Joe Mitch

USBWA writing contest entries due on June 15

By JOE MITCH
USBWA Executive Director
mitch@usbwa.com

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One of the most popular benefits for members of the USBWA is the opportunity to submit stories and columns in the association's annual best writing contest.

Over 160 entries are typically submitted each year, and the contest has attracted not only veterans but young reporters just entering the profession. There has been a noticeable increase in the number of women writers submitting stories, as well.

Entries can be submitted in five categories: column writing, moderate-length features, magazine-length features, spot news/game coverage and enterprise/investigative stories.

Plaques and cash prizes are awarded in each category, with $150 given for first place, $125 for second, $100 for third, $75 for fourth and $50 for fifth.

The rules for entering the contest are fairly simple. Members may enter more than one category, but may submit only one entry per category. A series of articles may be submitted in the enterprise/investigative category.

Entries must include at the top of each story the category, the story's author or authors, the publication in which the article appeared and the date of the publication. New this year is the addition of an email address and telephone number for the entry's writer or writers.

Only dues-paying members of the USBWA are eligible to enter the writing contest.

Entries must be submitted to contest@usbwa.com in a readable type size. Any entry submitted in type size so small it cannot be read won't be considered. Send Word or text files only. Do not send links to stories on the Internet and clippings from magazines or newspapers. Also, delete any advertising, photos and captions from the files and any unnecessary carriage returns.

The deadline for submitting stories and columns that appeared in print or online during the 2015-16 college basketball season is June 15. Entries received after the deadline will not be accepted.

USBWA SCHOLARSHIP: Applications are now being accepted for the USBWA's college scholarship for the son or daughter of USBWA members. The scholarship is $1,000 annually for four years and is open to students currently in college or planning to attend a junior college or four-year institution in the fall.

To qualify, students must take a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester in college, maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0, demonstrate academic excellence and show achievement in citizenship and leadership in a community service. The deadline to apply is June 1. Applications are available on the USBWA website at www.USBWA.com.

FINAL FOUR STUDENT WORKSHOPS: The USBWA will host two workshops for students on the Friday of the Final Four weekend in Houston – one for students interested in sportswriting and another for those interested in sports photojournalism.

For those looking to pursue a career in sportswriting, the USBWA's "Full Court Press" workshop provides students the opportunity to meet veteran sportswriters and to compete for a $1,000 scholarship. The scholarship is awarded in honor of the late Larry Donald, a member of the USBWA Hall of Fame and the only person to serve two terms as president of the organization.

USBWA members will lead the discussion at a seminar that is expected to include topics such as the influence of social media, the state of the job market, navigational skills in a 24/7 digital era and survival tactics to deal with increasingly difficult deadlines.

Students electing to participate in the scholarship competition will receive assignments to cover events at the men's championship, including news conferences, practices and the announcement at NRG Stadium in Houston of the USBWA's Oscar Robertson Trophy for national player of the year.

This marks the 16th year for the writing workshop. Some 50 to 60 students are expected to attend.

The sports photography workshop is being held for the second straight year in partnership with famed sports photographer Rich Clarkson of Clarkson Creative. The workshop enables students to take pictures at open practices and the college all-star game and to have their work evaluated by Clarkson and his staff.

Both workshops are organized by the Sports Capital Journalism Program at IUPUI within the school's Department of Journalism and Public Relations. The program's director is USBWA past president and Hall of Fame member Malcolm Moran. This is the fourth consecutive year that IUPUI has been involved in the writing workshop. IUPUI will serve as the host for a similar workshop at the Women's Final Four in Indianapolis.

Students interested in attending the men's or women's workshops can contact Moran at moranma@indiana.edu.

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Jesse Newell, who covered Kansas for the Topeka Capital-Journal, was hired by the Kansas City Star to cover the Jayhawks. He replaces Rustin Dodd, who will cover the Kansas City Royals.

