Writers Guidelines
Thank you for your interest in becoming a contributing writer for Youth Texas Teams Magazine! Our magazine empowers young athletes and peers to share their perspectives on sports, mental health, and literacy. Our goal is to amplify youth voices, provide positive role models, and connect readers with resources for growth both on and off the field.
With articles covering everything from sports insights to mental wellness tips, we’re committed to inspiring young athletes, highlighting diverse perspectives, and supporting each other’s journeys.
Before diving into your articles, take a moment to familiarize yourself with the categories we’ve created to ensure your piece fits seamlessly into our publication. Each category has been carefully designed to offer unique perspectives and value to our readers, blending sports, mental health, and literacy themes.
As you begin, remember to keep your tone engaging, informative, and motivating. Think about the goals of the category you’re writing for: Are you inspiring your peers? Offering actionable tips? Highlighting someone’s journey or accomplishments? Keep our audience in mind—young athletes, their supporters, and fans eager to learn, grow, and connect.
We can’t wait to see the stories you’ll create—thank you for your hard work and creativity!
Key Content Areas
1. Main Site – Youth Texas Teams Magazine
The main site provides an overarching experience, featuring the latest stories, articles, and updates from all four sub-sites. It highlights contributions from young athletes, showcases sponsor messages, and maintains a consistent presence across categories, accessible to all visitors.
2. Sub-Sites Overview
- Field Focus
Dedicated to field sports like football, soccer, and baseball/softball, Field Focus provides articles on player journeys, game highlights, and team insights, focusing on resilience, teamwork, and sportsmanship.
- Court Connection
Covering basketball, tennis, and volleyball, Court Connection explores the world of court sports with articles on training, strategy, and player stories, while emphasizing mental health, teamwork, and growth.
- Track Trailblazers
Celebrates speed, endurance, and precision sports such as track and field, cycling, and motorsports. This section includes training tips, competition strategies, and athlete profiles that encourage personal bests and resilience.
- Edge Elite
Featuring combat and precision sports like boxing, golf, and ice hockey, Edge Elite covers the rigorous training and discipline needed to excel in these demanding sports, focusing on overcoming obstacles and reaching new heights.
Writer’s Guide to Categories
Here’s a quick overview of our categories to guide your writing:
- Behind the Scenes: Shine a light on the unsung heroes who support teams behind the curtain, giving readers a fresh perspective on what it takes to succeed in sports.
- Coach’s Corner: Provide expert insights, practical tips, or motivational advice from coaches to help players and teams achieve their best.
- Exclusives: Craft special, in-depth features that blend sports, mental health, and literacy, offering readers a deeper dive into these critical intersections.
- Fan Zone: Celebrate the passion of sports fans with engaging stories, heartfelt messages, and creative contributions like fan art.
- Future Prospects: Highlight the rising stars in youth sports, sharing their dreams, struggles, and what makes them athletes to watch.
- Game Changers: Showcase individuals or teams who are challenging norms, breaking boundaries, and redefining their sport.
- Mind & Muscle: Combine mental and physical wellness tips to help athletes strengthen both their bodies and minds.
- Mindset Matters: Focus on the mental game—resilience, motivation, and overcoming challenges to develop a winning mindset.
- MVP Spotlight: Dive into the journeys of standout athletes, showcasing their achievements, dedication, and impact both on and off the field.
- Playbook Strategies: Provide actionable training routines, skill-building tips, or game tactics to help athletes and coaches improve performance.
- Pushing Boundaries: Write about diversity, inclusion, and overcoming obstacles in youth sports, celebrating stories of courage and progress.
- Scholarship Central: Offer valuable guidance on scholarships, recruitment tips, and resources to help student-athletes prepare for their next steps.
- Sports & School: Share advice on balancing academics and athletics, including time-management strategies and study tips for young athletes.
- The Zone: Explore techniques like visualization, focus-building, and confidence-boosting strategies to help athletes stay mentally sharp and perform at their peak.
- Training Tips: Provide practical advice on workouts, drills, and exercises to help athletes hone their skills and build strength.
