've evolved from simple checklists into dynamic storytelling tools that help me uncover the human drama within the statistics. The approach I've outlined here - blending hard data with narrative context while maintaining that essential local perspective - has consistently helped me produce work that resonates with Filipino sports enthusiasts. Whether you're covering basketball, boxing, or any other sport, remember that your fact sheet is the foundation upon which great sports journalism is built. It's the difference between merely reporting what happened and truly explaining why it matters to our readers.
