How to Write a Sports Season Wrap-Up

While Chicago Cubs fans may live in a perpetual mindset of "Wait until next year," most teams and their supporters can embrace a just-ended season, even if it wound up short of a championship. Each season is full of ups, downs and subplots galore. When writing a sports season wrap-up, don't focus entirely on the results. Examine the stories that players and fans will hold with them for years to come.

Things You'll Need

  • Team roster
  • Team statistics
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Instructions

    • 1

      Recap the preseason expectations. Players, coaches and fans may have held high hope for a title or a deep run into the postseason if the team had several star players returning and an ideal schedule. If the team was fielding plenty of rookies and other new arrivals, fans likely expected a more modest goal, such as finishing in the top half of a division or simply qualifying for the postseason.

    • 2

      Compare the final results of the season to the expectations. Detail whether the team overachieved and exceeded expectations, unexpectedly slumped and failed to meet its own goals, or finished about where they were projected. For example, the 2009-10 Washington Capitals had the NHL's best record during the regular season, but after they were upset in the first round of the playoffs by the Montreal Canadiens, fans and pundits alike viewed the season as a failure. On the other hand, the 2008 Arizona Cardinals exceeded all preseason goals by reaching their first Super Bowl. Be honest in the assessment of expectations.

    • 3

      List all the personal bests that players accomplished during the season. Mention a baseball player who had a career-best batting average, for example, or a football player who set a team record for touchdowns or quarterback sacks. List new highs for the team as well, such as when a hockey team converts on a record-high percentage of power-play chances.

    • 4

      Mention the most valuable players who contributed to the team's success. Review the team's statistics and point out a player who had a high number of game-winning goals or a basketball player whose fourth-quarter free-throw-shooting percentage helped seal a number of victories.

    • 5

      Discuss any adversity the team faced during the season, and how it overcame or succumbed to that obstacle. For example, the 2010-11 Pittsburgh Penguins lost their two star players, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, for half a season due to injury, yet managed to post the second-best regular-season record in team history. In stark contrast, the 2010-11 Cleveland Cavaliers had to deal with the departure of star player LeBron James, and ended up in last place of their division with the second-worst record in the NBA.

    • 6

      Include the coach's assessment of the team's season. Like a good manager, a good coach is well-versed in balancing the positives and negatives of any team and any player in any season. Often, as the coach goes, so goes the team. His heartbreak or disappointment is often reflected in the players and fans, as is his pride and satisfaction.

    • 7

      Detail the changes a team will face in the offseason. For a school team, focus on the seniors who are graduating and moving on. Mention underclassmen who will see an increased role next season. For a pro team, list any players who may be retiring or likely to leave via free agency. Set a preliminary expectation for the following season.