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The Secret Science of Sports: The Math, Physics, and Mechanical Engineering Behind Every Grand Slam, Triple Axel, and Penalty Kick
Why does a football spiral? How do some athletes jump so high? The answer is science! The Secret Science of Sports helps kids better understand concepts of science, technology, engineering, and math through the sports they love to play and watch.
Every sport -- from baseball to basketball, to football and soccer, to wrestling, tennis, and lacrosse -- involves a bit of science, technology, engineering, and math. You can't throw a ball without Newton's Law of Motion, and you can't calculate a player's stats without math. And every type of sports equipment -- a helmet, cleats, shoulder or knee pads -- were designed with the latest engineering and technology.
The Secret Science of Sports breaks down normally difficult STEM concepts like forces of motion, gravity, algebra, and even neuroscience, in a language kids can -- and will want to -- understand. Divided into sections like chemistry, biology, physics, technology, and more, this handy guide uses examples from sports like soccer, baseball, softball, football, hockey, lacrosse, tennis, and others to explain important STEM concepts for kids ages 8 to 12. They'll learn how to use math to calculate a batter's average, why a tennis racket is shaped the way it is, how biology affects athletic performance, the aerodynamics behind competitive swimsuits, and much more. With dozens of original, captivating illustrations to engage young readers, kids will have fun while learning about key STEM ideas that will prepare them for years of schooling to come.
Every sport -- from baseball to basketball, to football and soccer, to wrestling, tennis, and lacrosse -- involves a bit of science, technology, engineering, and math. You can't throw a ball without Newton's Law of Motion, and you can't calculate a player's stats without math. And every type of sports equipment -- a helmet, cleats, shoulder or knee pads -- were designed with the latest engineering and technology.
The Secret Science of Sports breaks down normally difficult STEM concepts like forces of motion, gravity, algebra, and even neuroscience, in a language kids can -- and will want to -- understand. Divided into sections like chemistry, biology, physics, technology, and more, this handy guide uses examples from sports like soccer, baseball, softball, football, hockey, lacrosse, tennis, and others to explain important STEM concepts for kids ages 8 to 12. They'll learn how to use math to calculate a batter's average, why a tennis racket is shaped the way it is, how biology affects athletic performance, the aerodynamics behind competitive swimsuits, and much more. With dozens of original, captivating illustrations to engage young readers, kids will have fun while learning about key STEM ideas that will prepare them for years of schooling to come.
176 pages, Paperback
Published July 20, 2021
About the author
Jennifer Swanson
75 books39 followersScience Rocks! And so do Jennifer Swanson’s books. She is the award-winning author of over 45 nonfiction books for children. Using her background in science and history that she received from the U.S. Naval Academy, and her M.S. in Education, Jennifer excels at taking complex facts and making them accessible, compelling, and humorous for young readers, Jennifer's passion for science resonates in in all her books but especially, Astronaut-Aquanaut: How Space Science and Sea Science Interact and BEASTLY BIONICS which both received Florida Book Awards and NSTA BEST STEM book awards. Her Save the Crash-test Dummies book received an NSTA BEST STEM Award and a Parent’s Choice GOLD Award. Jennifer has been a featured speaker at the Tucson Book Festival, National NSTA conferences, the Highlights Foundation, the World Science Festival (twice), the Atlanta Science Festival (twice) and the Library of Congress’ National Book Festival in 2019. You can find Jennifer through her website www.JenniferSwansonBooks.com.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 6, 2021
This topic intrigued me: the science of sports! It's obvious the two go hand-in-hand, but I can't think of another book for a middle-grade audience on this topic. Physics can explain how some physical traits may give an athlete an advantage in a certain sport. For example, larger people must overcome more drag (the force acting against them) when moving through the air or water. Yet, while science is a factor, there are many other factors in an athlete's success.
The "Math + Sports" section explains scoring, probability, and statistics.
There's so much information in this book. Just a few topics include finding your pulse, learning about gravity, why nutrition matters, preventing injury, and how choosing environmentally friendly materials is necessary in sustaining our planet.
