Prof. Ledbetter's play-by-play notes

BASKETBALL GAMEPLAY BY PLAY & STAT TAKING

Get two pads ready. One for play-by-play and

another for key notes: injuries, runs, hard fouls,

streaks, etc.

--Prepare several sheets for your play-by-play note taking. Draw one line down the middle of the paper. I prefer a legal pad. A steno pad works well, too. Make sure the visiting team is on the left and the home team is on the right.

--Check in at the scorer’s table about a half hour before tipoff to get the starters, the proper spelling of their names and the correct jersey numbers. Make sure there are no number changes!!!!

--Get the names of the head coaches and the team captains.

--Also double check the team’s records. If it’s conference game, ask for their overall and conference record.

--Use a numbering system that also encompasses some note taking to help describe plays. Here are the first four minutes of the Washington at Atlanta Hawks NBA game from Feb. 4, 2015.

--Each line represents a possession. Write the shooter’s number and type of shot on the outside of the line. Before the advent of the three-point shot, you just used FG for field goal. Now, you just use 2 for field goals, circle the 3 for three-pointers.

--Draw the line across for the score of the game. The running score goes down the middle line.

TO – Turnover F – Fouls plus the players number and number of fouls.

J-Hook – Jump hook Mid J – Mid range jumper 3 – missed three-pointer (3) – circled 3 , made three pointer.

SOME RECOMMENDED SYMBOLS

0—0 – Free throw. Colored in made free throws.

0 -/-0 -- One and one free throw situation. TIMEOUTS – Write them out and note the

time left in the game. Keep track of the type of timeout. Is it a TV time out. A full timeout or a 20 second time out. Learn the signals from the refs. (Touching of shoulder??)

Lup – Lay up DUNK – SLAM!!! MONSTER SLAM – ONE OR TWO HANDED?

SOME RECOMMENDED SYMBOLS

* .

You must identify the critical moment that decides the outcome of the game?

How do you identify other key moments of interest? Your play by play and stat sheet should guide you to the key points in the game.

WHEN THE GAME IS OVER

--Top scorer and rebounder --Secondary stats: Assists, turnovers and steals. --Do we have a triple double or is there anybody

with a double-double? --Was there a massive run? (Circle it in red or

your favorite color pen or highlighter) --Was there some key missed free throws down

the stretch? --Did a rash of turnovers against full court

pressure lead to a team’s downfall?

WHEN THE GAME IS OVER

BASKETBALL STAT SHEET

--Get there early to meet the coaches. Get the starting lineups and double check all of the names and numbers. Make sure to watch the pitchers warm up. Check out their velocity and number of pitches. You’re looking for early tips.

BASEBALL GAME PLAY BY PLAY & STAT TAKING

--For baseball play-by-play you will use a numbering system to help you keep track of the score.

1 – Pitcher 2 – Catcher 3 – First baseman 4 – Second baseman 5 – Third baseman 6 – Shortstop 7 – Left fielder 8 – Center fielder 9 – Right Fielder

BASEBALL GAME PLAY BY PLAY & STAT TAKING

EXAMPLE: 6-4-3 is a double play. The batter hit the ball to shortstop (6), who threw it to the second baseman (4) who threw it to the first baseman (3) for the double play.

BASEBALL GAME PLAY BY PLAY & STAT TAKING

Balls – 4 equals a walk. (A pitch not thrown over the plate or a pitch out of the strike zone)Strikes – 3 equals and out. (A pitch thrown over the plate that’s in the strike zone).

--Single --Double --Triple --Home run --Strikeouts (What does K or a backwards K

mean?) --Innings pitch --ERA – Earned Run Average --RBI – Runs batted in

KEY TERMS TO MASTER

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MAKE YOUR OWN SCORECARD

--Pitch counts are so important today. By tallying the balls, strikes and fouled balls you can track the pitch count. You want to count the total number of pitches thrown and the number of strikes.

IN ADDITION TO SCORING THE GAME Some tips from DOB/MC

--You want to write the pitches along the pitch line

--Find out what type of pitcher is on the mound. Is he a strikeout artist? A curve ball specialist? A sinker ball pitcher, who gets a lot of ground balls? A knuckler?

IN ADDITION TO SCORING THE GAME Some tips for DOB/MC

--Also, the distance of home runs. In high school, try to get the coach to predict how far the ball went if it’s a massive home run.

--Also, try to see if the distances of the outfield fences are marked. What is the distance down the line in right field and left field. What’s the distance to straight away center?

IN ADDITION TO SCORING THE GAME Some tips for DOB/MC