The First Sentence Is Everything.
Last chapter, you watched the game. You asked your 5Ws and 1H. You got the quote.
Now you sit down to write.
And the first sentence you type is the most important one in your whole article.
Here's why. When someone picks up a sports article — they read the first sentence. If it's good, they keep going. If it's boring, they stop.
You've got one shot to grab them.
That sentence is called the lead.
What Is a Lead?
A lead — pronounced leed — is the opening sentence of your sports article. One job. Hit the biggest fact first.
But here's what most beginners miss. A strong lead doesn't just tell who won and the score. It also tells readers why the game mattered.
That's significance — what makes this particular game worth writing about. Whatever it is — a school record broken, a first championship in years, an underdog victory — put it in your lead.
Five Ways to Open a Sports Article
Different games call for different leads. Here are the five types — and when to use each one. All five examples below are about the same game.
Zion drained two clutch free throws in the dying seconds to give San Isidro Elementary a 54–52 victory and end a three-year title drought.
Zion played and his team won the game.
San Isidro Elementary ended a three-year title drought by defeating Rizal Central, 54–52, in Friday's basketball final.
San Isidro Elementary defeated Rizal Central on Friday.
San Isidro Elementary's relentless defense and balanced scoring powered a 54–52 championship win over Rizal Central on Friday, ending three years without a title.
The whole team played well and they won.
With three seconds remaining and the score tied at 52, Zion stepped to the free-throw line and converted both shots to give San Isidro Elementary a 54–52 championship win.
The game was close at the end and San Isidro won.
San Isidro Elementary, once trailing by eight points in the third quarter, stormed back to defeat Rizal Central, 54–52, and claim their first championship in three years.
San Isidro Elementary was losing but then they won.
Three Rules That Never Change
No matter which lead type you pick — these rules always apply. Every lead. Every time.
✏️ Practice Time
Apply what you learned. Work through both activities below step by step.
Match the Lead! Read each lead — identify which of the five types it belongs to.
Write Five Leads Fill in the frames — then write your own version without them.
🏐 The Game
🔍 Self-Check Guide
| What to Check | Done ✅ | Try Again 🔄 |
|---|---|---|
| Hero lead opens with the player and what they did | ☐ | ☐ |
| Significance lead opens with the historical meaning | ☐ | ☐ |
| Team play lead focuses on the group — not one player | ☐ | ☐ |
| Clutch time lead opens at the decisive moment | ☐ | ☐ |
| Come from behind lead opens with the deficit | ☐ | ☐ |
| All five leads include the winner and score | ☐ | ☐ |
| All five leads include the significance | ☐ | ☐ |
📊 Simple Rubric
Answers for writing activities will be different for each student. Use the rubric to check your work or ask your teacher for help.
🧠 Fix the Mistake!
Read each weak lead. Spot the problem — then choose the correct fix.