This book is a must-have for kids who enjoy sports, and is valuable to educators and in classrooms with its STEM content.
The "Math + Sports" section explains scoring, probability, and statistics.
There's so much information in this book. Just a few topics include finding your pulse, learning about gravity, why nutrition matters, preventing injury, and how choosing environmentally friendly materials is necessary in sustaining our planet.
This book is a must-have for kids who enjoy sports, and is valuable to educators and in classrooms with its STEM content.
January 28, 2022
If you have a child that is interested in sports, encourage them to learn more about the science behind their particular spot and how the two go together. Author and self-proclaimed science geek, Jennifer Swanson, understands science and how to explain it to kids, making it exciting and leaving them wanting to learn more. Understanding the physics of where the ball will land or how to calculate your 3-point shot percentage just might make you a better athlete and give you that extra edge on the court, field, or wherever your sport is played.
If your child is on a travel team, stays late or goes early to practice, spends hours in the backyard kicking goals or in the driveway shooting baskets, then this is the book for them. It includes tips for improving your game, becoming more fit, and most importantly, how to apply science to their sport and think differently about how they play the game.
With the Winter Olympics beginning next week, kids will naturally have questions about the various athletes, the Olympic sports, and how athletes train to become Olympians. Watching the Winter Olympics together with your kids and then looking up the physics behind the ski jumps or the direction of the pass to score a hockey goal will make watching the Olympics even more fun AND educational.
Having a long wingspan can give you an asset in athletics. But, your wingspan isn’t something you can change by doing exercises, it is just your genetics. But, you can work on improving your vertical leap. In the book, Swanson shares that with practice including lunges, climbing stairs, squats, and jumping practice, you can work on your vertical leap which can be helpful in football, basketball, volleyball, gymnastics, ice skating, track, and soccer. These exercises will also make you faster and have a more powerful start.
Does your child like keeping stats on their favorite athlete? Are they keeping track of Tom Brady’s pass attempts and completions? They might find the formulas used to keep stats on the passer rating or the percentage of completions vs attempts. They can also learn about the science behind throwing a pass including the speed of the ball, the launch angle, the range, and the speed of the catcher. This book would be an excellent resource for every coach in youth sports.
I found this book so fascinating and wish our boys would have had a book like this when they were in sports. The illustrations keep kids engaged in the reading and don’t make them feel like they are reading a science textbook. Plus the illustrations help explain the exercises or parts of the body used to engage a particular muscle or throw a ball. The more you can learn about your sport, your body, and the science of how to get your goal accomplished will no doubt make you a better athlete. If someday, you’d like to be a coach, this book will offer you excellent examples of how to explain various training techniques to your young athletes.
If your child is on a travel team, stays late or goes early to practice, spends hours in the backyard kicking goals or in the driveway shooting baskets, then this is the book for them. It includes tips for improving your game, becoming more fit, and most importantly, how to apply science to their sport and think differently about how they play the game.
With the Winter Olympics beginning next week, kids will naturally have questions about the various athletes, the Olympic sports, and how athletes train to become Olympians. Watching the Winter Olympics together with your kids and then looking up the physics behind the ski jumps or the direction of the pass to score a hockey goal will make watching the Olympics even more fun AND educational.
Having a long wingspan can give you an asset in athletics. But, your wingspan isn’t something you can change by doing exercises, it is just your genetics. But, you can work on improving your vertical leap. In the book, Swanson shares that with practice including lunges, climbing stairs, squats, and jumping practice, you can work on your vertical leap which can be helpful in football, basketball, volleyball, gymnastics, ice skating, track, and soccer. These exercises will also make you faster and have a more powerful start.
Does your child like keeping stats on their favorite athlete? Are they keeping track of Tom Brady’s pass attempts and completions? They might find the formulas used to keep stats on the passer rating or the percentage of completions vs attempts. They can also learn about the science behind throwing a pass including the speed of the ball, the launch angle, the range, and the speed of the catcher. This book would be an excellent resource for every coach in youth sports.