Bernadette Cafarelli, a 32-year veteran of collegiate athletics public relations who spent 22 years at Notre Dame, was named associate commissioner of the American Athletic Conference.

Former USBWA member George Rodecker passed away on Christmas eve, two days from his 65th birthday, after suffering heart problems in recent years. Rodecker, also a member of the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association, was a self-made journalist who wrote for a number of outlets, including Basketball Times, College Insider, College Chalktalk and Hoopville.

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Awards luncheon planned for April 4

The USBWA will hold its annual awards ceremony for a second straight year as a luncheon rather than a breakfast at the men's Final Four in Houston.

The luncheon was a huge success last year, with over 150 people attending the event in Indianapolis, nearly doubling the past attendance.

This year's luncheon will be held at the downtown Hyatt Regency Hotel in Houston on Monday, April 4, the day of the national championship game, starting at 12:30 p.m.

The luncheon will feature the presentation of several awards:

• Katha Quinn Award to NCAA director of media coordination and statistics David Worlock for service to the media;

• Induction into the USBWA Hall of Fame of long-time Notre Dame SID and now retired Roger Valdiserri, former USBWA president Blair Kerkhoff of the Kansas City Star and veteran sportswriter Bob Pille (posthumously) of the Peoria Journal Star and Chicago Sun-Times;

• Rising Star Award for excellence in sportswriting for writers under 30 to Laura Keeley of the Raleigh News & Observer;

• Most Courageous Award to former Butler player Andrew Smith and his widow Samantha for their heroic efforts working as a team during Andrew's two-year struggle with cancer that eventually claimed his life;

• Ray Marquette Award to Pat Forde of Yahoo Sports for his leadership this year as USBWA president.

ESPN serves as the main sponsor of the luncheon and has done so for many years, dating back to the mid-1980s.

Other luncheon sponsors include the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Connor Sports Flooring, Conference USA and the Atlantic Coast, Big East, American Athletic and Pacific-12 conferences.

The USBWA will conduct a short business meeting following the luncheon.

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Watch lists for USBWA awards

Here are the USBWA watch lists for top player honors:

Oscar Robertson Trophy (men's national player of the year): Grayson Allen, Duke; Kris Dunn, Providence; Kahlil Felder, Oakland; Yogi Ferrell, Indiana; Buddy Hield, Oklahoma; Demetrius Jackson, Notre Dame; Brice Johnson, North Carolina; Jalen Jones, Texas A&M; Sheldon McClellan, Miami; Monte Morris, Iowa State; Georges Niang, Iowa State; Gary Payton II, Oregon State; Wayne Selden Jr., Kansas; Ben Simmons, LSU; Melo Trimble, Maryland; Tyler Ulis, Kentucky; Jarrod Uthoff, Iowa; Denzel Valentine, Michigan State; Fred VanVleet, Wichita State; Kyle Wiltjer, Gonzaga.

Wayman Tisdale Award (men's national freshman player of the year): KeVaughn Allen, Florida; Dwayne Bacon, Florida State; Malik Beasley, Florida State; Henry Ellenson, Marquette; Brandon Ingram, Duke; Jamal Murray, Kentucky; Ivan Rabb, California; Ben Simmons, LSU; Diamond Stone, Maryland; Caleb Swanigan, Purdue.

Ann Meyers Drysdale Award (women's national player of the year): Jillian Alleyene, Oregon; Rachel Banham, Minnesota; Nina Davis, Baylor; Diamond DeShields, Tennessee; Moriah Jefferson, Connecticut; Niya Johnson, Baylor; Jonquel Jones, George Washington; Kelsey Mitchell, Ohio State; Tiffany Mitchell, South Carolina; Kelsey Plum, Washington; Azura Stevens, Duke; Breanna Stewart, Connecticut; Morgan Tuck, Connecticut; Victoria Vivians, Mississippi State; Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, Maryland; A'ja Wilson, South Carolina.