What We’re Looking For
- Interviews: Choose someone involved in sports at your school, such as an athlete, coach, or sports manager, and tell their story.
- Inspirational or Motivational Pieces: Share uplifting stories or write about overcoming challenges.
- Mental Health Topics: Explore the importance of mental well-being for athletes or students in general.
Writer Tips
- Be Authentic – Write from your heart and Your unique perspective makes your story special!
- Focus on Your Audience – Our readers are young athletes like you, so keep your language clear, relatable, and inspiring.
- Do Your Research – Whether it’s player stats, game rules, or mental health advice, make sure your information is accurate.
- Stay Positive and Encouraging – Inspire your readers with uplifting and empowering stories that help build confidence.
- Keep It Relevant – Stick to topics related to youth sports, mental health, or literacy that would interest young athletes.
- Mind Your Word Count – Aim for 500-750 words per article unless instructed otherwise. Keep it concise and engaging.
- Check Your Facts – Make sure names, dates, statistics, and any other details are accurate to build trust with our readers.
- Be Creative – Feel free to add your personality, humor, and Let your writing stand out!
- Respect Diversity – Be inclusive in your Represent and respect all genders, backgrounds, and abilities.
- Seek Feedback – Don’t be afraid to ask for help with editing or Great writers work as a team!
- Source and Credit – If you reference a quote, article, or study, give proper credit and provide your sources.
- Keep a Balanced Tone – Be honest and thoughtful, especially on sensitive topics like mental health. Our goal is to support readers.
- Stay Consistent – Use spell-check, follow basic grammar rules, and make sure your article flows smoothly from start to finish.
- Tell a Story – Make your article engaging by weaving in storytelling techniques like personal anecdotes or real-life examples.
- Meet Deadlines – Respect your submission deadlines to ensure the magazine stays on track!
Submission Details
- Eligibility: Writers must be students in Middle School, High School, or College located in the state of Texas.
- Word Limit: Articles should be between 500-750 words to ensure they remain focused, engaging, and impactful.
- Multiple Submissions: Writers are welcome to submit more than one article at a
- Image Submission: If applicable, include a high-resolution horizontal photo of the interview subject or a relevant, non-licensed image that complements your
- Original Work: Submissions must be the writer’s original Writers must hold all rights to their article at the time of submission and upon publication.
- Editing Rights: Youth Texas Teams Magazine reserves the right to edit all submitted articles for clarity, grammar, formatting, and style while preserving the writer’s voice and message.
- Respect for Diversity: Submissions should celebrate inclusivity and respect all backgrounds, genders, and abilities, reflecting the diversity of the sports
- Professional Tone: Articles should maintain an inspiring, positive, and professional tone that resonates with young athletes and their supporters.
- Honesty and Accuracy: Writers are responsible for fact-checking any statistics, quotes, or sources included in their article to ensure accuracy and credibility.
- Submission Process: All articles must be submitted through the “Submit An Article” tab on our Submissions sent through other channels will not be accepted.
Compensation
Compensation
We value and appreciate your contributions! Adult writers will be compensated at a rate of $0.10 per word, up to a maximum of 750 words per article. Students will receive either a service scholarship or exciting rewards, but not both. If your article is selected for publication on our site, we will email you with detailed instructions on how to claim your rewards.
Student Reward Options Include:
• Movie tickets
• Gift cards
• Amusement park passes
• Bookstore vouchers
• School supplies
• Exclusive merchandise
• Sports event tickets
• Concert tickets
Please note that compensation for adults will be processed after publication and may require submission of a W-9 form. This requirement does not apply to students receiving rewards. By submitting your work, you agree to our terms and conditions regarding article ownership and publication rights.
How to Submit
- Prepare your article according to our submission.
- If your article is approved, be ready to provide a photo to accompany.
- You will receive a response within two weeks regarding whether your article has been selected for publication in an upcoming issue.
We truly appreciate your enthusiasm and dedication to sharing your story with our audience. Together, we have the opportunity to inspire and empower young athletes and students throughout Texas. Thank you for your interest in contributing to Youth Texas Teams Magazine!