I found this book so fascinating and wish our boys would have had a book like this when they were in sports. The illustrations keep kids engaged in the reading and don’t make them feel like they are reading a science textbook. Plus the illustrations help explain the exercises or parts of the body used to engage a particular muscle or throw a ball. The more you can learn about your sport, your body, and the science of how to get your goal accomplished will no doubt make you a better athlete. If someday, you’d like to be a coach, this book will offer you excellent examples of how to explain various training techniques to your young athletes.
September 1, 2021
Science may not be what comes to mind when people think of sports, but our favorite pastimes wouldn't work without STEM. Without an understanding of body science athletes wouldn't know about carbo-loading to stockpile energy before an event. No technology would mean no improvements in the materials for our golf balls or bicycles. Don't forget wearable technology like fitness trackers. What about engineering? Yes, we need that to design a more aerodynamic football or alter the shape of a tennis racket to create more of a sweet spot. But math and sports? Most emphatically, yes. How else could we track the stats of favorite players or create our own fantasy football team?
Jennifer Swanson, author of Save the Crash-test Dummies and Astronaut-Aquanaut, has put together a fascinating look into how STEM affects all areas of sports from equipment design to league standings. Illustrations and diagrams show the difference between early football helmets and today's gear, why kicking a soccer ball up makes it travel farther, or NBA field goal percentages from various spots on the court. Informative sidebars explain carbon nanotubes and how to test your reaction time. There are even suggested activities like measuring your vertical leap or testing drag in water.
Whether you know someone who is a sports enthusiast and would appreciate this look inside how it all works or a science lover who enjoys seeing concepts applied to everyday activities, this is the perfect book for middle grade readers of either sort. It will also make a great addition to science and STEM classes where teachers can pull pertinent examples to accompany lessons on gravity, friction, and other concepts.
Jennifer Swanson, author of Save the Crash-test Dummies and Astronaut-Aquanaut, has put together a fascinating look into how STEM affects all areas of sports from equipment design to league standings. Illustrations and diagrams show the difference between early football helmets and today's gear, why kicking a soccer ball up makes it travel farther, or NBA field goal percentages from various spots on the court. Informative sidebars explain carbon nanotubes and how to test your reaction time. There are even suggested activities like measuring your vertical leap or testing drag in water.
Whether you know someone who is a sports enthusiast and would appreciate this look inside how it all works or a science lover who enjoys seeing concepts applied to everyday activities, this is the perfect book for middle grade readers of either sort. It will also make a great addition to science and STEM classes where teachers can pull pertinent examples to accompany lessons on gravity, friction, and other concepts.
July 27, 2021
A fun way to explore the science in sports! Believe it or not, every sport involves science, from physics and biology to technology and math. With a fun conversational tone, graphics, fun experiments, and an examination of the strategic elements of each, this engaging book looks at a wide range of sports from baseball, swimming, wrestling, tennis, lacrosse, surfing, and gymnastics, as well as many others.
January 24, 2022
I am ALWAYS looking for sports books to hook my reluctant readers. The Secret Science of Sports does just that. It ties a love of sports with real-world science. The STEM concepts in this book get kids talking and excited about reading. Not only that but the range of sports allows there to be something for everyone. The way the book's writing, graphics, and experiments come together make it a must buy. It really is such a great STEM book that should be in every classroom and bookshelf at home.
December 8, 2025
This is such a great STEM read for sports-obsessed students. It's chock full of fun facts and actionable info. I learned so much about tennis, including technological advances in tennis rackets. This book can be read cover-to-cover or in little bites, reading about your favorite sports and sports topics.
October 9, 2022
An awesome little book. Lucid and very well written. I always wondered about the Sports and Science connection. This book laid it all out together. Wonderfully enlightening and easy to read.
September 30, 2021
This is such a great STEM read for sports-obsessed students. It's chock full of fun facts and actionable info. I learned so much about tennis, including technological advances in tennis rackets. This book can be read cover-to-cover or in little bites, reading about your favorite sports and sports topics.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews