1st Place, Feature Writing – Sports
2021-22, Division 1, Yearbook Verbal
By Chloe Pierce & Alena Kismikh
Esprit de Corps
Eisenhower HS
The dance teams were ready to push themselves to their limits, after the ending of their previous seasons, but they had one unexpected competitor: a global pandemic.
“Due to COVID, this year has definitely been difficult because we had to go on and off Zoom for so long, but our strong bond as a team has helped us get through it,” sophomore varsity dancer Jordan Temple said.
The teams were unable to perform in front of an audience, which they fed off to pull themselves throughout their routines. The hype the crowd gives off motivates them to keep going; but without that, they relied on each other and their motto, “Every setback is set up for a comeback,” for the year to radiate energy to one another.
“Our coaches would remind us, throughout the season, to keep pushing each other,” sophomore varsity dancer Alexa Kurlinski said. “The team would use it to encourage one another and to improve together. This motto was used most during our recording days to reassure that we are dancing for each other.”
Similar to the varsity team, JV’s motto was “Stay humble, hustle hard.”
“[It means] keeping ourselves humble with our reputation, never knowing what will happen in the end, just makes us push even harder to improve every year,” sophomore JV dancer Gabrielle Champa said.
Preparing for Nationals already looked completely different for the team, especially when, unexpectedly, they were sent to quarantine a couple weeks before filming.
“We reacted very professionally and kept on working hard. We sent in chains, which are videos of us doing the dances to our coaches and team buddy. We had practice on Zoom and had some meetings to talk about our plan for the rest of the season,” junior varsity dancer Ema Dewhrist said. “The one good thing that came out of having the whole team quarantined was we didn’t have to worry about anyone getting their quarantine extended. This team was so hard working and wanted the best for each other.”
Despite the obstacles, the girls exemplified their motto and ran to the finish line to film for Nationals.
“Honestly the real win was the fact that they all wanted to finish this year when it was so easy to give up,” coach Rachelle Kiehle said. “The program continued to push through even during the hardest of times. I’m beyond proud of them all for that. Winning was just the cherry on top after such a successful year.”
Y-04. Feature Writing – Sports
A single story that goes beyond traditional news coverage of a game or season to spotlight an unusual aspect, a controversy, team life, a key athletic competition or any other human-interest angle (who, why and how) relevant to student athletics.
Judging Criteria
- Clear, relevant, engaging human-interest angle
- Solid lead that draws reader into story
- The conclusion ties back to the central point of the story and leaves an impression on the reader by using a powerful quote, vivid anecdote or important point that acts as a “kicker.”
- Meaningful student quotes that enrich story and reflect effective interviewing
- Evidence of adequate research
- Story meaningfully adds to sports coverage; may include personality profile, informative, interpretive (why), and/or human-interest feature specifically related to sports.
- Adheres to rules of good journalism including: short paragraphs, effective transitions and use of active voice, freedom from editorial comment, careful editing and proofreading to eliminate mechanical errors, correct use of grammar